Elizabeth, the golden age

Rating: 3/10 (5 January 2011)

I saw this for the first time last Saturday night and whilst it has a 'top' Hollywood cast list I find once again that it another English historical take 'Americanized'! Not only do they change the plot to suit themselves at convenient moments, the get the facts wrong as well. The biggest gripe I have is about Mary, Queen of Scotts who having been brought up in France at the french court from a young age spoke with a french accent not a Scottish one as depicted in the film.(something like Russell Crowe in Robin Hood who spoke with an Irish accent) This irritated me no end. This may seem like a petty gripe, and it is I agree but I just feel if they are going to spend all that money making some thing so historical, then at least get it right!There are of course plenty of other inaccuracies which have been mentioned in previous reviews so I will not mention them again. I liked Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth, she brought a show of strength to the part which of course is what Elizabeth was famous for but her pronunciation of Raleigh's surname was another irritation.It's not Ray..leigh it's Rall..eigh! Drake was more instrumental in the defeat of the Armada having let the fleet enter the channel and then opening fire. The English fleet were smaller and able to turn around better in the channel and were at no time being demolished by the Spanish.The English only lost 8 men in the entire battle whist the Spanish lost almost the entire fleet. Bad weather certainly did not help the Armada but credit must most certainly be given to the English and not the Spanish. I suggest a good read of David Starkey's Monarchy books which covers all aspects of each and every one of our rulers through the ages with an honest appraisal of each one, then the Americans may just get it right!