ELIZABETH (FILM)

'''Elizabeth''' is an Academy Award winning 1998 film loosely based on the early reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. The film was written by Michael Hirst and directed by Shekhar Kapur. It stars Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes, Christopher Eccleston, Daniel Craig, Eric Cantona and Richard Attenborough. It was the final film of acclaimed British actor Sir John Gielgud. It also stars a 12 year old Lily Allen as a lady in waiting and Manchester United legend Eric Cantona as a French lord.
A sequel, ''Elizabeth: The Golden Age'' will be released by Focus Features in theaters on October 12th, 2007.

Contents

Synopsis

Historical inaccuracies

Locations

Cast

Awards

External links

Synopsis

In 1558, the Roman Catholic Mary I of England dies of a cancerous tumor in her uterus, leaving her Protestant half sister Elizabeth as Queen. Elizabeth had previously been jailed for a supposed conspiracy to murder Mary, but has now been freed for her coronation. The film shows Elizabeth being courted by suitors (including Henri, Duc d'Anjou et de Bourbon, the future King Henry III of France, whom she rejects.) Instead, she makes love with her childhood sweetheart, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.
Elizabeth deals with various threats to her reign, including The Duke of Norfolk, a Catholic in her court who conspires to have her murdered, and the effective ruler of Scotland, Mary of Guise, who allies with France to attack England's forces. At the end of the film, Norfolk is executed for his conspiracy and Mary is assassinated by Elizabeth's advisor, Francis Walsingham.
Dudley is permanently banished by Elizabeth when she finds out that he is married. The film ends with Elizabeth assuming the persona of 'The Virgin Queen', and initiating England's Golden Age.

Historical inaccuracies

The film takes many liberties with history. Among them:

★ The real Robert Dudley did not betray Elizabeth, and remained a loyal subject until his death.

★ In the film, Elizabeth I, much to her shock, finds out from Sir Cecil that Robert Dudley is married, whereas in real life Elizabeth was well aware that Dudley was married, since she attended his wedding.

★ In the film, Elizabeth I is courted by Henri, Duke of Anjou. The two never met in reality, as the actual proposal was for her marriage to Francois, his younger brother. Francois came to England and the proposal became a very serious prospect, although it was never fulfilled.

★ William Cecil was not even 40 years old when Elizabeth began her reign, contrary to his cinematic portrayal as elderly. He was not retired by the young queen, either. He remained one of her most trusted advisors until his death, shortly before hers.

★ No evidence exists to support the claim that Walsingham was involved in the death of Mary of Guise.

Locations

Some filming for ''Elizabeth'' occurred at Bolton Castle, Alnwick Castle, York Minster and Durham Cathedral.

Cast

★ Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I of England

★ Kathy Burke as Mary I of England

★ Christopher Eccleston as Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk

★ Joseph Fiennes as Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester

★ Edward Hardwicke as Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel

★ Richard Attenborough as William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley

★ Geoffrey Rush as Francis Walsingham

★ Kelly Macdonald as Isabel Knollys (fictional)

★ Angus Deayton as Waad, Chancellor of the Exchequer (fictional)

★ Daniel Craig as John Ballard

★ Wayne Sleep as the dance tutor

★ John Gielgud as The Pope

★ Fanny Ardant as Mary of Guise

★ Vincent Cassel as the Henri, Duc d'Anjou

★ Eric Cantona as Monsieur de Foix (fictional)

Awards

★ Academy Awards:

★ #'Best Makeup' (Jenny Shircore)

★ #Best Actress (Cate Blanchett)

★ #Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (John Myhre and Peter Howitt)

★ #Best Cinematography (Remi Adefarasin)

★ #Best Costume Design (Alexandra Byrne)

★ #Best Music - Original Dramatic Score (David Hirschfelder)

★ #Best Picture

★ American Society of Cinematographers (ASC):

★ #Best Cinematography - Theatrical Releases (Remi Adefarasin)

★ Art Directors Guild (ADG):

★ #Excellence in Production Design Award Feature Film

★ BAFTA Awards:

★ #'Best Actress' (Cate Blanchett)

★ #'Best British Film'

★ #'Best Cinematography' (Remi Adefarasin)

★ #'Best Makeup & Hair' (Jenny Shircore)

★ #'Best Supporting Actor' (Geoffrey Rush)

★ #Best Costume Design (Alexandra Byrne)

★ #Best Director (Shekhar Kapur)

★ #Best Editing (Jill Bilcock)

★ #Best Film

★ #Best Production Design (John Myhre)

★ #Best Screenplay - Original (Michael Hirst)

★ Broadcast Film Critics:

★ #'Best Actress' (Cate Blanchett)

★ #'Breakthrough Artist' (Joseph Fiennes)

★ #Best Picture

★ Chicago Film Critics:

★ #'Best Actress' (Cate Blanchett)

★ #Best Cinematography (Remi Adefarasin)

★ #Best Original Score (David Hirschfelder)

★ Empire Awards:

★ #'Best Actress' (Cate Blanchett)

★ Golden Globe Awards:

★ #'Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama' (Cate Blanchett)

★ #Best Director (Shekhar Kapur)

★ #Best Motion Picture - Drama

★ Las Vegas Film Critics:

★ #'Most Promising Actor' (Cate Blanchett)

★ London Film Critics:

★ #'Actress of the Year' (Cate Blanchett)

★ #'British Producer of the Year' (Alison Owen, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner)

★ Motion Picture Sound Editors:

★ #Best Sound Editing - Foreign Feature

★ National Board of Review:

★ #'Best Director' (Shekhar Kapur)

★ Online Film Critics:

★ #'Best Actress' (Cate Blanchett)

★ Satellite Awards:

★ #'Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama' (Cate Blanchett)

★ #'Best Costume Design' (Alexandra Byrne)

★ #Best Art Direction (John Myhre)

★ #Best Director (Shekhar Kapur)

★ #Best Motion Picture - Drama

★ Screen Actors Guild (SAG):

★ #Best Actress (Cate Blanchett)

★ Southeastern Film Critics:

★ #'Best Actress' (Cate Blanchett)

External links

★

★ Speech in Movie to Rival Clergy in Text and Video from AmericanRhetoric.com

★ Movie stills