The Abdication

The Abdication is a 1974 British historical drama film directed by Anthony Harvey and starring Peter Finch and Liv Ullmann. The film's score was composed by Nino Rota.^[1] It tells a fictionalized version of the rumored love affair between Christina, Queen of Sweden and Cardinal Decio Azzolino during the former's stay in Rome after abdicating her throne.

The Abdication
Directed by	Anthony Harvey
Screenplay by	Ruth Wolff
Based on	Ruth Wolff (based on her play)
Produced by	James Cresson Robert Fryer
Starring	Peter Finch Liv Ullmann
Cinematography	Geoffrey Unsworth
Edited by	John Bloom
Music by	Nino Rota
Color process	Technicolor
Production company	A Robert Fryer-James Cresson Production
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release dates	5 December 1974 (1974-12-05) (UK) 3 October 1974 (1974-10-03) (USA)
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Plot

After abdicating her throne and converting to Catholicism, Queen Christina arrives in Rome, where Cardinal Azzolino is appointed to evaluate her and to help her to adapt to life in Rome. They fall in love, but after the Pope's death, Azzolino rejects her to re-embrace his position in the church.^[2]

Cast

• Peter Finch as Azzolino
• Liv Ullmann as Queen Christina
• Cyril Cusack as Oxenstierna
• Paul Rogers as Altieri
• Graham Crowden as Barberini
• Michael Dunn as The Dwarf
• Kathleen Byron as Queen Mother
• Lewis Fiander as Dominic
• Harold Goldblatt as Pinamonti
• Tony Steedman as Carranza
• Noel Trevarthen as Ginetti
• Richard Cornish as Charles
• James Faulkner as Magnus
• Ania Marson as Ebba
• Franz Drago as Birgito
• Suzanne Huddart as Young Christina
• Debbie Nicholson as Young Ebba
• Edward Underdown as Christina's Father

See also

• List of British films of 1974