Lady Jane (1986): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1986, Lady Jane is a drama, romance and history film directed by Trevor Nunn, running about 142 minutes. “Some of the greatest battles are fought with the heart.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. The death of King Henry VIII throws his kingdom into chaos because of succession disputes. His weak son, Edward, is on his deathbed. Anxious to keep England true to the Reformation, a scheming minister John Dudley marries off his son, Guildford to Lady Jane Grey, whom he places on the throne after Edward dies. At first hostile to each other, Guildford and Jane fall in love, but they cannot withstand the course of power which will lead to their ultimate downfall.

Who’s in it. Lady Jane stars Helena Bonham Carter as Lady Jane Grey, Cary Elwes as Guilford Dudley, John Wood as John Dudley, Duke of Nothumberland and Patrick Stewart as Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.8/10, Lady Jane has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on YouTube TV and MGM Plus and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Lady Jane page.

If you liked it. Fans of Lady Jane tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.