movie: Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Jul. 20th, 2008 11:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meganbmooreSo, I was tempted to make this post "Clive Owen stole Cate Blanchett's girlfriend," but I doubt I could get away with that.
Before I start, I should probably mention that I haven't seen the first movie starring Cate Blanchett. I like Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush a lot, but I don't care as much for Joseph Fienes. Fiennes. Whatever. While I enjoyed Shakespeare In Love, he didn't impress me much and he...he always seems kinda greasy and weaselly looking to me. I feel very, very bad saying that, but it's true. Here, he's replaced by Clive Owen. I approve, as I'm quite fond of him. Also, the more skanky aspects I've heard about the first movie are gone.
The movie focuses on Elizabeth's steadily increasing problems with Spain and Mary Stuart, as well as her relationships with Walter Raleigh, a privateer, and Bess Throckmorton, one of Elizabeth's Ladies In Waiting, who eventually marry. Historical fact, not movie spoiler. The acting is great all around, the visuals are stunning, and the plot is pretty well done. While I freely admit that my knowledge of the period (like most time periods) is more general than specific, nothing leapt out at me as "no, wrong." I do have one criticism though, which is that,
The most interesting part, however, was Elizabeth's relationships with Bess and Raleigh. In many ways, it's set up to be a triangle of Elizabeth/Raleigh/Bess. In many ways, though, it felt more like Elizabeth/Bess/Raleigh. While Elizabeth's feelings for Bess didn't strike me as romantic, it was obvious from the start that the two women loved each other very much. Much of Elizabeth's interest in Raleigh seemed to be centered around Bess's interest, increasing Elizabeth's natural interest, and her comments to Bess about Bess's interest in Raleigh, and Raleigh's interest in Bess, were very, very close to the stereotypical possessive boyfriend explaining how only he could ever like his girlfriend. When Elizabeth learns of Bess and Raleigh's relationship, it's Bess's perceived betrayal that she takes harder, and Bess is the one she cviews as having been stolen, not Raleigh.
For his part, Raleigh never struck me as romantically loving Elizabeth. Completely awestruck by her, and smitten with her confidence and power, but his love, while absolute, always seemed to be that of a subject to a beloved ruler, not a man to a woman. Instead of taking the standard romantic triangle route, the movie seems to take the less0used approach that love comes in many varieties, not just romantic and familial. While I think both Bess and Raleigh loved Elizabeth more than they loved each other, I don't think romantic feelings were ever and issue, save that their love for each other was a betrayal of their love for Elizabeth, and her love for them, because it was a love and relationship that conflicted with the absolute love and devotion Elizabeth demanded.
For the most part, Elizabeth struck me as viewing Bess and Raleigh as what she wanted. Bess the young, beautiful girl everyone likes, because she's kind and pretty, Raleigh the dashing, romantic figure and fulfillment of girlish dreams. I think the best example of this is the scene where
Anyway, an excellent movie, IMO, and there's no need to see Elizabeth first. I haven't, and had no problems following it.
Now, all that said: Elizabeth Tudor: The original baby kissing politician? Yes or no?
Before I start, I should probably mention that I haven't seen the first movie starring Cate Blanchett. I like Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush a lot, but I don't care as much for Joseph Fienes. Fiennes. Whatever. While I enjoyed Shakespeare In Love, he didn't impress me much and he...he always seems kinda greasy and weaselly looking to me. I feel very, very bad saying that, but it's true. Here, he's replaced by Clive Owen. I approve, as I'm quite fond of him. Also, the more skanky aspects I've heard about the first movie are gone.
The movie focuses on Elizabeth's steadily increasing problems with Spain and Mary Stuart, as well as her relationships with Walter Raleigh, a privateer, and Bess Throckmorton, one of Elizabeth's Ladies In Waiting, who eventually marry. Historical fact, not movie spoiler. The acting is great all around, the visuals are stunning, and the plot is pretty well done. While I freely admit that my knowledge of the period (like most time periods) is more general than specific, nothing leapt out at me as "no, wrong." I do have one criticism though, which is that,
if you went by the movie, only one blow was needed to cut off Mary Stuart's head. While it doesn't state that there was only one blow, it cuts away as the first blow is being struck, leaving that impression.
The most interesting part, however, was Elizabeth's relationships with Bess and Raleigh. In many ways, it's set up to be a triangle of Elizabeth/Raleigh/Bess. In many ways, though, it felt more like Elizabeth/Bess/Raleigh. While Elizabeth's feelings for Bess didn't strike me as romantic, it was obvious from the start that the two women loved each other very much. Much of Elizabeth's interest in Raleigh seemed to be centered around Bess's interest, increasing Elizabeth's natural interest, and her comments to Bess about Bess's interest in Raleigh, and Raleigh's interest in Bess, were very, very close to the stereotypical possessive boyfriend explaining how only he could ever like his girlfriend. When Elizabeth learns of Bess and Raleigh's relationship, it's Bess's perceived betrayal that she takes harder, and Bess is the one she cviews as having been stolen, not Raleigh.
For his part, Raleigh never struck me as romantically loving Elizabeth. Completely awestruck by her, and smitten with her confidence and power, but his love, while absolute, always seemed to be that of a subject to a beloved ruler, not a man to a woman. Instead of taking the standard romantic triangle route, the movie seems to take the less0used approach that love comes in many varieties, not just romantic and familial. While I think both Bess and Raleigh loved Elizabeth more than they loved each other, I don't think romantic feelings were ever and issue, save that their love for each other was a betrayal of their love for Elizabeth, and her love for them, because it was a love and relationship that conflicted with the absolute love and devotion Elizabeth demanded.
For the most part, Elizabeth struck me as viewing Bess and Raleigh as what she wanted. Bess the young, beautiful girl everyone likes, because she's kind and pretty, Raleigh the dashing, romantic figure and fulfillment of girlish dreams. I think the best example of this is the scene where
Elizabeth is watching Bess and Raleigh dance for her amusement. She orders everyone from the room and watches them alone. In her vision, Bess transforms into a young, laughing Elizabeth, madly in love with the handsome man dancing with her. That, I think, is when she began to realize that she'd "lost" them both by the strict terms she allowed herself to "own" the love of her subjects.
Anyway, an excellent movie, IMO, and there's no need to see Elizabeth first. I haven't, and had no problems following it.
Now, all that said: Elizabeth Tudor: The original baby kissing politician? Yes or no?
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no subject
Date: 2008-07-21 05:11 am (UTC)Joseph Fiennes was greasy and weaselly, but it suited.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-21 05:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-21 08:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-21 08:46 am (UTC)You should have!
I have to agree with you here! THere;s just something off about J. Fiennes. I was so glad when he was replaced by CLive Owen who's a fave of mine!
no subject
Date: 2008-07-21 03:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-21 04:00 pm (UTC)I haven't seen TGA yet, but I'm assuming that it's as broadly divergent from history as the first. While I love history, following it to the letter doesn't always make for good films so I'm okay with it as long as we get to keep on seeing Cate Blanchett brilliantly portraying Elizabeth.
As for Elizabeth being the original baby-kissing politico, I'm pretty sure you can go back to Rome for that, possibly earlier. ;-)
no subject
Date: 2008-07-21 04:35 pm (UTC)TGA just had a lot of scenes of Elizabeth out and about with the people and being all "BABIES! I want one, but not if I have to get married."
All I really ask of historical movies is that I not being watching and go "what? no!" and get thrown out. The one thing that did that here didn't even strictly do that, it just left an implication different from the history, and it's a pretty well known bit of history.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-21 04:46 pm (UTC)As for Mary's beheading, did they do the bit where they held up the head to show it to the crowd, but picked it up by the wig and the head actually fell to the ground and rolled?
no subject
Date: 2008-07-21 05:02 pm (UTC)Amy's death is, indeed, quite convenient. But then, so are a lot of things...
With Mary's death, they cut the scene off as the first blow was being struck, and cut away to Elizabeth hating herself a lot.