Elizabeth - The Golden Age
Wednesday, 31 Oct 2007 12:17
Cate Blanchett as the Virgin Queen
Directed by Shekhar Kapur, out November 2nd, in cinemas, starring Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen, Rhys Ifans, running time 114 minutes.
In a nutshell...
A visually stunning historical romp
What's it all about?
Set in the 16th century and beginning in the year 1585, Working Title flick Elizabeth - The Golden Age is the sequel to 1998's Elizabeth and explores the period in the Virgin Queen's rule where she battled against religious factions in her own country, the threat of invasion, plots to overrule her and the perilous world of love in a time when monarchs generally got married to appease foreign allies or for political gain.
Good Queen Bess is a tough old bird; wise, witty and extremely sharp. She rules England in a manner which is firm but fair and answers to no one. But at 52 years of age she is still unmarried and without a child to carry on her royal linage so must endure suitor upon suitor visiting her with the hope of becoming her prince charming, so to speak.
Aside from unwanted romantic advances, she must also deal with the more pressing matter of the threat of invasion from the world's most powerful country, Spain, as Catholic King Philip II wants to overthrow Protestant Elizabeth and is seemingly plotting with her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots to do so.
And let's not forget also the rather dashing adventurer Walter Raleigh, who captures Liz' eye and then her heart, but whose ruff-wearing ruggedness eventually belongs to another.
Who's in it?
The gorgeous Cate Blanchett reprises the role of Elizabeth I in an unquestionably Oscar-worthy turn, while fellow Australian Geoffrey Rush is back on top form as her key advisor Sir Francis Walsingham. Clive Owen smoulders as love interest Raleigh while Rhys Ifans is superbly sinister as Jesuit crusader Robert Reston and newcomer Abbie Cornish plays the queen's favourite lady-in-waiting Elizabeth Throckmorton - better known as Bess - with fresh-faced conviction.
As an example...
"I have a hurricane in me sir, that would strip Spain bare if you dare to try me!"
- Elizabeth shows that the lady's not for turning.
Likelihood of a trip to the Oscars
Director Shekhar Kapur's first exploration of the Virgin Queen was nominated for seven of the little golden fellas and only came away with one, far fewer than it deserved. If this beautiful film doesn't get Oscars for costume, production design, cinematography or indeed best actress it will be an absolute travesty, given that the sheer elegance of Golden Age is inexplicable linked to the attention to detail that has gone into capturing every element of the Elizabethan period and indeed Blanchett's superb interpretation of the monarch.
What the others say
"Nine years after her portrayal of the Virgin Queen in Elizabeth, Cate Blanchett is reprising the role in a complex sequel that follows her struggle between love and duty, mortals and gods, fundamentalism and tolerance." - The Telegraph
"Elizabeth is a noble and beautiful disappointment, a slice of high drama that disguises a powerful figure's adolescent and futile search for the boy of her dreams." - Contact Music
So is it any good?
Elizabeth - The Golden Age is, in every sense of the word, majestic. This film envelops the senses with its opulence, its romance, its heightened sexual tension, its violence and its political drama and although there may be some historical inaccuracies and a pretty overbearing soundtrack to contend with, this shouldn't really affect your enjoyment of the film.
Stunningly shot in various locations across the UK including a variety of beautiful cathedrals, The Golden Age is really a film of two halves. The first explores the intimate nature of the queen's emotional self, how she wants so desperately to love but how in the end she knows she must give her all to her country. Here we see her fraught as she battles with the inner turmoil of unrequited love for Raleigh, appears to be troubled by a hint of infatuation with Bess and ponders her age, beauty and wisdom.
This is neatly complemented by the second half, which explores Elizabeth's stately self. Here, the Virgin Queen is statuesque and anything but lovelorn. Dressed ostentatiously in large, grand outfits and with an imposing white face we see how this frighteningly intelligent monarch comes to lead England into a victorious battle against the Spanish Armada off the English coast - arguably the greatest challenge of her reign and indeed one of the best scenes of the entire film.
As it stands, this film is not as personal as its predecessor, nor should it be, because in The Golden Age we see Elizabeth as an older, much more established ruler. This film successfully dramatises a period in her reign where she was a damn feisty lady who knew what she wanted - and was hellbent on getting it. What's not to like about that?
8/10
Laura Topp
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