Strangely...

Rating: Null/10 (2 January 2008)

... all greatest actors need trying their chance with Shakespearean roles, and all greatest actresses are fascinated with the role of Elisabeth I. Only that this ambition is sometimes risky: much as I would find Cate Blanched fascinating in the role of young Elisabeth, there is a predecessor that shadows her brilliant performance, and that's Glenda Jackson.Cate's character is too attractive for a queen whose ugliness used to be written of by the chronicles of her time. Besides, Elisabeth the movie does not seem to be based on research: Tudor palaces did not have large stone Gothic chambers, but relatively small wood panelled ones. Watching Elisabeth the movie I had the impression I was rather watching a Niebelungen story. However, taking into account that the focus of the movie limits to Elisabeth's early years on the throne, the dangers she faced, her early relationship with Dudley, and her forays into the marriage game, we could assume that, given a better chance to deepen her character, Cate would have matched Glenda Jackson's performance. Should this movie have a sequel, the audience could see the Queen's development from the young queen depicted in Elizabeth the movie to icon Elizabeth created for herself over time.