Elizabeth I
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Movie Reviews of Elizabeth I
Movie Review: Helen Mirren Portrays Elizabeth I - A Lavish Television Production.
Summary: 5 Stars
Elizabeth I - Quick Brief Background the early years before this production starts
Tudor Queen of England Elizabeth I was born in Greenwich on the 7th September 1533, the only daughter of Henry VIII and his Second wife Anne Boleyn. When Elizabeth was two Anne was beheaded for adultery on the orders of Henry and Elizabeth was exiled from court, her childhood remained a difficult one but she received her protestant education. Upon Henry's death, Elizabeth's older half sister Mary became Queen in 1553, Mary was to re-establish Catholicism in England and viewed Elizabeth as her greatest threat so much so that Elizabeth herself for a time was imprisoned in the Tower of London where every day she lived in fear of her death warrant being signed. Mary took pity and sent Elizabeth back into exile, Elizabeth succeeds to the throne in 1558 aged 25 one of her priorities was to establish and secure England back to Protestantism. Elizabeth was constantly challenged from the Catholics with there many dark plots, therefore Elizabeth reign always remained on a knifes edge, Elizabeth greatest challenge came from her Catholic cousin Mary Queen of Scots.
Elizabeth I - The Production 1579 Episode one
This production begins 20 Years into Elizabeth I reign 1579 she had so far refused to marry there was great uncertainty, without a husband there would be no heir therefore who would succeed to the throne, the consequences were great, danger of civil war between those competing for the succession, England was also in a vulnerable position to the likes of the Catholic powers, led by Spain waiting to seize the heretic Queen's throne.
It opens with Elizabeth (Helen Mirren) being pressed by her privy councilors and parliament baiting her to enter a marriage of alliances namely with the Duke of Anjou (Jérémie Covillault) brother to the king of France, the councilors were trying to find a suitor to break up the Catholic alliance between France and Spain, by marrying the French Catholic Duke it would build a stronger force between England and France, while England remains protestant this puts England in a stronger position keeping peace with Spain. We proceed through this episode showing the trails and tribulations of what being a Queen takes in matters of love and friendship with the Earl of Leicester (Jeremy Irons), War, Conspiracy and Power how a Queen at all times remains on her guard to show no feelings of the heart and keep her wits about her in matters of state. Mirren plays this Queen wonderfully in a light hearted, witty way, with classic charm.
Elizabeth I - The Production 1589 - 1603 Episode Two
There is no more talk of producing an heir to the Throne of England, The Spanish Armada has been defeated and this secures the English nation and the English Protestant Church. But who would succeed her? Who would take her extraordinary power for themselves? Conspiracy burning on the home front is rife, the Queen is growing older and insecurities begin to creep into her life, her old trusted friends have passed on and younger men of wealth and ambition look for her affection and power, one in particular the Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, 19th Earl of Essex 2nd Devereux 1566 -1601, (played by Hugh Dancy) the Earl of Essex was good looking and famous for his charm he quickly became a favorite to the queen but he exploited his Queens Weaknesses throughout his life. Matters of the heart between Mirren and Dancy are acted out fantastically, Mirren shows the Queens true feelings of doubt, this episode takes us to Elizabeth death in 1603.
Performances, Cast.
I have a love of History Elizabeth I being my favorite Queen, This Production was made for TV and it was a lavish one, the scenery is superb with marvelous visual graphics showing the life and times, and the costumes are wonderful. Although the History in this is followed from what we know of Elizabeth I, history is outlined only in small parts of course the script writers have interceded to turn this into a story line to keep it entertaining, they were short on time so it takes us off track to Elizabeth's real life, a couple of Elizabeth I famous speeches remain in. (The last Twenty Three years of Elizabeth's Life was packed with all sorts of goings on putting this into 210 minutes was always going to be difficult and the fact we don't really know what went on behind closed doors is also questioned marked, I would entice anyone to read up on Elizabeth I to get a full understanding of the history) but even so it's a fantastic production of story telling and I throughly enjoyed it.
The cast is exceptionally Helen Mirren (This year has been great for Mirren) a classical actress of special significance she made her breakthrough at 19 as Queen Cleopatra in a national youth theatre Production, Oscar nominated at 50 for her affecting Queen Charlotte in the film The Madness of king George and now as Dame Helen Mirren winning an Emmy for this Elizabeth I production and went on to tackle Queen Elizabeth II, playing a Queen seems to suit her very well a women of extraordinary talent (Mirren Playing DS Jane Tennison TV series Prime Suspect is another great performance that should not be missed).
Jeremy Irons winning a second Emmy for his performance in this Production as well, Hugh Dancy, Patrick Malahide, Ian Mcdiarmid and Toby Jones all put in wonderful performances with its great writing from Nigel Williams, and great roles from characters in English History. Fantastic, worth every penny.
Heed my Warning to the faint hearted there are a few Gory violent scenes as part of this production.
Extra's The Making of Elizabeth I + Uncovering the Real Elizabeth.
A.Bowhill
Movie Review: A great, sweeping portrayal of Elizabeth from age 45 to her death at 69. Helen Mirren shines
Summary: 5 Stars
This may be a television mini-series but it has the quality, detail and acting superiority of an excellent motion picture. Elizabeth (Helen Mirren) has been on the throne for twenty years. It's 1579 and she is 45 years old. We meet her at the conclusion of a discrete but public examination to establish for all to know that she is capable of bearing a child. The need for her to marry, both to ensure an heir and to ensure her survival as Queen, obsesses her councilors. For Elizabeth, it's not so simple. She is not just a queen, but a sovereign ruler, anointed, in her words, by God. She has the same passionate need for love and intimacy as her subjects. She probably realizes that marriage, in her era, would most likely lead to her own inevitable subordination to her husband if he is English or the subordination of the country to another country if he is foreign. She most probably realizes that by not making a choice, she keeps all the choices on the bargaining table.
And, of course, there is the question of her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, now a prisoner but a continuing threat to her rule, whom her councillors want dead. There is her own passionate nature focussed on Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (Jeremy Irons), and, later, on the young Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex (Hugh Dancy). One will die in bed; one will lose his head. There are religious issues so deeply held they could, and have, split the nation. Before long, there will be the threat of Spanish invasion to deal with. Through it all, Elizabeth procrastinates, twists and turns, takes a step forward and then one back. If we didn't already know her story so well, we might be surprised when we realize that in time the religious question is finessed with little violence, that Mary is dealt with, that the Spanish fail, that her people come to love her (more or less), that she invariably chooses her councilors well and they become dedicated to her, that she will be the one to make the final decisions and that rebellion is a fatal choice for those who disagree with her, even if they are one of her favorites. She is, in fact, a ruler who makes mistakes, can be swayed by vanity and avoids choices, but who when it matters makes the right choices.
Helen Mirren does a masterful job, taking Elizabeth from 45 to Elizabeth's death at 69. Elizabeth could be fickle and imperious, but she had a core of steel, particularly when it came to defending her realm and her prerogatives. Mirren is such a dynamic and skilled actor it is entirely believable that the young Earl of Essex just might find the aging Queen an agreeable and intimate companion. Mirren is equally believable in demonstrating the iron will of a Queen who moves against someone she may well have loved.
Mirren is at her best in dealing with complex emotions. When Elizabeth at last is brought to sign the order of execution for Mary but then tells the clerk to keep her action secret and not to show the document to anyone until she tells him, Mirren gives us a subtle portrait of Elizabeth, a Queen who knows it's in her best interests to have Mary executed but who flinches from being the one to make the order happen. At some level, Elizabeth must know that her order will not be kept secret, that it will be given to her councillors and that Walsingham will see to it that the execution takes place immediately. As Walsingham says, the Queen wants Mary executed but doesn't want to be the one responsible. It's a complex set of motives and emotions that Mirren has to display; they range from her reluctant signing to her hysteria when she learns Mary has been executed.
Equally impressive is Mirren demonstrating the ability of Elizabeth to rouse the rabble with a combination of patriotism and bravado. She does a bravura job with Elizabeth's famous words before her army awaiting the Spanish invasion: "Let tyrants fear; I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects. And therefore I am come amongst you at this time, not as for my recreation or sport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die amongst you all; to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honor and my blood, even the dust. I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England, too!"
While Mirren dominates the story, all the actors are excellent. In major roles, in addition to Irons and Dancy, there is Patrick Malahyde as Sir Francis Walsingham, Toby Jones as Robert Cecil, Barbara Flynn as Mary and Ian McDiarmid as William Cecil. The production is sumptuous and the DVD picture is immaculate. There are two extras, "Making Elizabeth I" and "Uncovering the Real Elizabeth I."
Movie Review: Making 400 Years Ago Seem Like Yesterday . . .
Summary: 5 Stars
Elizabeth Tudor was one of the most psychologically-complex rulers in history. Alternately ignored and embraced by a tyrannical father who had her mother judicially murdered, coming very near to her own youthful death in prison at the hands of her half-sister Queen Mary, and threatened with invasion and assassination attempts throughout her reign, she -- almost uniquely among her contemporaries -- nevertheless steered a course of moderation that brought England through one of the most tumultuous periods in its history and left it poised to begin the reach for empire that was to give England dominance over the 19th century.
Her long reign at a critical juncture of English history presents a panorama so large that it is virtually impossible to capture in anything less than a lengthy miniseries such as PBS undertook in the 1970's with Glenda Jackson's bravura performance . . . a miniseries plagued, unfortuately, by quickly outdated production values. Given a choice imposed by a shorter format of whether to survey Elizabeth equally as both ruler and woman or to bring the camera in closer and to put more focus on one dimension than the other, Tom Hooper wisely chooses the latter.
I am a voracious fan of Elizabeth's watershed reign but, frankly, it has been surveyed enough. So I am pleased that Hooper chose to canvas the more complex side of Elizabeth the woman. And I am ecstatic that he chose the amazing Helen Mirren to do the heavy lifting. Certainly her job is made easier by a superb script with just the right balance between known events and intelligent guesses about the personal drives and private maneuvers behind those events. And Hooper places her in physical settings built to the true color and scale of the Elizabethan court, not to the exaggerated imaginings of later generations which produced the Gothic horror show of sets in which Cate Blanchett was made to portray her highly-stylized Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was a woman capable of bold maneuvers in the face of danger who nevertheless drove her council crazy with prolonged indecision. She was a woman who could translate Greek into French, who practiced her music, and appreciated poetry -- but who likewise could don armor and stand as rousing orator in front of her army as the indominatable heir to Henry VIII.
But, perhaps more than anything, she was a passionate, feeling woman whom fate had left with a deadly fear of marriage. In an era when monarchs were expected to marry and produce heirs, she came from a family where marriage had been a death sentence more than once. She lived in an era when women -- even queens -- were expected to subordinate their wishes and their estates to those of a husband. She watched her dogmatic sister "Bloody Mary" plunge England into religious mayhem punctuated by a poor marriage choice. She watched her cousin Mary Queen of Scots lose her throne over an imprudent marriage.
Yet she loved and craved love throughout her life. Ensconced in the propaganda of "The Virgin Queen" -- sufficient unto herself, chaste in person and under the sway of no Pope, no foreign Papist husband, and no English subject -- she nevertheless desperately craved the intimacy and security her role and her family history denied her.
Telling this story is one of history's most instructive lessons on the price that power and success can exact on a person. Telling it well is one of history's most entertaining offerings. Telling it this well is one of those very rare events in film history.
Movie Review: Helen Mirren's Elizabeths
Summary: 5 Stars
This miniseries which focuses on the last twenty years of Elizabeth I's forty year reign (1579-1599) seems designed to showcase Helen Mirren's formidable talents as an actress who is capable of finding, connecting to, and bringing to light what is most human about her larger-than-life characters. In this HBO miniseries about the first Elizabeth as in the Stephen Frears directed feature The Queen (about the second Elizabeth) Helen Mirren has the uncanny ability of showing these monarchs not as abstractions or icons but as extremely complicated, extremeley conflicted, and extremely vulnerable individuals who are, nonetheless, forced to come to terms with the fact that for the people they represent and embody a supra-human ideal and to live up to this expectation they must always conduct themselves in accordance with this ideal. But to live this ideal comes with a terrible price for to live the ideal is to forego actually living life.
Helen Mirren plays both Queen Elizabeth I & II as selfless public servants who must craft themselves according to the public will. Since her power as a monarch is dependent upon the goodwill that her people feel toward her neither Queen is ever free to make decisions based on self-interest but must always weigh her decisions/rulings and consider how they will benefit and/or serve the people. Even though Mirren shows how overbearing each Queen could, at times, be, ultimatley both Queens are seen to be little more than captives of the will of the people. The Queen's every wardrobe choice, every word, and every gesture is carefully crafted and carefully staged; she artfully manages her life to secure the loyalty of her subjects (which ultimatley means that she is their subject and not they hers); and, therefore, no decision the Queen makes is ever a private matter as even her love life is a matter of state. If, in the case of Elizabeth I, the people prefer that their Queen remain a virgin (and loyal only to them) then a virgin she will remain. And if, in the case of Elizabeth II, the people demand that their Queen pay her respects to "the people's princess" (Lady Di) then pay her respects she must.
Though each Elizabeth is an entirely singular individual Helen Mirren really understands both Queens to be suffering the consequences of the same kind of extended confinement (which is, apparently, the common blight of royal life in any age).
Both HBO's two-part Elizabeth I and Stephen Frears' The Queen are must-sees for two groups: fans of royal history and acting fans who wish to see an actor/actress at the top of his/her game.
Also recommended to royal history buffs: David Starkey's two-part series Monarchy (about the English royals from the beginning to Charles II).
Also recommended to Helen Mirren fans: The Painted Lady (1997); Prime Suspect seasons 1-6 (season 6 was directed by Elizabeth I's Tom Hooper); The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989).
Movie Review: What is a crown when love's voice speaks to us?
Summary: 5 Stars
Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons did such a splendid job in this series that part I is by far my favorite part. This film takes a different road than the Hollywood versions ("Elizabeth" and its sequel, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age") and depicts the genuine love and maturity between them. Jeremy Irons was charming as the Earl of Leicester (pronounced "Lester"), portraying that he was in love with Elizabeth, whom he called "Bess." Elizabeth depends upon him and he is many things to her, though in this version their love is never entirely physically consummated. We see them kiss, and there is a deep, mature love between the two of them despite pressure from the Privy Council that she should marry ... much to Leicester's dismay. Leicester is openly jealous of another's suit for Elizabeth's hand in marriage. Elizabeth and Leicester walk a fine line: it's clear they love each other deeply, but Elizabeth sadly reminds him that if she ever marries, she must marry royalty. Elizabeth seems content to keep Leicester by her side, until it is disclosed to her -- rather abruptly -- that her love, Leicester, has been secretly married to a woman already pregnant with his child. The news devastates her and she bans Leicester from court. Seven years later, they reconcile and renew their close friendship. Elizabeth is re-introduced to Leicester's stepson, Essex, with whom she later favored after Leicester's death. Leicester becomes gravely ill and dies with Elizabeth by his side, telling him that she loves him, and that he will always be with her. The chemistry between Helen and Jeremy was exquisite and lends a huge compliment to the much talked about historical romance of Leicester and Elizabeth.
The second part depicts Elizabeth's rocky relationship with Essex, who, with his handsome face, youthful spirit, and quick wit, becomes her favorite after the death of Leicester. She kisses him and bestows great wealth upon him, however young Essex shows an extreme lack of maturity and humility when it comes to these favors. He acts out in rash ways, and she is disappointed by him repeatedly. When he attempts to rebel against her, he makes a fatal error. Unfortunately, it seems that part II was more about Elizabeth's loneliness and fear about growing old that may have contributed to her favor for Essex. In one scene, she laments that despite the name he shares with Leicester (Robert, whom she calls "Robin"), they are nothing alike ... indicating that she truly longs for Leicester to be with her.
Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons, and the rest of the cast did a splendid job, though Helen and Jeremy delivered the standout performances. These two are highly gifted actors and it is a treat to watch them act together. They are truly exquisite in their scenes together. Jeremy Irons earned every award he got for this series. I bought it on impulse and haven't regretted it.