Elizabeth: The Golden Age arrives at an interesting moment in American contemporary politics. For the first time in history, there is a real chance of having a woman presidential candidate. And people are still debating whether the country is ready for that. But 400 years ago, a woman competently led a nation and waged a war with considerable success. Not only that, but the film shows a young Queen Isabelle and Mary Queen of Scots as other prominent woman. It seems that when leading a country was a birthright, people were more willing to accept a woman as leader. I know this is simplifying things and that Elizabeth was not embraced by all as a great leader; that pre-adolescent Isabelle was ruled by others; and that Mary lost her head. But, I think that seeing a period, centuries ago, where women did rule and where a woman such as Elizabeth did prove to be effective is a very interesting image to have before mainstream audiences in the months before the presidential campaigns kick off. I'm not saying that the film is trying to draw parallels between Elizabeth and Hilary, but rather that we need to more fully accept the idea of a woman as a U.S. president.
Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth (Universal)
Elizabeth: The Golden Age picks up Elizabeth's rule in its 27th year (when she should have been in her 50s). Elizabeth has her cousin, the Catholic Mary (Samantha Morton) confined to her castle in Scotland, while her former brother-in-law, King Phillip II of Spain (Jordi Molla) threatens her with an armada. She also faces assassination attempts on the home front. The only bright spot seems to be the presence of an adventurer and explorer named Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen proving he's sexy in any century). Raleigh's tales of exploration and new worlds excite Elizabeth who feels confined to her role as Queen. Horse rides in the forest with Raleigh seem as intimate as the Queen can get with her subject, but a more physical relationship develops between Raleigh and Elizabeth's lady in waiting Bess (Abby Cornish).
This second collaboration between Blanchett and Kapur lacks the freshness, energy and narrative drive of the first film. Golden Age starts well and with sharp wit and crisp dialogue. But as the story moves toward the tentative romance with Raleigh, the film drifts into melodrama as Elizabeth agonizes over her inability to live the life she wants and not be a public figure who has to constantly be aware of the image she presents. The smart, assured woman of the opening scenes melts into a tearful emotional wreck, relying on astrology to dictate her actions.
Kapur and Blanchett want to show a human side to the public Queen, but they sacrifice too much of her strengths in trying to show her vulnerabilities. Plus, the witty Queen we see in the opening reel practically disappears for almost the entire rest of the film. Simply for dramatic balance and purposes, Kapur should have allowed Elizabeth some stronger scenes sprinkled throughout so that her whining doesn't grow tiresome and monotonous.
An odd romantic triangle in Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Universal)
Once again, Blanchett proves that she can rule the screen. Even with the script flaws, she delivers a riveting performance. In the early scenes, we sense how a strong, smart woman such as Elizabeth had learned how to navigate tricky political and social waters and how she avoided bending to the will of others (most notably in avoiding marriage, possibly because she saw her parents' marriage end with her mother being executed) and was not about to let any man have power over her. Blanchett occasionally gives Elizabeth a little too much of a contemporary sense of her problems, but overall it is a stunning performance. She also cuts quite a dashing figure on the battlefield as she delivers a speech to the troops that recalls the scene from Shakespeare's Henry V where King Henry tries to rally his small army ("we few, we happy few") to victory. On the battlefield -- dressed in silver and white -- she sums up the contrasts of Elizabeth. She is strong, forceful and in control, yet her pale skin and white attire reveal a certain fragile and feminine quality that is covered up by armor.
Clive Owen, looking as good in doublet and hose as in a black leather jacket, cuts a dashing figure as Raleigh. Owen's Raleigh makes a good match for Blanchett's Queen, but I wish the writers had allowed them some better exchanges. Melodrama slips too quickly into their relationships. But the scenes of Elizabeth held rapt by Raleigh's tales of life on the high seas and seeking out new lands are well done and make us understand their mutual attraction.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (rated PG-13 for some violence and sexual content) serves up a lush period drama with strong central performances. But this time out, the writers (Michael Hirst returning from Elizabeth, and William Nicholson) seem less innovative in their approach and possibly less inspired by their material. Elizabeth just set very high standards for this team of artists and The Golden Age just falls short of that bar. But Elizabeth is such a fascinating character and Blanchett such a fierce performer that you are bound get get enjoyment out of this production despite some shortcomings.
Companion viewing: Elizabeth, Elizabeth R (BBC mini series), Elizabeth and Essex
