If you've seen Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth in the Oscar-winning movie and the great Helen Mirren as Elizabeth in the recent HBO film, it is easy enough to dismiss Anne-Marie Duff and all of "The Virgin Queen" as a distant third in the competition. Nonetheless, I thought Duff acquitted herself quite well, especially as the younger Elizabeth, and this BBC production may actually do a better job of recreating the period than the other two. In my opinion, the HBO production is the best of the three, mainly because of Mirren, but also because it is given more time to explore the history of the period than was afforded the Blanchett film. The Blanchett movie finishes second because Cate is an excellent actress and because she is surrounded by a wonderful cast. But to say that "The Virgin Queen" comes third in the race is by no means to degrade it. I enjoyed all three productions for somewhat different reasons and, contrary to those who say "enough already," we will remain immersed in this period of history (a)because it immediately follows the era recreated by Shakespeare in his history plays and (b) because it is a hinge in history, solidifying England's rejection of Catholicism and the defeat of Spain.
Review of The Virgin Queen
