the forces of light and darkness

Rating: Null/10 (19 August 2001)

Elizabeth deals with a turning point in English history; just after the reformation. It was a time when Religion had much more power  the power to make or break a monarch. The film opens with an horrific burning of three Protestant infidels, as the Catholic authorities punish them for heresy (under the orders of the queen, consequently known as bloody Mary' because of the large number of executions she ordered) . This very much sets the tone of the film - predominantly orange (a colour of fire, violence, sunlight and also our lead's hair).
The dualism of light and dark is explored to great effect in this film. The foreign Catholicism, with its plotting violence and corruption is surrounded by darkness. Queen Mary and her councillors wear black and blue, and skulk in the shadows of her grim bedchamber. The duke of Norfolk (the leader of the Catholic resistance in England) is a swarthy, Mediterranean looking devil who's mistress likewise is a sensual dark haired type.

Other types of corruption are surrounded by dark images. Elizabeth's beau, sir Robert, who shamefully betrays her is of the same Italian looking stock as Norfolk. As he gets tempted into corruption (by the Spanish ambassador) he is no longer depicted in the sunlit country scenes of his innocence, but revealed cowering in shadows among the castle vaults.
Against all of these images of perversion and evil we have the fair haired, blue eyed Anglo Saxon angel and queen, Elizabeth. She begins as a slightly timid woman who fidgets under the coronation crown and finds the idea of ultimate power over so many men's hearts titillating. However, as she grows into her role she becomes more and more like her father before her, the notorious Henry V111. This adds to the sense of Elizabeth as the rightful heir to the throne and the previous queen Mary as a sickly impostor. Not only does she physically resemble him (with her pale skin and fair hair) but she has his stubborn forcefulness and superiority of command that can silence a crowd of disputants and cause them to humbly make way for her.

With the help of the evil (and dark haired) Walsingham her rule becomes one that balances the poetic dignity of monarchical love with Machiavellian politics. She conquers an assembly of bishops by convincing them to sign and act of uniformity (creating a church of England) partly through her own force of persuasive rhetoric and partly through a move, orchestrated by Walsingham, that has eight of the most staunchly catholic bishops locked in a vestry during the vote. As she takes control of the reigns of government she becomes a heroic symbol of good governance, stoicism and self sacrifice. This culminates in the final scene in which she turns herself into a symbol of the virgin Mary to give the people a substitute for their lost idol. Elizabeth cuts off her golden hair replacing it with a wig, paints her skin white and glides into her courtroom with her hands folded in a statuesque pose. A new reign has begun.