Hurrah!Everything Elizabeth is Not!

Rating: Null/10 (30 March 1999)

What a wonderful year when two Elizabethan films are presented to the public, and they are both so drastically different. "Shakespeare in Love" beautifully presents the grime and bustle of 16th century London while never forgetting the excitement, vitality and, most importantly, the protocol of the day. Unlike "Elizabeth", it isn't billed as a historical film, and yet, succeeds in being so, where "E." failed miserably. Shakespeare did have affairs, and in fact one of the ladies speculated to be his mistress was a noble woman (Mary Fitton) who did, indeed, dress as a boy to sneak out of the castle to play and meet one of her lovers.
Do not hesitate to rush out immediately and see this movie again and again. It deserved every award and should have seen one more go to Joseph Fiennes. A multitude of praises to Dame Judi Dench for proving there is no such thing as a small role! And to Sandy Powell for, yet again, making costuming accurate and integral to acting.