Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)

A mature Queen Elizabeth endures multiple crises late in her reign including court intrigues, an assassination plot, the Spanish Armada, and romantic disappointments.

Director:

Shekhar Kapur

Writers:

William Nicholson, Michael Hirst

Stars:

Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen, Geoffrey Rush

Won 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 29 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jordi Mollà	...	King Philip ll of Spain
Aimee King	...	Infanta
Cate Blanchett	...	Queen Elizabeth I
Laurence Fox	...	Sir Christopher Hatton
John Shrapnel	...	Lord Howard
Geoffrey Rush	...	Sir Francis Walsingham
Susan Lynch	...	Annette
Elise McCave	...	Laundry Woman
Samantha Morton	...	Mary Stuart
Abbie Cornish	...	Bess Throckmorton
Penelope McGhie	...	Margaret
Rhys Ifans	...	Robert Reston
Eddie Redmayne	...	Thomas Babington
Stuart McLoughlin	...	Savage
Clive Owen	...	Sir Walter Raleigh

Storyline

Two faiths, two empires, two rulers - colliding in 1588. Papist Spain wants to bring down the heretic Elizabeth. Philip is building an armada but needs a rationale to attack. With covert intrigue, Spain sets a trap for the Queen and her principal secretary, Walsingham, using as a pawn Elizabeth's cousin Mary Stuart, who's under house arrest in the North. The trap springs, and the armada sets sail, to rendezvous with French ground forces and to attack. During these months, the Virgin Queen falls in love with Walter Raleigh, keeping him close to court and away from the sea and America. Is treachery or heroism at his heart? Does loneliness await her passionate majesty?

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Plot Keywords:

elizabeth i character | queen | spain | intrigue | court | 

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Taglines:

Woman. Warrior. Queen.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, some sexuality and nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Studio Canal [France]

Country:

UK France Germany USA

Language:

English Spanish Swedish

Release Date:

12 October 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Filming Locations:

Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,153,075, 14 October 2007, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$16,285,240

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$74,870,866

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures,StudioCanal,Working Title Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

El Escorial, the Spanish King's palace, is really London's Westminster Cathedral. Since it's a functioning church, the production team had to wait until the last evening confession was done, strip the interior of everything recognizably modern, shoot every scene during the night, then put everything back in place by morning mass.

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Goofs

When Elizabeth walks to mass after Walter Raleigh lays his coat down, Bess Throckmorton is right behind the queen. In the next shot, she's at the end of the line, then behind the queen again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: 1585
Title Card: Spain is the most powerful empire in the world. Philip of Spain, a devout Catholic, has plunged Europe into holy war. Only England stands against him, ruled by a Protestant Queen.

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Connections

Spoofed in The Simpsons: Four Great Women and a Manicure (2009)

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Soundtracks

Love Theme - Arrest
Written by David Hirschfelder
Conducted by David Hirschfelder, Ric Formosa and Sam Schwarz (as Sam Schwarz)
Courtesy of Universal Studios

User Reviews

Could be better

Well, the story is interesting and Cate Blanchett play her role very good, but the story is stretched and at the end when Spain attacks with its armada is quickly finishes end the attack scene is really short.

They could have made this a spectacular movie, nice story, great costumes. But after the first 45 minutes it get boring and you ask yourself why. Then towards the end i hoped to see a great battle at sea, but it didn't happen.

The movie is watchable but don't expect too much.

It might be wiser to rent this one on DVD instead of going to the movies.