Elizabeth: Virgin Queen of Golden era

Elizabeth: Virgin Queen of Golden era

By Angela Swilley
Elizabeth
ATLANTA
November 20, 1998

Studio: Polygram Running Time: 2 hours. Starring: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes, and Richard Attenborough Rating: R Acting: 5.0 / 5.0 Action: 2.0 / 5.0 Drama: 4.0 / 5.0 Humor: 2.0 / 5.0 Suspense: 3.0 / 5.0 Elizabeth is a remarkable film based on the incredible and moving story of the second daughter of Henry VIII, Elizabeth Tudor, played by Cate Blanchett. The movie begins in England, 1554 A.D, with the decline in health and the subsequent death of Mary Tudor. The England Mary left to Elizabeth was a divided country with a bankrupt treasury and no army . The story then traced through the early life of Elizabeth as she tried to and succeeded in repairing the divided England that Mary created with her persecution of the Protestants. In the background, Elizabeth's throne was also threatened by several enemies challenging the military might of England. The Protestant Elizabeth took over the throne of England after the Catholic "Bloody Mary" had beheaded or burned over 300 Protestants. Elizabeth traced Elizabeth's rise from her label of illegitimate child to the strong leader who came to be called the "Virgin Queen." When her first attempt at ruling England led to an embarrassing defeat, Elizabeth realized that she must develop a new strategy. Blanchett masterfully portrays Elizabeth's transformation from a woman who tried to rule with her heart to a forceful Queen who secured her throne and led England into what became know as its "Golden Age." Elizabeth has many of the elements of a successful drama, it is a thriller and a love story. It asks and tries to answer the tough questions that Elizabeth had to face in trying to establish her rule and rebuild the weak throne that she has inherited. Besides overcoming court intrigue Elizabeth also has to face a tougher question: should she deny her heart and marry for country, or should she wed the one she loves, Lord Robert Dudley (Joseph Fiennes)? Elizabeth strikingly portrays the events that lead to Elizabeth's decision to belong to no man, sacrifice her chance to leave an heir, and 'marry' England. It depicts the humorous events which lead her to decline the proposal of the Duc D'Anjou of France and the heartbreaking reason she cannot marry her beloved Robert.

As a film that took inspiration from films like The Godfather, Elizabeth is a marvelous piece of cinematography. Elizabeth contains a few scenes which are oddly out of place with the rest of the film or are so grotesque that they push the limits of what many viewers want to see, but overall, it is a truly masterful film. The beauty of the countryside and castles are matched by incredible costumes and brilliant acting. Elizabeth is a definite must-see for history lovers and all people who can appreciate a masterfully done film on an incredible woman.

Copyright © 1998 by Gregory S. Scherrer, Editor and by the Student Publications Board

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