Triumphant historical drama with superb camera work

Rating: Null/10 (4 September 2000)

This historical drama of 16th century England  directed by Shekhar Kapur  is a triumph. Script, sets, costumes and music are all well-crafted. With the exceptions of the inappropriate casting of Angus Deayton and Eric Cantona, the acting is uniformly excellent, with particularly fine performances from the Australians Cate Blanchett, as the eponymous virgin' queen, and Geoffrey Rush, as the trusted but callous Walsingham. On second viewing especially, I was struck by the superb camera work: shots from above, rotating shots, framed shots through arches and doors, and obscured shots through curtains or grills. This is a royal court full of shadows and whispers and the final, bloody consolidation of power is reminiscent of the conclusion of `The Godfather'.