Caught it on my day after Thanksgiving day off.
A visually beautiful picture, the quasi-biographical recounting
of Elizabeth's ascension to the throne of England rises on the
strength of of the lead, Cate Blanchett. Blessed with a fashion
magazine face, Blanchett is more formidable than Kate Moss and
grows before the viewer, from carefree girl to fearful political
target to a political force in her own right to, ultimately, a
hard and unforgiving queen.
Indian Director Shekhar Kaphur has stated in
interviews that he had no interest in either the time or the
story. It does not show, as he adeptly handles the locale - from
the Tower of London to the English shores - in rich fashion. His
camera moves constant and fluid, allowing a new take in what is
often stilted historical film drama, wherein actors of the
calibre of Geofrey Rush, Sir Richard Attenborough and John
Gielgud are supposed to be enough of a meal for the audience (see
Beckett and Lady Jane for such similar references).
The films succeeds at two of its three threads:
as stated, the metamorphasis of Elizabeth is handled well. Also,
her love affair with Sir Robert works, and Blanchett is moving as
a young girl clearly in love. The film is less successful at its
third thread: the intrigue surrounding Elizabeth. It is often
confusing, or handled with short shrift (though Rush conveys a
great deal with little animation - certainly less than in
"Shine").
One qualm: the music was oppressive, almost
uniformly too much, and it became wearying. And a final plum:
along with Blanchett, the actresses who portrayed her predecessor
Queen "Bloody" Mary and her rival, Mary of Guise.
