Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Rating: 6/10 (8 January 2011)

The first film made an instant star of the leading actress, and when I saw the trailer for the sequel at the cinema, I was certainly interested in seeing it. Basically, set in 1585, Queen Elizabeth I of England (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Gloeb nominated Cate Blanchett) is still a virgin and unmarried, she is being advised by Sir Francis Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush) to marry, or the throne will pass to her next of kin, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots (Samantha Morton). She is uninterested in the Archduke of Austria (Christian Brassington), who is infatuated with her, then she meets (Sir) Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen) returned from the New Wold, called Virginia, bringing potatoes, tobacco, two Native Americans and gold. She is enthralled by Walter's tales of exploration, and she asks lady-in-waiting Elizabeth 'Bess' Throckmorton (Abbie Cornish) to keep an eye on him, but she begins a secret affair with him, while the Queen is advised by astrologer Dr. John Dee (David Threlfall) who predicts war. There is a plot by King Philip II of Spain (Jordi Mollà) to assassinate Elizabeth and have Mary replace her, so Anthony Babington (Eddie Redmayne) shoots her, but she survives. When she recovers and discovers Mary's involvement she has her beheaded for treason, even though Philip hadn't intended for her to become Queen. Walter asks to leave for the New World, but Elizabeth instead knights him and makes him Captain of the Royal Guard, and then she discovers along with Bess that he is the father to her child. The Queen strictly tells her off for marrying without royal consent, and banishes her from the court, while putting Walter in prison, then of course the Spanish Armada start approaching England. Elizabeth does forgive Bess and set Waleter free to help fight in battle, where she is on a horse in the full plate suit of armour, but the formation of the army is stopped by a major storm. In the end, Elizabeth is with Walsingham on his deathbed, she blesses the child of Bess and Walter, and returns to the throne as Virgin Queen of England and mother to her people. Also starring Rhys Ifans as Robert Reston, Tom Hollander as Sir Amyas Paulet and Eddie Redmayne as Thomas Babington. Blanchett is once again a dignified and charismatic Queen Elizabeth I, Owen is a dashing Raleigh, and other members of the supporting cast stand out too, certain moments definitely stand out in this film, including of course the battle scene, so it is a very worthwhile historical drama. It won the Oscar for Best Costume Design, and it was nominated the BAFTA for Best Costume Design, Best Make Up & Hair and Best Production Design. Cate Blanchett was number 37 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars. Good!