I wasn't going to compare this miniseries to the Cate Blanchett, Glenda Jackson or Helen Mirren versions of Elizabeth I, but since so many others did, here goes.
Blanchett is a brilliant actress and was luminous as Elizabeth. Mirren is also great. I remember the Glenda Jackson version from my childhood, and it was, as others have said, a staid and starchy period drama typical of its era. No disrespect to Jackson's abilities as an actress, but I prefer dramas and characters that feel alive. I prefer to see these people, grand and historically significant as they were, as human.
That's where "The Virgin Queen" outshines the others. Anne Marie Duff's vibrant performance, the use of modern takes on traditional music (the score is brilliant), and the skillful juxtaposition of composed conversational scenes and close-in action shots make the whole production sing almost from start to finish.
Duff is perfect as Elizabeth, taking her from the scared but stubborn young prisoner to the woman torn between love and duty (or is it vanity?) to the aged Queen at the twilight of her reign with a deft blend of heart, intelligence, passion and skill. She is convincing at Elizabeth's most vulnerable and admirable moments and at her most calculating and vengeful ones. She not only looks the part, she embodies it.
It is true that Tom Hardy looks too young as Dudley for much of the series, but it's not a major distraction. He's still very good (and handsome) in the role. I thoroughly believed Elizabeth's strong and complex feelings for him. A moment later in the series, when an aged Elizabeth sees a pair of young lovers at court and remembers herself as a young woman not-so-secretly brushing hands with her childhood sweetheart, is almost heartbreakingly poignant.
The production drops the ball somewhat on the challenge of aging the characters over decades, with Elizabeth looking much the same until almost forty years into her reign, when she suddenly has aged greatly. But the aging makeup is more than adequate, when used. The costumes and settings are also excellent. The supporting cast is strong across the board.
I loved it.
Blanchett is a brilliant actress and was luminous as Elizabeth. Mirren is also great. I remember the Glenda Jackson version from my childhood, and it was, as others have said, a staid and starchy period drama typical of its era. No disrespect to Jackson's abilities as an actress, but I prefer dramas and characters that feel alive. I prefer to see these people, grand and historically significant as they were, as human.
That's where "The Virgin Queen" outshines the others. Anne Marie Duff's vibrant performance, the use of modern takes on traditional music (the score is brilliant), and the skillful juxtaposition of composed conversational scenes and close-in action shots make the whole production sing almost from start to finish.
Duff is perfect as Elizabeth, taking her from the scared but stubborn young prisoner to the woman torn between love and duty (or is it vanity?) to the aged Queen at the twilight of her reign with a deft blend of heart, intelligence, passion and skill. She is convincing at Elizabeth's most vulnerable and admirable moments and at her most calculating and vengeful ones. She not only looks the part, she embodies it.
It is true that Tom Hardy looks too young as Dudley for much of the series, but it's not a major distraction. He's still very good (and handsome) in the role. I thoroughly believed Elizabeth's strong and complex feelings for him. A moment later in the series, when an aged Elizabeth sees a pair of young lovers at court and remembers herself as a young woman not-so-secretly brushing hands with her childhood sweetheart, is almost heartbreakingly poignant.
The production drops the ball somewhat on the challenge of aging the characters over decades, with Elizabeth looking much the same until almost forty years into her reign, when she suddenly has aged greatly. But the aging makeup is more than adequate, when used. The costumes and settings are also excellent. The supporting cast is strong across the board.
I loved it.