Elizabeth (1998)
2h 4m | PG-13
The story of the ascension to the throne and the early reign of Queen Elizabeth the First, the endless attempts by her council to marry her off, the Catholic hatred of her and her romance with Lord Robert Dudley.
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Studio: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Genre: Drama, History
Video: 720p
Cast
Cate Blanchett
as Elizabeth I
Joseph Fiennes
as Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
Geoffrey Rush
as Sir Francis Walsingham
Christopher Eccleston
as Duke of Norfolk
John Gielgud
as The Pope
Richard Attenborough
as Sir William Cecil
Reviews
Even The Footballer did a decent job Forget about historical records and accuracy or Henry VIII architecture, their buildings look like they are in the BC XI. I wont give it 10 because is full of historical inaccuracies, if this was a Russian film they would say it is disinformation and propaganda..., as a work of fiction it works, the cast is great every one here does great acting i can´t say who was better, if it was Ecclestone or Kate Blanchet; like most of the movies before the XXI century a cast full of stars was a guarantee of a good movie.
A very good looking depiction of the early reign of England's Queen Elizabeth I with Oscar-nominated Cate Blanchett in the title role. Initially, she struggles to stay alive during the reign of her devoutly Catholic (a superbly cast Kathy Burke) half-sister Mary, with the help of her childhood friend Robert Dudley (Joseph Fiennes). These risks do not diminish at all once she succeeds to the throne and faces conspiracies and plots from all around. It's not the most historically accurate version of her early reign, but Richard Attenborough, Geoffrey Rush and a devious, unscrupulous schemer in Christopher Eccleston as the Duke of Norfolk keep this intrigue of treachery, betrayal and power moving along tautly. Michael Hirst has a definite penchant for writing of the Tudor times and Shekhar Kapur brings the costumes and palaces alive with some creative direction.