Film: Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Studio: Studio Canal; Working Title Films

Director: Shekhar Kapur

Principal Actors: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen

Release Date: October 12, 2007

Film length: 114 minutes

Rating: PG-13

4 ½ Stars

Reviewed By: Deborah Buckner

Playing England's Queen Elizabeth I should be a dream of every great actress; there are opportunities to display strength, wit, vulnerability, anger, even wistfulness. Cate Blanchett is a great actress, fully ready to embrace the range of emotion required of a great ruler.

Returning to the role after her much-acclaimed Elizabeth (1998), Blanchett, like the queen, has grown into her power. This is an Elizabeth fully aware of her role as queen, understanding she may never be truly liked for herself, but only for what she can do for others. When her adviser, Sir Francis Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush reprises the role) raises the subject of her duty to marry and produce an heir, Elizabeth wittily turns the conversation to finding a husband for one of her favored ladies-in-waiting, another Elizabeth, known as Bess (Abbe Cornish). Like a top office manager who can be “one of the girls” in the washroom, Elizabeth proves she is strong and hard-as-nails as she holds court.

Political threats come to this Protestant queen from all directions. Half of her subjects are Catholic, and there are rumors of plots to assassinate her, part of the holy war of King Philip of Spain (Jordi Mollá) to bringCatholicism to all of Europe. Ready and waiting in the wings to claim her throne is Elizabeth's cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots (Samantha Morton), plotting to restore Catholicism to England. As her lords warn her of the growing threat posed by her Catholic subjects, Elizabeth responds, “I will not punish my people for their beliefs.”

Personal upheaval also enters the life of the queen. As she parades to the castle with her entourage, a sudden snap of an object hurled in front of her brings the warnings of assassination all too close to home. The object, however, is the doublet of Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen), legendarily tossed to cover a puddle in the queen's path. Later, as Raleigh attempts to gain audience with the queen's lords, Bess advises Elizabeth, “The puddle man is outside.” Intrigued, Elizabeth interrupts an audience of foreign ambassadors to allow Raleigh's admittance. He brings gifts from a New World, named Virginia in honor of the Virgin Queen. Elizabeth is amused by the presentations of potatoes, tobacco and gold, the latter taken from Spanish ships, forcing an irate Spanish ambassador to leave the audience. Though Elizabeth protests she cannot accept “the fruits of piracy,” Raleigh reminds her anything taken from Spain in these turbulent times is an aid to England. Elizabeth reflects her understanding, referring to Raleigh as “a political pirate.”

Wanting to know more about Raleigh, Elizabeth sends Bess to speak further with him. It becomes clear the queen is using her lady-in-waiting as a proxy, almost urging her to have the relationship with the man that a queen cannot. Yet, when the relationship progresses beyond the queen's controlling, Elizabeth demonstrates she can be very much a woman.

As Mary of Scotland plots with her supporters in England, Sir Francis finds himself pulled into the intrigue when his younger brother, William (Adam Godley) proves to be part of the conspiracy. A failed attempt to assassinate Elizabeth is tied to Mary through her intercepted correspondence. Sir Francis advises Elizabeth to execute Mary as a traitor. Upset as she confronts the decision, Elizabeth turns to Raleigh. He clearly understands her dilemma: “Kill a queen, and all queens are mortal.” While Mary goes calmly to her death at the block, Elizabeth paces and weeps, wishing to void her order of the execution.

The “murder” of Mary is the catalyst Philip uses to justify war on England. As the threat of his advancing armada faces England, Elizabeth, in armor, urges her troops into battle. The scene is not exactly a re-creation of the St. Crispin's Day speech of Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, but it is a goose bumps moment, seeing a queen ready to accept all the responsibility of her office. The approaching Spanish Armada is displayed in all its beautiful menace as Raleigh and the English fleet prepares to meet them. The scenes of battle, though brief, are violent and bloody. This is not the romantic “thundering of guns, all hands on deck, swinging from halyard” image from an Errol Flynn movie. Likewise, England's defeat of the armada is not a climatic moment such as enjoyed by the crew of Captain Blood or The Sea Hawk. Rather, it is observed by Elizabeth, barefoot in her nightgown, watching from afar as the Spanish ships burn. Rather than a queen amidst her celebrating countrymen, she is a woman, watching her victory alone.

Costumes, sets, and the score by Craig Armstrong and A.R. Rahman all combine to present a romantic costume drama of the old tradition. But some little spark is missing. Capable though Clive Owen might be as Raleigh, one cannot help but long for Errol Flynn in the role, for a swashbuckling hero wooing a lady-in-waiting and a queen with equal charm. Perhaps it's just as well, though. This is a film for the queen, and Blanchett delivers. Whether she communicates by a subtle tilt of the head, a passionate rage, or a rousing speech urging her army to victory, Blanchett is very much a queen in command of her country, her subjects, and herself.