Analysis Of Kapur s Elizabeth The Golden Age - 1262 Words

Shekhar Kapur s Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) centers around Queen Elizabeth I of England and the multiple crises she endured twenty-seven years into her reign. The film provides a wonderful cinematic experience through astounding performances and gorgeous costuming and scenery. Unfortunately, as many Hollywood portrayals of history, its enthralling plot is achieved at the expense of historical correctness. The film takes liberties with its account of history, making alterations to the important historical events depicted and even incorporating fictitious stories. The historical accuracy of the film suffers due to the romanticizing of Queen Elizabeth I, its blatant exaggeration of threats made against her, such as the Babington Plot, and the theatrical and fallacious portrayal of the Spanish Armada. The film s character of Queen Elizabeth I, played by Cate Blanchett, is decisively romanticized. It is clear throughout the film that this account of history is very patriotic, equatin g Elizabeth to a woman full of goodness and fortitude and her enemies as the tyrannical forces of evil. Kapur is careful not to include any information that would indicate anything different. For example, Mary Stuart s part in the film, played by Samantha Morton, is limited only to the depiction of her involvement in the plans to assassinate Elizabeth and take her place as queen of England. Throughout the film there is no specific mention of the fact that Mary Stuart had been Elizabeth s