Lady Jane

Lady Jane is a British historical drama set in the sixteenth century, during the turbulent years following the death of King Henry VIII. With the young and ailing Edward VI on the throne, England's Protestant faction fears a return to Catholic rule. The ambitious nobleman John Dudley arranges a marriage between his son, Guilford, and Lady Jane Grey, a cousin of the king, and installs the pair on the throne once Edward dies. Jane and Guilford begin their marriage as strangers who resent each other, but their bond deepens as the political manoeuvres around them close in.

The film was directed by Trevor Nunn, a figure from the theatre making his move into cinema, and was written by David Edgar. Helena Bonham Carter and Cary Elwes lead the cast as Jane and Guilford, with John Wood as the scheming John Dudley, Patrick Stewart as the Duke of Suffolk, and Joss Ackland and Michael Hordern in supporting roles. Made on a budget of roughly nine million dollars, it runs 142 minutes.

Audience response has been favourable, with the film holding a 7.1 rating on IMDb from around 7,500 votes and a 6.9 on TMDB. The critics' score of 5 out of 10, drawn from a small number of reviews, sits below both of those audience ratings. The film was released in February 1986 and was Nunn's first feature, preceding Twelfth Night, Cats, Oklahoma! and Red Joan.