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 6 wins & 33 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jordi Mollà	...	King Philip ll of Spain (as Jordi Molla)
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?

---

Plot Keywords:

elizabeth i character | female ruler | female monarch | queen of england | sir walter raleigh | 

---

Taglines:

Blanchett returns in the role for which she received an OSCAR nomination

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, some sexuality and nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the film, when Elizabeth arrives at St. Paul's Cathedral, construction is going on. In real life, St. Paul's actually needed repair work. Director Shekhar Kapur decided to improvise, and gave the workers costumes and period tools to cut real stone that was being installed in the cathedral. The workers in the scene are real-life stonemasons and construction workers.

---

Goofs

When the suitors show the portrait of Eric XIV of Sweden, they show the wrong painting. The real painting, by Steven van der Meulen in 1561, shows Eric's full body in red and gold dress.

---

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.

---

Connections

Edited from Elizabeth (1998)

---

Soundtracks

Coronation Banquet
Written by David Hirschfelder
Conducted by David Hirschfelder, Ric Formosa and Sam Schwarz (as Sam Schwarz)
Courtesy of Universal Studios

User Reviews

An Adult Popcorn Movie

Don't believe the poor reviews "Elizebeth: The Golden Age" has received.

While it may be true the film is not historically correct, most of us do not go to the movies for a history lesson. We go to be entertained. On that basis, this film is a winner. It has romance, intrigue and betrayal. It is basically a melodrama.

The photography is great, although sometimes the director gets carried away with the camera movements. The orchestral score in fine, although it is overwhelming at times. The acting is absolutely first rate.

I thought that "Elizebeth: The Golden Age" was more entertaining than any of the "Pirates of the Carribian" movies. If you want an entertaining movie that is geared more towards adults than children, then you should check the movie out.

Details

Country:

UK France Germany USA

Language:

English Spanish Swedish

Release Date:

12 October 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Filming Locations:

A Stage, Shepperton Studios, Studios Road, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,153,075, 14 October 2007

Gross USA:

$16,383,509

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$75,782,758

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