Elizabeth ****



After seeing the ad I’ve mentioned before for cheap DVD’s, I was lucky enough to find a personal favorite of mine, so of course, I swept it up. I searched for a thread dedicated to this movie and found none, so here goes.

Elizabeth (1998) is a sweeping tale about how Queen Elizabeth I came to power during the 16th century. It stars Cate Blancett in the title role, Geoffrey Rush as her second, and most trusted advisor and personal security guard Sir Francis Walsingham, Joseph Fiennes as her lover Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Christopher Eccleston as the villainous Duke of Norfolk, and Sir Richard Attenborrough as her first advisor Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley. The acting, costume design, art design, and cinematography are all exceptional, and am blown away by the music done by David Hirschfelder.

I’ve always been a big fan of Blanchett’s and I believe that this is her defining role. I remember when Fellowship of the Ring came out and everybody fawned over Liv Tyler and her amazing beauty, I found Blanchett so much more appealing. I still do.

The movie begins the story showing Princess Elizabeth as a Protestant whereas her half-sister, Queen Mary Tudor as Catholic. The Vatican is desperate to keep Catholicism the principle, and only reigning, religion in England, and sets to undermine the chances that Elizabeth ever wears the crown. Among their allies is the Duke of Norfolk, and from the beginning, we are to understand that he is her most dangerous enemy. Elizabeth is already in love with Robert Dudley before she ever becomes Queen, and afterwards shows that a Queens love can be a poisonous thing wrought with its own danger. After she becomes Queen, Sir William Cecil becomes her advisor by default and insists that she becomes wed for the good of the people, England, and to secure her throne from dissenters.

I really could sympathize with Elizabeth. She was a woman who was thrust into power before she was ready, and came to find out that England was without a standing army, any trustworthy allies, or anything left in the treasury. Everywhere she turned she was confronted with enemies who didn’t want a Protestant heretic on the throne. Until the day when Sir Francis Walsingham became her new advisor, she was at risk. When he gains her ear, you could tell that the worm was about to turn, and I personally, had a rush as he took charge and delivered her from her enemies by smiting them in one fell swoop. Afterwards, she became the Queen of England that is to this day the most beloved Queen of all; The Virgin Queen.

Elizabeth is a powerful story full of powerful performances, and is close to being my favorite Rush performance ever, though that is so hard to define, because even when he’s in a movie that isn’t that great, he still is. Four Stars.

Very good review Slay… Anytime I hear Cate’s name, I automatically think of Elizabeth which is definitely one of my favorites… and like you, I could sympathize with Elizabeth… she was an extremely intelligent woman reigning in an age when men dominated everything... I always thought it was a bit ironic that her father, Henry VIII, had her mother executed on trumped up charges so he was free to remarry in the hope of producing a male heir… and yet, it was his cast aside daughter who took up the reigns of an improvised country and turned it into one of the most powerful of the time…

I give this one four stars too...

Nice review Brian.

I loved everything about Elizabeth. The acting, the way the movie was done, how the story was told.

Cate was wonderful in the leading role. Her peformance as a naive young woman that grows into a savy, wise woman was right on target. I haven't seen her in too many movies, but I'm a fan now. I also loved Geoffrey Rush as Walsingham and Christopher Eccleston as the Duke of Norfolk.

I felt for Elizabeth when she first came into power and had to immediately decide on sending troops to Scotland. The way all the powerful men around her were acting and telling her what she needs to do. And, the result of her accepting their advice....and learning of the children that were sent to fight for England. I'm still a little unclear why the church had the power that wouldn't allow the regular amy to go...possibly the power struggle of the catholic bishops and the protestant ruler. Anyway...her reaction to that was perfect. And of course the ending advice with Walsingham as she looks at the Virgin Mary and how Men need someone divine to look up to. I loved it.

The story of Elizabeth is a fascinating one. Talk about a woman trying to make it in a man's world. This definately deserves four stars.

Originally Posted by Aniko

The story of Elizabeth is a fascinating one. Talk about a woman trying to make it in a man's world. This definately deserves four stars.

Absolutely..................well said

Anytime I hear Cate’s name, I automatically think of Elizabeth...

I automatically think of The Talented Mr. Ripley, but there you go!

I watched Elizabeth a few weeks ago, it was pretty good.

The acting was decent, and the direction & editing was well done...
All in all- a film worth a look.