Rotten
A stunning misfire.
Neil Young, indieWIRE
Queen of the Desert
One woman can change the course of history
2015 · 2h 8m · PG-13
Adventure, Drama, History
Directed by
Werner Herzog
Free account saves your watchlist and ratings.
Queen of the Desert
Overview
A chronicle of Gertrude Bell's life, a traveler, writer, archaeologist, explorer, cartographer, and political attaché for the British Empire in the Near and Middle East at the dawn of the twentieth century. Her knowledge of the tribal leaders is used by the British to establish the Kingdoms of Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Director and cast
- Werner Herzog Director
- Nicole Kidman as Gertrude Bell
- James Franco as Henry Cadogan
- Robert Pattinson as T.E. Lawrence
- Damian Lewis as Richard Wylie
- Jay Abdo as Fattuh
- Jenny Agutter as Florance Bell
- David Calder as Hugh Bell
- Christopher Fulford as Winston Churchill
- Nick Waring as Sir Mark Sykes
- Holly Earl as Florence Lascelles
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
17%
Tomatometer
Rotten
Given the intrigues and even political insights that a serious, fully committed treatment of Bell's life might have resulted in, it's a shame her years in the land she loved are apparently reducible to ill-fated investments in two bland, charmless men.
Michael Pattison, RogerEbert.com
Rotten
A passionless trudge that lacks both sweep and psychological complexity.
David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter
Rotten
In the end, it's not clear what's driving Bell, nor what's holding her back.
Peter Debruge, Variety
More films
The Wind and the Lion (1975)
Action · Adventure · Drama · History · PG
At the beginning of the 20th century an American woman is abducted in Morocco by Berbers, and the attempts to free her range from diplomatic pressure to military intervention.
- Runtime
- 1h 59m
- Director
- John Milius
- Cast
- Sean Connery, Candice Bergen, Brian Keith
IMDb
6.8
Rotten Tomatoes
63%
Metacritic
67
The Cut (2014)
Adventure · Drama · History · Mystery · Not Rated
In 1915, a man survives the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire, but loses his family, speech and faith. One night, he learns that his twin daughters may be alive, and goes on a quest to find them.
- Runtime
- 2h 18m
- Director
- Fatih Akin
- Cast
- Tahar Rahim, Simon Abkarian, Makram J. Khoury
IMDb
6.2
Rotten Tomatoes
58%
Metacritic
56
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Adventure · History · War · Approved
During World War I, English officer Thomas Edward 'T.E.' Lawrence sets out to unite and lead the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes to fight the Turks.
- Runtime
- 3h 48m
- Director
- David Lean
- Cast
- Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn
IMDb
8.3
Rotten Tomatoes
93%
Metacritic
100
Victoria & Abdul (2017)
Drama · History · PG-13
Queen Victoria strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young Indian clerk named Abdul Karim.
- Runtime
- 1h 52m
- Director
- Stephen Frears
- Cast
- Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Tim Pigott-Smith
IMDb
6.8
Rotten Tomatoes
65%
Metacritic
58
Wake of the Red Witch (1948)
Adventure · Drama · History · APPROVED
Captain Ralls fights Dutch shipping magnate Mayrant Sidneye for the woman he loves, Angelique Desaix, and for a fortune in gold aboard the Red Witch.
- Runtime
- 1h 46m
- Director
- Edward Ludwig
- Cast
- John Wayne, Gail Russell, Gig Young
IMDb
6.7
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Crime · Drama · Thriller · R
Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as...
- Runtime
- 1h 59m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn
IMDb
8.6
Rotten Tomatoes
95%
Metacritic
86
Philadelphia (1993)
Drama · PG-13
Two lawyers join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops, their courage overcomes the prejudice and corruption of their powerful adversaries.
- Runtime
- 2h 6m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jason Robards
IMDb
7.7
Rotten Tomatoes
81%
Metacritic
66
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Mystery · Thriller · R
Years after his squad was ambushed during the Gulf War, Major Ben Marco finds himself having terrible nightmares. He begins to doubt that his fellow squad-mate Sergeant Raymond Shaw, now a vice-presidential candidate, is the hero he remembers him being. As Marco's doubts deepen, Shaw's political power grows, and, when Marco finds a mys...
- Runtime
- 2h 10m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber
IMDb
6.6
Rotten Tomatoes
79%
Metacritic
76
Stop Making Sense (1984)
Documentary · Music · PG
A concert film documenting Talking Heads at the height of their popularity, on tour for their 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues." The band takes the stage one by one and is joined by a cadre of guest musicians for a career-spanning and cinematic performance that features creative choreography and visuals.
- Runtime
- 1h 28m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison
IMDb
8.7
Rotten Tomatoes
100%
Metacritic
94
Something Wild (1986)
Comedy · Crime · Romance · R
A free-spirited woman "kidnaps" a yuppie for a weekend of adventure. But the fun quickly takes a dangerous turn when her ex-con husband shows up.
- Runtime
- 1h 54m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith, Ray Liotta
IMDb
6.9
Rotten Tomatoes
92%
Metacritic
73
Comments
Talk about the film with other members