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Queen of the Desert

Play trailer 2:22 Poster for Queen of the Desert PG-13 2017 2h 8m Biography History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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18% Tomatometer 80 Reviews 36% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Gertrude Bell's life as an explorer, cartographer, and archaeologist for the British Empire.
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Queen of the Desert

Queen of the Desert

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Critics Consensus

Queen of the Desert unites some undeniably talented professionals, but it's difficult to discern what drew them together -- or understand how its compelling real-life story became such a muddled mess.

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Critics Reviews

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Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com 04/14/2017
2/4
As stunningly picturesque as all of this undeniably proves to be, Queen of the Desert is a barren emotional quagmire, Bell's incredible story deserving of so much more than this movie sadly proves to be willing to offer. Go to Full Review
Richard Roeper Chicago Sun-Times 04/13/2017
2/4
The result is a well-made invitation to nod off. Go to Full Review
J. R. Jones Chicago Reader 04/13/2017
Bell was an extraordinary figure, tailor-made for a dazzling presence like Kidman, but Werner Herzog, directing his own script, unwisely structures Bell's story around her intimate relationships with men. Go to Full Review
Dennis Harvey 48 Hills 11/10/2023
[It] demonstrated that Herzog can fail big, as well as on a DIY scale. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 04/04/2022
1.5/4
The director fails to find a dramatic framework through which to view his subject. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 09/22/2021
1.5/4
With so many classics to his name, Werner Herzog need not apologize for helming Queen of the Desert -- it's just shocking that his name is attached to something as arid and uninspired as this stillborn drama. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Rebecca T Apr 10 I thought this movie was superb. It is a visually beautiful, well acted, moving real-life story—genuinely dumbfounded at the low ratings. See more Jenny M 03/24/2024 I watched this movie after viewing the documentaries "Letters from Baghdad" and "The Real Lawrence of Arabia" and was very disappointed. I can never understand the need for Hollywood to create fictional events in the life of historical people. Gertrude Bell had plenty of real life experiences to draw from for dramatic effect. And their portrayal of T E Lawrence was shallow and appalling. Most of their interactions in this film never happened. Very lazy research and writing. See more Michael A 02/08/2024 Queen of Desert's miscasting is so incredibly bad it almost makes one cry. Kidman is usually so great though certainly not here. It's like if the actors and director know this movie is going to flunk in a major way. Watch Lawrence of Arabia instead or to compare how this very important topic should have been treated at each level. While Franco was somewhat miscast, Pattison is way not credible as Lawrence at all. Kidman looks more like she should be her father's younger wife than his daughter, why she took on this role leaves one feeling bewildered and sad since she is typically such a great actress and seems to choose her roles wisely. Sad, sad, sad. See more Damien K 12/27/2023 Disappointing. The real life story was complex and compelling, and the 'love interests' (four, not two) were disastrous, each in their own way. Yet the characters are portrayed as romantically beautiful (Bell wasn't, nor was Lawrence) and the storyline lacks a central meaning. The whole thing came across as a pastiche of beautiful but largely unconnected scenes looking for a reason. Pretty to look at but rubbish story-telling. See more Marit Risto F 12/25/2023 Probably the story could have been better, but I enjoy it anyway. Again and again See more 04/14/2022 I think it is mesmerising. The scenery, the different way of life through an eye of a woman. See more Read all reviews
Queen of the Desert

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Movie Info

Synopsis Gertrude Bell's life as an explorer, cartographer, and archaeologist for the British Empire.
Director
Werner Herzog
Producer
Michael Benaroya, Cassian Elwes, Nick N. Raslan
Screenwriter
Werner Herzog
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Raslan Company of America, Benaroya Pictures
Rating
PG-13 (Some Thematic Elements|Brief Nudity)
Genre
Biography, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 14, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 6, 2017
Runtime
2h 8m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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