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Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)

Director: Shekhar Kapur

Time Out rating

Average user rating

21 reviews

Synopsis

Almost a decade after ‘Elizabeth’, Shekhar Kapur and Cate Blanchett reunite for another slice of Virgin Queen life. HM is now firmly established, enjoying the occasional dally with Raleigh (Clive Owen) and shoring up the Empire against those fanatical Spaniards. Geoffrey Rush reprises his Walsingham; Abbie Cornish and Samantha Morton also appear.

Movie review

From Time Out London

There’s a scene in ‘Elizabeth: The Golden Age’ that shows the forces of Spain preparing for the invasion of England, working overtime dying robes Inquisition red. It’s an odd thing to focus on amid the grand mechanics of the Armada, but quite in keeping with a film that values costume above all else, neglecting both the niceties of history and the demands of drama.

Picking up a few decades after their 1998 collaboration ‘Elizabeth’ left off, star Cate Blanchett, director Shekhar Kapur and co-writer Michael Hirst (late of US TV’s ‘The Tudors’) give us a Virgin Queen comfortably established on the throne but facing Catholic conspiracy at home and abroad. (Cue Jordi Mollà’s creepy Philip II and Rhys Ifans’ post-‘Da Vinci Code’ demon cleric.) Meanwhile, Her Maj is swooning to tales of transatlantic derring-do from cocky Sir Walter Raleigh (a rather one-note Clive Owen) – as, awkwardly, is her closest attendant and friend, Elizabeth Throckmorton (Abbie Cornish).

Making soap of statecraft, the film has plenty of juicy moments, but offers an inconsistent rather than complex view of Elizabeth: the magnetic Blanchett always convinces in imperious hauteur, but her lurches into jealous pique and flustered vulnerability don’t quite fit. (Samantha Morton’s captive Mary Stuart, prickling with pride and fear, almost steals the show.) Kapur has a fine eye for royal spectacle-making, swathing in rich textiles and ravenous pans the procession of the Royal Barge and the exotic ornaments of court; if it’s Tuesday, it must be zebras. The Armada set-pieces founder, however, and the sumptuous visuals begin to feel distracting, even absurd. Did she really wear a ruff in the bath?

Author: Ben Walters 2007-10-29 15:49:43

Time Out London Issue 1941: October 31-November 6

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User reviews of this film

Killer said...

Posted on Nov 08 2007 08:17 A rubbish soap, Historically innaccurate, where was Dudley and William Cecil (he talked Liz into beheading Mary). Raliegh never took part in the Armada (he just leant his ship).Fotheringhay (mary's prison) is near Peterborough not in the wilds of Scotland. I went to see the Armada and got tripe. Even Elisabeths stirring battle speech was completely wrong.The Director should be put in the tower for historical treason and pandering to the American audience. I had high hopes and walked away angry!

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Lorraine said...

Posted on Nov 07 2007 12:40 I watched this film last night and it was O.K. However, it is not historically accurate, Bess did not marry Walter and at the time 1585, Elizabeth would have been approximately 52 - I hope I look as good as she did in the film when I am 52!!

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cris said...

Posted on Nov 04 2007 13:35 is rubish

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Lucinda said...

Posted on Nov 04 2007 11:39 I think this film was fantastic. To be fair the trailer contains all the best lines but Cate Blanchett is wonderful as Elizabeth, she is every bit the powerful queen who sacrificed her life for her people. Mary Stuart is played wonderfully as well and i imagine that the film will win a few oscars in the acting department. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were governed by someone with Elizabeth's calibre today...

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Pete said...

Posted on Nov 03 2007 08:17 This is an epic movie without a sense of gravitas - events slide
across the screen but I rarely felt any empathy or involvement.
Walter Raleigh appears as a salty old sea dog devoid of culture - not
the aristocrat who said, "Better were it to be unborn than to be
ill-bred." The location shots are superbly atmospheric whilst
Elizabeth's exquisite wardrobe provides a regally enduring reason to
see the movie its just not enough to lift the film out of its picture
book feel - but evenso a picture book worth flipping through - and don't miss Philip II's spider walk - classic.

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Valerie Livina said...

Posted on Nov 03 2007 00:04 Just as I expected, this film is a precious gift of the current transit of the strong Jupiter in Sagittarius. The story is too well known to repeat it here, and I can only say - watch it and give your eyes and heart true cinematographic pleasure. Cate Blanchett is the right actress for this role, even after Bette Davis and Helen Mirren.
In the film, which is quite accurate historically, with those royal processions and views of the Cambridge King’s Chapel, the authors included the line of the court astrologer John Dee who advised the Queen throughout her reign. Unfortunately, the medieval master is shown too uncertain about his science, which is rather unconvincing, given his skills and fame. For instance, Elizabeth comes to him prior the battle with Spanish to consult whether she would win, and John Dee says something about his doubts, etc. Believe me, be he so weak in his art, he would not be granted his privileges in the XVI century. Even with my modest skills, I can assure you that Elizabeth, with her Saturn in 7th house having dignity in the ascendent, was bound to be a winner, whatever endeavour she pursued. Girolamo Cardano, in his aphorism on nativities, says the following: “Infortunes peregrine in the seventh house, having dominions in the ascendent, denote the deaths of the native’s wives or enemies”. Here is the Elizabeth's chart to confirm the aphorism:
In fact, it was very silly of Spanish to attack the queen with such a chart. Very ignorant.
But the other side of this constellation is, indeed, solitude. It can be caused by death of a partner, by a very old partner, by a partner who is cold, adverse, stubborn, etc. One can speculate about her virginity or lovers, but this Saturn is never joyful in partnership. For instance, in her teens Elizabeth had a “tender friendship” (whatever it was) with Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, who was 25 years older – the plain manifestation of Saturn in 7th house.
This dual constellation deprives of happiness in any kind of relationship – and as a consequence develops strength close to invincibility. As she says in the film, “God gave me strength to bear my freedom”.
I know this myself. I too have Saturn in 7th.
http://vlivina.blogspot.com/2007/11/elizabeth-golden-age.html

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