Review By: Rocco Passafuime
RoccoPassafuime@TheCinemaSource.com

Queen Elizabeth I is one of England’s most heralded and celebrated royal monarchs. Seizing power at a time when the country was on the verge of political and economic ruin, Elizabeth I ascended England to a golden age where it soon amassed great power and influence over all of Europe.

She was also known as “The Virgin Queen” for she never wedded a man to be a king and never produced an heir to the throne. There have already been several films made about the Queen’s life, with HBO and Channel 4’s TV miniseries Elizabeth I, now available on DVD, being the latest one.

While 1998’s Elizabeth, with Cate Blanchett as the venerated monarch, focused mostly on the queen’s upbringing and rise to power, Elizabeth I focuses entirely on the latter period of her rule. The film vastly deals with the subject of Elizabeth’s private and personal life among the members of her council, her political enemies, and most importantly, her romantic suitors.

Part I focuses on Elizabeth’s (Helen Mirren) relationship with Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester (Jeremy Irons), whom she loves but the council does not want her to marry. While Queen Bess is busy seeking the affections and royal hand of the French Duke of Anjou (Jérémie Covillault), Dudley, still pining for an heir, chooses to marry another woman in Elizabeth’s court, which leaves the queen angered with him.

However, over time, the relationship between Robert and Bess begins to mend and cool into friendship. However, Dudley soon succumbs to failing health and appoints his stepson, Robert Devereaux (Hugh Dancy), the Earl Of Essex as his successor.

Part II deals with Bess’s romantic affairs with the much younger Deveareux. However, he soon proves to be trouble for the queen as the younger Robert is provided with much royal favor and treatment by her, when the one thing he wants most is Elizabeth’s royal hand in marriage.

Elizabeth I is truly a work of greatness by all of the people involved as it shows a fascinating and intimate glimpse into the Queen’s later private and personal life. Nigel Williams’s script is written with eloquent dialogue and intrigue and great characters that you can really sink into. It does a great deal to also make the 3 ½ hour running time of this miniseries consistently compelling.

Such greatness already at the framework is boosted by an excellent cast of performers. Helen Mirren delivers the television performance of the year, as she injects Good Queen Bess with a whirlwind of charm, charisma, humor, wit, sorrow, and enragement very few actors can switch off from so fluidly.

Jeremy Irons also turns in a very elegant and understatedly tortured performance as the Earl of Leicester. One can undoubtedly feel his character’s inward sorrow at being kept a distance from the woman he loves most, while he still maintains his sense of dignity, nobility, and grace.

Hugh Dancy should also be commended for his great performance as the two-faced Duke of Essex. Dancy ...