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Who Am I?
The young Elizabeth I takes to the throne and finds her court a hotbed of bitterness, sexual intrigue, rivalry and violence. Historical drama starring Cate Blanchett and directed by Shekhar Kapur
This was The Four Feathers director Shekhar Kapur's first English-language release and he ditches the rose-tinted nostalgia often associated with historical drama, replacing it with an incisive exploration of political power-play and personal sacrifice. Charting Elizabeth I's passage from flighty young girl to immovable monarch, its sensibility is intriguingly contemporary, and Cate Blanchett won an Oscar nomination for her powerful portrayal of the Virgin Queen. It opens with a heady whiff of sex. As a girl Elizabeth enjoys a sensuous relationship with The Earl Of Leicester (Fiennes). But the death of her brutal half-sister Queen Mary (Burke) puts Elizabeth in line for the throne and no sooner has she been crowned than she discovers there are plenty who despise her Protestant leanings and would like to see her go. Advised to ditch Leicester and make a stable, political marriage, Elizabeth is forced to abandon her natural exuberance and cultivate the icy demeanour of an obstinate head of state - a process which ends with her impassive declaration: "I have become a virgin". Growing paler and paler until finally she seems translucent, Blanchett gives a performance that's complex yet immensely assured. The cunning calculations of her various advisors are also deftly portrayed; particularly notable is Richard Attenborough as decorum-obsessed Sir William Cecil, and Geoffrey Rush as sneering Walsingham. Kapur gives the film an unusual look too - the austerity of the sets contrasted with exotic, Indian-influenced costumes. There's great pleasure to be found in the sardonic depiction of life at court. But the film's real power lies in the way it deals with the development of Elizabeth herself - a move into maturity that's publicly magnificent, yet privately rather chilling. Verdict Powerfully acted and sharply written historical drama that showcases a highly accomplished performance by Blanchett. |
