Elizabeth R DVD > Reviews > A Splendid 'Elizabeth R' She Is!

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	Splendid turn by Glenda Jackson; brilliant scripts; historical accuracy; sumptuous costumes; compleat DVD set (Region 1) .
Disadvantages:	Off with your silly head !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

'She is magnificent!'

- Sir Francis Bacon exclaiming to Sir Robert Cecil, on hearing a later speech of Elizabeth I, as dramatized in 'Elizabeth R'.

Elizabeth I was the last of the Tudor line, the lion's cub, and in so many ways, a true daughter of her father, Henry VIII. The country would enjoy a lasting peace during her reign, when drama, writing and poetry would flourish (through the likes of Shakespeare, Marlowe, Bacon and others). The once fearsome Spanish armada would soon lose its lustre, to be replaced by the English navy, which would rule the waters for a few centuries.

The line quoted above could easily apply to Glenda Jackson, too, in her role as Elizabeth I in this outstanding 1971 BBC TV production of 'Elizabeth R'. This six-part mini-series remains today as the finest filmed version of Elizabeth I's life and times. Originally presented as a sequel to the equally excellent 'The Six Wives of Henry VIII', 'Elizabeth R' begins with fifteen-year-old Princess Elizabeth (or Lady Elizabeth, as her title was to be when her father declared her a bastard), already having lost to the bloody axe her mother, Anne Boleyn (wife no. 2), at age three, and her stepmother, Kathryn Howard (wife no. 5), at age eight. Her last stepmother, Catherine Parr, would take an interest in Elizabeth's welfare and education, welcoming all of Henry's previously banished children to court (including Mary Tudor, later Mary I [daughter of wife no. 1, Catherine of Aragon], the sickly Edward, later Edward VI [son of wife no. 3, Jane Seymour], and Elizabeth).

For some nine hours on three digital video discs, we are treated to six fabulous episodes that take us through Elizabeth's life from her precarious teen years all the way to her death at nearly seventy. Each episode lasts about ninety minutes and is penned by a different playwright. Each play uses a significant event in Elizabeth's life as its main focus:

Act 1: 'The Lion's Cub' - in which we learn of the dangers and obstacles Elizabeth faced as a Protestant symbol during her half-sister Catholic Mary I's reign, which followed her Protestant half-brother Edward VI's brief stint as King, prior to her own accession to the throne at age twenty-five upon the death of Mary I;

Act 2: 'The Marriage Game' - in which the question of now-Queen Elizabeth's taking a husband is treated; offers from many eligible bachelors from European royal houses flow in, but the Queen seems to favour only Lord Robert Dudley (her Master of the Horse);

Act 3: 'Shadow in the Sun' - in which marriage between Elizabeth and France's Duke d'Alençon (younger son of the ruthless Catherine de Medici) is proposed; the Queen is apparently attracted to the Duke and also sees political advantage in the union;

Act 4: 'Horrible Conspiracies' - in which Protestant Elizabeth has to wrangle with the problem of Mary, Queen of Scotland, a fellow queen, a blood kin and a Catholic, and now exiled from her homeland, also Elizabeth's guest; Mary would not be above plotting against her hospitable cousin to ease her own path to the English throne;

Act 5: 'The Enterprise of England' - in which Spain's devoutly Catholic Philip II embarks on an ill-timed war with England in revenge for Mary of Scotland's death, sending a poorly organized fleet to Elizabeth's shores; in Sir Francis Drake and the navy lie Elizabeth's largest hope for victory;

Act 6: 'England's Sweet Pride' - in which Elizabeth faces the dual problems of the very popular Earl of Essex and rebellion in Ireland; and finally, we witness Elizabeth's death.

Elizabeth I must have been a truly formidable person. Her steely character, brilliant and clever mind, keen wit and charm abound in 'Elizabeth R'. She could let loose sweet words and flattery when she wished, but her temper and acerbic tongue were something fearsome - one of her ministers preferred battle with the Spanish armada to suffering another serving of Elizabeth's wrath (according to historian Alison Weir). A consummate statesman, she truly desired peace in her reign after witnessing the destruction and chaos caused by the religious wars. She may have worn the most elaborate and beautiful gowns in the court, but that may have been the extent of her personal excess. She worried constantly about money, especially that wasted on wars that did nothing but shrink the royal purse.

As presented here, Elizabeth chose pragmatism over saintliness. She did not balk at engaging in deception or ruthlessness when her person, ambition and station were in danger. However, her deep well of wisdom and sharp intelligence likely tempered her absolute power as queen, especially seen in the light of those times. (In contrast, her stepsister, Mary I, would justly earn the nickname 'Bloody Mary'.)

She was often subject to whim, changing her mind on matters great and small, which would confuse her councillors and servants. Her ministers would go batty with her wont to procrastinating on major decisions, as with the matter of Queen Mary's execution. She could also be decisive when needed. While she was known as (and probably truly was) the Virgin Queen, she did not remain unmoved by virile and handsome men. She readily bestowed undue favours on her court darlings (who nevertheless did not escape the barbs from her sharp tongue). She would steadfastly remain single throughout her life, saying to Robert Dudley once, in a succinct summation of her decision:

'I will have here but one mistress and no master.'

Her longstanding relationship with her councillor, Sir William Cecil (Lord Burghley, played by Ronald Hines), upon whom she depended greatly for wise counsel and whom she nicknamed 'My Spirit,' and her deep and lifelong affection for her dearest love and foremost court favourite, Robert Dudley (whom she dubbed 'My Eyes', portrayed by Robert Hardy) comprise the longest threads running through more than a few episodes. The final instalment also shows her troublesome dealings with Dudley's stepson, the Earl of Essex (Robin Ellis), another favourite who would, however, ultimately lose his head in the Tower of London.

We see Elizabeth gradually transformed from a teenager already wise beyond her years to regal young queen at the height of her powers, thence to her later life when her control started to wane, and when she famously required heavy layers of makeup on her face before ever appearing in public. We see her grow weary with the cares of government. She would later say in 'the Golden Speech' of 1601:

'To be a King and wear a crown is a thing more pleasant to them that see it, than it is pleasant to them that bear it.'

As portrayed by the phenomenal Glenda Jackson, the person who was Elizabeth comes vividly to life in 'Elizabeth R'. After finishing the series you feel as if you had truly been in the presence of the Queen herself and had spent years at her court. Glenda Jackson is the keystone to the success of this historical drama, and her portrayal is nothing less than stunning. Ms. Jackson remains one of the finest film Elizabeths to date. (Now, if the esteemed Dame Judi Dench ever does Elizabeth for longer than those few minutes glimpsed in 'Shakespeare in Love', well…she would offer tough competition! The esteemed Helen Mirren's stint as ER I in the recent HBO miniseries [in the US] fares equally well, casting the Queen in a relatively warmer light).

As the Virgin Queen, Ms Jackson radiates a commanding authority and demands no less than your full attention and respect. Hers is a full-blooded and complex character, one not given to ordinary phrases or mannerisms. Her character's outbursts of temper are some of the most electrifying moments in the film. In contrast, her moments of doubt and fear about the betrothal to d'Alençon that she confides to her faithful councillor, the Earl of Sussex (John Shrapnel), are poignant, and the quiet solemnity of Elizabeth's final days cannot but move one deeply. In the latter, the Queen actually remained standing for several hours while already ill, finally relenting and sitting down, to later slip away into that permanent sleep - but only after several days of lingering.

Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Ms Jackson here employs a wonderful English diction, with extraordinary sonority, clarity, fluency and drama. While she may not hew to the bland and tedious Hollywood standard of beauty, Ms Jackson is certainly beautiful in a more fascinating and intelligent way. The actress was physically restricted - as was the real Elizabeth - by the heavy, binding costumes she had to wear playing the Queen (which included chest-constricting wooden corsets!). She acts almost exclusively through subtle changes of face and voice, resulting from a happy meeting of formal drama technique and unerring gut instinct. And what an expressive, commanding voice she possesses! This, dear friends, is spellbinding theatre of the first order. It is a great performance that does justice to a great queen.

Since this production dates back to the late Sixties-early Seventies, the picture quality betrays the technical limitations of videotape of those days. The interior scenes look cold and dull, while the outdoor shots tend to fuzziness and slight overexposure. As one grows increasingly engrossed in the drama unfolding before one's eyes, these technical flaws simply fade away into the background.

Many premiere English actors with theatre backgrounds comprise the rest of the cast. Direction of the series was divided among five men: Roderick Graham (also the series producer), Richard Martin, Donald McWhinnie, Claude Whatham and Herbert Wise. All episodes show no obvious stylistic differences that could easily disrupt the flow of the story. Inter-episode continuity is also maintained through the use of the same actors for the same roles in different episodes.

One can hardly improve on any of the plays, filled as they are with dialogue written in the elegant style in use then, one familiar to us largely through the works of William Shakespeare. Many of Elizabeth's lines were taken verbatim from her speeches, writings and letters. They remain a supreme gift to modern audiences, interpreted with dramatic nuance and intelligence by Ms Jackson. Of major import is the historical accuracy of the facts presented in the scripts, which was not sacrificed in the name of poetic licence.

And how can one possibly resist gawking at those sumptuous costumes worn by Elizabeth? Working from several portraits of the Queen, the conscientious costumers re-created many of the fabulous gowns of Elizabeth that were encrusted with jewellery and topped by voluminous, elaborate ruffs (all designed by Elizabeth Waller). I can only guess at the number of people and hours it took to create such costumes, but the scrupulous attention to detail is evident. The gowns resemble their painted counterparts to a striking degree.

In summary, this mini-series may be old, but the quality has not aged one bit. It's a must-see for students of Tudor or English history, for those who appreciate superb historical drama and theatre, who enjoy the English language as elegantly written and majestically spoken, and who remain fascinated by Elizabeth I and her times. Get this now, preferably on DVD. Very, very highly recommended. Ten stars of the five, if I could rate it honestly!

Notes:

While few elements in the series would be deemed inappropriate for little ones (there is the controversial matter of Thomas Seymour romping with young Elizabeth, Mary [of Scotland] Stuart's gory end, and a fleeting reference to an extramarital pregnancy, to name the most obvious), most of the material will go above the heads of young children anyway and would be more suitable for those twelve to thirteen years of age and older, depending on their level of intellectual precocity.

The 'R' in 'Elizabeth R' stands for 'Regina,' Latin for 'Queen.'

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Writing (Directing) Credits:

Act 1: 'The Lion's Cub'……….John Hale (Claude Whatham)
Act 2: 'The Marriage Game'……….Rosemary Anne Sisson (Herbert Wise)
Act 3: 'Shadow in the Sun'……….Julian Mitchell (Richard Martin)
Act 4: 'Horrible Conspiracies'…….Hugh Whitemore (Roderick Graham)
Act 5: 'The Enterprise of England'………John Prebble (Donald McWhinnie)
Act 6: 'Sweet England's Pride'………Ian Rodger (Roderick Graham)

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DVD NOTES:

The Region 1 (US-Canada) DVD set runs for a total of some 540 minutes; the Region 2 DVD (released by Cinema Club only on 20 March 2006!) runs for some 522 minutes (the latter info I took from online sites). I'm not sure what accounts for the runtime difference between the two versions!

The US set has four (4) discs, the UK version has three (3). Seems that the fourth, 'Special Features' disc was left out of the UK version.

Set costs only £15.99 at HMV, £19.99 at MovieMail, and £22.99 at amazon.co.uk!

I personally own the Region 1 set, which was released, ironically, much earlier in the US, some five years ago.

THE FOLLOWING APPLY TO THE REGION 1 (USA-CANADA) DVD SET (RELEASED IN 2001):

The Region 1 set was released in the USA in 2001, which consists of a green, flat cardboard disc box decorated with colour stills from the production. The box unfolds into a spread to reveal four discs.

Each of the first three discs (featuring two episodes per disc) offers the viewer the option to hear the audio commentary given by writer Alison Weir. Her historical footnotes are interspersed throughout each episode, and prove very helpful in filling in the gaps, especially for those not well-versed in Tudor history. A technical complaint: if only the DVD producers had turned up the volume on Ms. Weir's voice - for many times one strains to hear her comments above the spoken dialogue!

Disc 4 is devoted exclusively to the 'Special Features.' Included here are interesting interviews (from 2000, perhaps) with Glenda Jackson on her preparation for the role, on the person of Elizabeth, and on politics (she has been a Member of Parliament since 1992; her pointed words on Margaret Thatcher are precious). In a separate interview, historian Alison Weir, author of several books on the Tudors including 'The Life of Elizabeth I', shares her vast knowledge and historical insights on Elizabeth and her times.

Other extras include:
- new readings by Ms Jackson of selected letters and writings of Elizabeth;
- behind-the-scenes still photographs of the work in the costume and makeup departments;
- photographs of historical places and of the real-life personages in portraits compared with their respective costumed and made-up screen characters (showing how meticulous the production staff were in reproducing authentic details);
- and a full biography of Elizabeth I produced by the A&E cable channel.

The entire DVD set offers a rich trove of historical information, and provides the viewer (and one a bit ignorant, like myself) with all he or she need know about the Elizabethan era to get by.

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Program (c) 1971 British Broadcasting Corporation.
Package design (c) 2001, BBC Worldwide Americas, Inc.

[A heavily modified version of this review has also been posted on a different online website.]