Set against the backdrop of the succession of Queen Elizabeth I, and the Essex Rebellion against her, the story advances the theory that it was in fact Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford who penned Shakespeare's plays.

Jamie Campbell Bower
as Young Earl of Oxford

Rhys Ifans
as Edward de Vere

David Thewlis
as William Cecil

Joely Richardson
as Princess Elizabeth Tudor

Vanessa Redgrave
as Queen Elizabeth I

Sebastian Armesto
as Ben Jonson

Rafe Spall
as William Shakespeare

Edward Hogg
as Robert Cecil

Xavier Samuel
as Earl of Southampton

Sam Reid
as Earl of Essex
Andres Gomez
Good entertaining fictional historic movie. Just don't try to chew on whether the history is true or not but enjoy the plot....
Filipe Manuel Neto
**A film that would be much better with less sudden flashbacks, fewer anachronisms and a more careful explanation of the theory it comes to present.** I've already written a lot here, and I've said it a few times, but it's worth saying again that, although I'm a historian and I like Shakespeare's...