Elizabeth: The Virgin Queen (2000) Shekhar Kapur   An intense and exquisitely realized look at the early reign of England's greatest monarch, Elizabeth ranks among the finest films to depict "The Virgin Queen." Over the years, many performers have portrayed Elizabeth on screen, including Bette Davis, Jean Simmons, Glenda Jackson, even Quentin Crisp. Cate Blanchet, the latest to tackle the role, turns in a powerful and introspective performance, on a par with any of the above. The film opens in the declining years of "Bloody Mary" and unsqueemishly depicts Mary's ruthless persecution of excommunicates. In spite of Elizabeth's tolerance toward the Protestants, Mary, near death, begrudgingly appoints her younger sister as heir to the throne. In the role of Elizabeth, Blanchet is introspective and utterly captivating, convincingly taking her from the naive girl depicted at the outset to the stern and resolved monarch of the finale, solemnly but necessarilyjaded at too young an age. In between, the film portrays the various intrigues, political maneuverings, and endless back-stabbings (figuratively and literally) which plagued the outset of Elizabeth's reign. Director Shekhar Kapur offers a highly inventive and stylized look to the film, and the low-key and moody lighting of cinematographer Remi Adefarasin is evocative of 16th-century paintings. Kapur films virtually all of the interiors in medieval cathedrals, redressed with curtains and tapestries to create Elizabeth's court, her chambers, etc. While interesting visuallyand in keeping with the grim tone of the storyone does crave the sight of actual Tudor interiors after a while. The story and its performers, however, are ultimately what make this film great. The supporting cast are first-rate, including Joseph Fiennes as Elizabeth's lover Robert Dudley, Geoffrey Rush as the ruthless but loyal Sir Francis Walsingham, and, most especially, Richard Attenborogh as William Cecil, Elizabeth's most sincere and trusted advisor. On the other hand, one wishes John Gielgud would just retire and take up gardening instead of cashing the check for yet another phoned-in cameo (this time for 60 seconds as the Pope). I confess I am still waiting for a lavish, three-hour epic which deals with Elizabeth's reign from beginning to end (and covers such later events as the threat from Mary, Queen of Scots, and the routing of the Spanish fleet), but this film is a more than satisfying look at her early reignpowerful, dramatic, and compelling. —Paul Andrew MacLean

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