Elizabeth (1998)

Director:

Shekhar Kapur

Writer:

Michael Hirst (written by)

Release Date:

22 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

Tagline:

Declared illegitimate aged 3. Tried for treason aged 21. Crowned Queen aged 25.

Plot:

A film of the early years of the reign of Elizabeth I of England and her difficult task of learning what is necessary to be a monarch.

Plot Keywords:

England | Queen | Advisor | Heretic | Treason

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 29 wins & 32 nominations

Cast

Cate Blanchett	...	Elizabeth I
Geoffrey Rush	...	Sir Francis Walsingham
Christopher Eccleston	...	Duke of Norfolk
Joseph Fiennes	...	Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
Richard Attenborough	...	Sir William Cecil
Fanny Ardant	...	Mary of Guise
Eric Cantona	...	Monsieur de Foix
Vincent Cassel	...	Duc d'Anjou
Kathy Burke	...	Queen Mary Tudor
Edward Hardwicke	...	Earl of Arundel
Emily Mortimer	...	Kat Ashley
John Gielgud	...	The Pope
Liz Giles	...	Female Martyr
Rod Culbertson	...	Master Ridley
Paul Fox	...	Male Martyr
Terence Rigby	...	Bishop Gardiner
Peter Stockbridge	...	Palace Chamberlain
Amanda Ryan	...	Lettice Howard
Valerie Gale	...	Mary's Dwarf
George Yiasoumi	...	King Philip II of Spain
James Frain	...	Alvaro de la Quadra
Jamie Foreman	...	Earl of Sussex
Kelly Macdonald	...	Isabel Knollys
Wayne Sleep	...	Dance Tutor
Sally Grey	...	Lady in Waiting
Kate Loustau	...	Lady in Waiting
Elika Gibbs	...	Lady in Waiting
Sarah Owen	...	Lady in Waiting
Lily Allen	...	Lady in Waiting
Joe White	...	Master of the Tower
Matt Andrews	...	Norfolk's Man
Liam Foley	...	Norfolk's Man
Lewis Jones	...	Priest
Michael Beint	...	Bishop Carlisle
Angus Deayton	...	Waad, Chancellor of the Eschequer
Kenny Doughty	...	Sir Thomas Elyot
Hayley Burroughs	...	Elizabeth's Dwarf
Joseph O'Conor	...	Earl of Derby (as Joseph O'Connor)
Brendan O'Hea	...	Lord William Howard
Edward Highmore	...	Lord Harewood
Daniel Moynihan	...	Bishop #1
Jeremy Hawk	...	Bishop #2
Donald Pelmear	...	Bishop #3
James Rowe	...	Bishop in Cellar
Tim Bevan	...	Handsome Man
Charles Cartmell	...	Dudley's Man
Edward Purver	...	Dudley's Man
Daniel Craig	...	John Ballard
Vladimir Vega	...	Vatican Cardinal
Alfie Allen	...	Arundel's Son
Daisy Bevan	...	Arundel's Daughter
Jennifer Lewicki	...	Arundel's Housemaid
Viviane Horne	...	Arundel's Wife
Nick Smallman	...	Walsingham's Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ben Enwright	...	Royal Guard of Honour (uncredited)
Shekhar Kapur	...	Man Stabbing Bishop (uncredited)
Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	(uncredited)
Jocelyn Quivrin	...	French Guard (uncredited)
Matthew Rhys	...	(uncredited)
Christian Simpson	...	Royal Guard (uncredited)

Directed by
Shekhar Kapur

Writing credits
Michael Hirst		(written by)

Produced by
Tim Bevan	....	producer
Liza Chasin	....	co-producer
Eric Fellner	....	producer
Debra Hayward	....	co-producer
Alison Owen	....	producer
Mary Richards	....	line producer

Original Music by
David Hirschfelder

Cinematography by
Remi Adefarasin

Film Editing by
Jill Bilcock

Casting by
Simone Ireland
Vanessa Pereira

Production Design by
John Myhre

Art Direction by
Jonathan Lee		(supervising art director)
Lucy Richardson

Set Decoration by
Peter Howitt

Costume Design by
Alexandra Byrne

Makeup Department
Anita Burger	....	hair stylist
Anita Burger	....	makeup artist
Miranda Davidson	....	hair stylist
Miranda Davidson	....	makeup artist
Karen Ferguson	....	hair stylist
Karen Ferguson	....	makeup artist
Christine Greenwood	....	hair stylist
Christine Greenwood	....	makeup artist
Lisa Pickering	....	hair stylist
Lisa Pickering	....	makeup artist
Ivana Primorac	....	hair stylist
Ivana Primorac	....	makeup artist
Jenny Shircore	....	hair designer
Jenny Shircore	....	makeup designer
Christine Whitney	....	hair stylist
Christine Whitney	....	makeup artist
Suzanne Jansen	....	make-up/hair artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Erica Bensly	....	production manager: re-shoot
Jane Frazer	....	executive in charge of production
Michael Harm	....	unit manager
Laura Julian	....	production manager: re-shoot
Christian McWilliams	....	unit manager
Michael Solinger	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Harry Boyd	....	co-third assistant director
David Gilchrist	....	assistant director: second unit
Tommy Gormley	....	first assistant director
Lisa Jones	....	assistant director: crowd casting
Mark Layton	....	second assistant director
Ian Madden	....	second unit director
Sarah Purser	....	third assistant director
Sue Wood	....	co-second assistant director

Art Department
John Addison	....	carpenter
Robert Allen	....	construction buyer (as Rob Allen)
Robert Allen	....	construction buyer
Harry Alley	....	painter laborer
Joe Alley	....	carpenter
Stanley Apperley	....	plasterer (as Stan Apperley)
Barry Arnold	....	stand-by propman
Michael Bailey	....	stagehand
Tracy Ann Baines	....	assistant sculptor
David Balfour	....	property master
Nicola Barnes	....	art department coordinator
Brian Bishop	....	scenic artist
Stuart Blinco	....	painter
Steven Bovingdon	....	stagehand
Raymond Branch	....	chargehand stagehand
Colin Burgess	....	stand-by propman
Bill Bush	....	chargehand plasterer
John Campbell	....	supervising painter
Darryl Carter	....	carpenter (as Daryl Carter)
John Casey	....	stand-by carpenter
Temple Clark	....	storyboard artist
Marlon Cole	....	dressing propman
Kelvin Cook	....	props
Chris Corke	....	carpenter
Martin Day	....	carpenter
Rick Dunning	....	stagehand
Belinda Edwards	....	production buyer
David Edwards	....	supervising carpenter
Andy Evans	....	construction manager
Fred Evans	....	sculptor
Glyn Evans	....	painter
John Franklin	....	carpenter
Giovanni Giacotto	....	painter
Anthony Goddard	....	painter
Lee Goddard	....	painter
Michael Gooch	....	carpenter
Gavin Gordon	....	carpenter
Matthew Gray	....	set designer
Ian Green	....	assistant construction manager
Mark Green	....	set craft apprentice carpenter
Brian Groves	....	stand-by painter
Fred Gunning	....	carpenter
John Harris	....	plasterer
Ralph Harrison	....	carpenter
Sarah Hauldren	....	assistant art director
Stuart Kearns	....	junior draughtsman
John Knight	....	dressing propman
Poppy Luard	....	assistant art director
Christopher Mansey	....	carpenter
Tony Mansey	....	chargehand carpenter (as Anthony Mansey)
Andrew Mash	....	carpenter
Derek O'Reilly	....	plasterer
Graham Pearce	....	painter
Gary Pledger	....	supervising carpenter
Jamie Powell	....	plasterer
Ken Powell	....	supervising plasterer (as Kenny Powell)
Steve Powell	....	plasterer
Alfred Pulis	....	carpenter
Clifford Rashbrook	....	stagehand
Larry Rashbrook	....	stagehand
Jeff Reid	....	carpenter
Lee Reilly	....	carpenter
Cornelius 'Ted' Restall	....	painter (as Cornelius Restall)
Roy Rodgers	....	sculptor
Bob Rose	....	plasterer
Peter Rutherford	....	production buyer
Bernard Ryan	....	carpenter
John Shergold	....	painter
Steve Sibley	....	painter (as Steven Sibley)
Barry Smalls	....	carpenter
Colin Smith	....	plasterer
Colin Smith	....	supervising stagehand
Danny Smith	....	stagehand
Dean Smith	....	carpenter
Roy Smith	....	stagehand
Tony Snook	....	carpenter
Mike Stallion	....	draughtsman
Anthony Szuch	....	drapes master
Gregor Telfer	....	props trainee
Bill Thompson	....	plasterer laborer
Andrew Tombs	....	plasterer (as Andy Tombs)
Keith Vowles	....	props storeman
Brian Webb	....	stand-by stagehand
John Wells	....	supervising dressing propman
Laurence Wells	....	dressing propman
Kevin Wheeler	....	dressing propman
Clive Whitbread	....	painter
Mark White	....	painter
Paul Wiltshire	....	supervising painter
Robert Wright	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Mark Auguste	....	supervising sound editor
Sam Auguste	....	assistant sound editor
Gerry Bates	....	boom operator
Mike Dowson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Thomas Gastinel	....	sound assistant
Howard Halsall	....	assistant sound editor
Tim Hands	....	adr editor
Michael Harris	....	sound recordist: second unit (as Mike Harris)
Dick Hunt	....	sound recordist: second unit
Chris Scallan	....	sound engineer
Tommy Staples	....	sound recordist: second unit
David Stephenson	....	sound recordist
Mark Taylor	....	sound re-recording mixer
Derek Trigg	....	foley editor
Ricky Butt	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
George Gibbs	....	special effects coordinator
George Gibbs	....	special effects supervisor
Clive R. Kay	....	special effects contact lenses
John Keating	....	special effects trainee
Stephen Paton	....	senior special effects technician (as Steve Paton)
Peter Skehan	....	senior special effects technician
Richard Stanbury	....	special effects trainee
David Watson	....	senior special effects technician
David Watson Jr.	....	junior special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Phil Attfield	....	digital visual effects compositor
Robin Beard	....	digital visual effects compositor
Peter Chiang	....	visual effects supervisor
Adam Christopher	....	digital visual effects scanning/recording
Rebecca Farhall	....	digital visual effects coordinator (as Rebecca Elliot)
Tom Hocking	....	digital visual effects compositor
James Jordan	....	digital compositor
Stefan Lange	....	visual effects cameraman
Stefan Lange	....	visual effects coordinator
Adrian Martin	....	digital visual effects producer
Peter Medrow	....	programmer
Brett Miller	....	animator
Gruff Owen	....	digital visual effects scanning/recording
Alasdair Scott	....	title sequence designer
Steve Shaw	....	digital visual effects producer
Steve Street	....	animator

Stunts
Andy Bennett	....	stunts (as Andy Bennet)
Richard Bradshaw	....	stunts
Steve Caswell	....	stunts
Simon Crane	....	stunts
Gabe Cronnelly	....	stunts (as Gabriel Cronnelly)
Danielle da Costa	....	stunts (as Danielle Da Costa)
Ray De-Haan	....	stunts (as Ray De Haan)
Neil Finnighan	....	stunts (as Neil Finnegan)
Terry Forestal	....	stunt coordinator (as Terry Forrestal)
Steve Griffin	....	stunt coordinator
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts
Sy Hollands	....	stunts
Rowley Irlam	....	stunts
Vincent Keane	....	stunts
Derek Lea	....	stunts
Tom Lucy	....	stunts
Jo McLaren	....	stunts
Peter Miles	....	stunts
Dominic Preece	....	stunts
Kiran Shah	....	stunts
C.C. Smiff	....	stunts
Rocky Taylor	....	stunts
Peter White	....	stunts
William Willoughby	....	stunts (as Will Willoughby)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Adefarasin	....	camera trainee
Chris Allkins	....	rigging electrician
John Arnold	....	key grip
Alex Bailey	....	still photographer
James Bloom	....	clapper loader
Julian Bucknall	....	focus puller
Pat Deveney	....	electrician
Robert Diebelius	....	rigging electrician
Danny Espey	....	electrician
Ron Fleet	....	second clapper loader
Ian Franklin	....	electrician
Martin Goddard	....	rigger
Peter Graffham	....	stand-by rigger
Bob Hunt	....	electrician
Mark Hutton	....	generator operator
Oliver Loncraine	....	second clapper loader
Barrie More	....	rigging gaffer electrician
John Pitt	....	rigger
David Price	....	rigger
Sean Savage	....	second camera operator
Ronnie Savory	....	generator operator (as Ron Savory)
Steve Senior	....	rigging electrician
Kenneth Serth	....	rigger (as Ken Serth)
Philip Sindall	....	camera operator
Reg Smith	....	rigger
Mitch Spooner	....	best boy
Alan Stewart	....	additional cinematographer: second unit
Iain Struthers	....	second clapper loader
Bill Thornhill	....	rigging electrician (as Billy Thornhill)
Martyn Welland	....	electrician (as Martin Welland)
Andy Weller	....	rigger (as Andrew Weller)
David Weller	....	stand-by rigger
Ben Wilson	....	second focus puller
Jimmy Wilson	....	gaffer
Andy Young	....	second grip

Casting Department
Kate Bulpitt	....	casting assistant
Brendan Donnison	....	voice casting
Kate Dowd	....	casting: France
Sue Wood	....	crowd casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Clare Banet	....	costume maker
Sue Bradbear	....	costume maker
Melanie Carter	....	costume maker
Ruth Caswell	....	costume maker
Lee Clayton	....	costume cutter
Lee Clayton	....	tailor
Gill Crawford	....	costume maker
John Denison	....	wardrobe assistant
Katrina Frith	....	wardrobe assistant
Frank Gardiner	....	costume design director
Dan Grace	....	wardrobe assistant
Jane Grimshaw	....	costume maker
Hilary Guthrie	....	wardrobe assistant
Annie Hadley	....	costume cutter
Nick Heather	....	wardrobe assistant
Yvonne Jackson-French	....	costume maker
Andrew Joslin	....	costume maker
Linda Lashley	....	costume maker
Kay Manasseh	....	costume buyer
Tibor Máté	....	costume maker (as Tibor Mate)
Sue Meyer	....	costume maker
Tanya Mould	....	costume maker
Anne Nichols	....	costume maker
Jane Petrie	....	wardrobe mistress
Debbie Scott	....	assistant costume designer
Marcia Smith	....	costume maker
Roslyn Tiddy	....	costume maker
Suzi Turnbull	....	wardrobe supervisor
Natalie Ward	....	wardrobe assistant
Berenice Wright	....	wardrobe assistant
Dominic Young	....	costume maker
April Mills	....	costume assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Kate Buckland	....	first assistant editor
Jatinderpal Chohan	....	post-production coordinator
Celia Haining	....	second assistant editor
Steve Harrow	....	post-production consultant
Peter Hunt	....	color grader
Lionel Johnson	....	co-second assistant editor
Justin Krish	....	associate editor
Andrew MacRitchie	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Gavin Cornish	....	music copyist
John Dingle	....	choir master
Ric Formosa	....	conductor
Ric Formosa	....	orchestrator
Steven Gizicki	....	soundtrack executive
Robin Gray	....	scoring engineer
George Guest	....	conductor
Michael Higham	....	music editor
David Hirschfelder	....	conductor
David Hirschfelder	....	orchestrator
Sam Schwartz	....	assistant musical director (as Sam Schwarz)
Sam Schwartz	....	conductor (as Sam Schwarz)
Dawn Soler	....	executive in charge of music: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
John Thorn	....	music copyist
Roger White	....	music consultant

Transportation Department
Mike Beaven	....	unit driver
Kelvin Cook	....	driver: facility truck
John Cornelius	....	driver: facility truck
Bob Dean	....	driver: facility truck
Graham Fordham	....	transportation coordinator
Roger Hardman	....	driver: facility truck
Mike Harris	....	driver: facility truck
Scott Henley	....	driver: facility truck
Paul Jones	....	driver: facility truck
Dave Machin	....	transportation coordinator
Enyo Mortty	....	unit driver
Terry Reece	....	unit driver
Mark Russell	....	driver: facility truck
Albert Smith	....	driver: facility truck
John Smith	....	unit driver
Barry Stone	....	driver: facility truck
Bob Turner	....	driver: facility truck
Mark West	....	driver: facility truck

Other crew
Jose Romero Abuin	....	supervising rigger
Jordan Archer	....	unit nurse
Tim Aslam	....	head pre-fitter
Simon August	....	location department trainee
Sean Barrett	....	milliner
Debbie Brodie	....	food stylist
Rashid Chinchanwala	....	director of finance
Steve Dent	....	horses and wagons supplier
Kate Dimmock	....	continuity trainee: second unit
Juliette Dow	....	assistant: Mr. Bevan
Penny Dyer	....	dialogue coach
Jake Edmonds	....	health and safety advisor
Sarah Fleet	....	assistant accountant
Liam Foley	....	assistant: Mr. Kapur
Simon Fraser	....	production coordinator
Suzanne Freeborn	....	unit nurse
Cyril Gibbons	....	health and safety officer
Tarn Harper	....	post-production accountant
Rachel Holroyd	....	vice president of business affairs
Viviane Horne	....	stand-in
Paul Jackson	....	health and safety advisor
Joseph Jayawardena	....	location assistant
Nina Khoshaba	....	company coordinator
Joe Lacey	....	stand-in
Sue Lefton	....	choreographer
Jennifer Lewicki	....	assistant: Alison Owen
Karen McLuskey	....	production assistant
Victoria Mielewska	....	dialect coach: pre-production
Zoe Morgan	....	continuity assistant
Steve Morphew	....	stand-in
Angela Morrison	....	senior vice president of business affairs
Stephen Naulls	....	assistant accountant
Susan Nicholson	....	production accountant
Alex Oakley	....	floor runner
Benjamin Ogley	....	production runner (as Ben Ogley)
Maggie Phelan	....	financial controller
Justin Pollard	....	researcher (as Justin D. Pollard)
Sue Quinn	....	location manager
Pat Rambaut	....	script supervisor
Frances Richardson	....	assistant accountant
Mathilde Sandberg	....	dyer
Patric Scott	....	unit publicist
Diana Scrivener	....	assistant choreographer
Dean Taylor	....	stand-in
Lara Thompson	....	assistant: Mr. Fellner
Julian Tomlin	....	director of finance
Rebecca Townsend	....	head pre-fitter
Tracey Tucker	....	production assistant
John Turk	....	boat master
John Tweedle	....	boat master
Joan Washington	....	pre-production coach
Kevin Welch	....	supervising rigger
Rebecca Wiseman	....	chef
Christopher Womack	....	cutting room trainee
Jami Wrenn	....	assistant: Mr. Rush
Steve Hideg	....	head technician (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Polygram Filmed Entertainment (presents)
• Working Title Films
• Channel Four Films (in association with)

Distributors

• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1998) (UK) (theatrical)
• Gramercy Pictures (I) (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1998) (Australia) (theatrical)
• PolyGram Film Distribution (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Distribution (1998) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• PolyGram (1998) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Poylgram (1998) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1998) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Warner Sogefilms S.A. (1998) (Spain) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (1999) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1999) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Herald Film Company (1999) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (1999) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (1999) (Finland) (theatrical)
• PolyGram (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (1999) (South Africa) (theatrical)
• Videocine S.A. de C.V. (1999) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1999) (Chile) (theatrical)
• PolyGram Video (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• PolyGram Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (video)

Special Effects

• Men in White Coats (digital visual effects)

Other Companies

• Shepperton Studios  movie studio
• 2020 Casting  extras casting
• AMX digital  main titles
• ARRI Media  camera rental
• Animals Okay  animals provided by
• Animated Extras  prosthetic heads
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  sound editing facilities
• Edit Hire (New Technology)  editing equipment
• General Screen Enterprises  titles and opticals
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• London Records  soundtrack
• New London Consort  music performers
• Passion Pictures  main titles
• Sapex Scripts  post-production services
• Set Meals  catering
• Shepperton Studios  recording facilities
• Sylvia Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting

Also Known As:

Elizabeth: The Virgin Queen (USA) (closing credits title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and sexuality.

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | USA:R (certificate #35933) | Iceland:16 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Brazil:16 | Philippines:PG-13 | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Austria:16 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Polygram Filmed Entertainment

Trivia:

Producer Alison Owen's two children appear in the movie: actor Alfie Allen and Lily Allen, who is best known as a successful pop singer.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: At opening scene on the right side of the shot, a halberd used to block the crowd from the prisoners bends and wobbles, showing itself to be made of rubber.

Quotes:

Elizabeth: There will be no more talk of marriage.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wonderland (1999)

Soundtrack:

Rondeas I and VII

A very good try

As soccer legend Eric Cantona's former colleagues might say this is a film of two halves. Despite an intimidating opening scene, the first half soon settles down to establishing who everyone is - the bad guys drip malevolence, while the good guys dance in gay meadows. It is not until the second half that the politics and intrigue really get going.

The film opens in England, circa 1550s. The country is divided, half of the population pledging allegiance to the childless catholic Queen Mary who is dying, while the other half attempt to place their protestant liege, Elizabeth, on the throne.

Mary dies before providing an heir so the monarchy automatically passes to Elizabeth. However, she inherits a rebellious court keen to see her removed and a catholic monarch installed. Fortunately for Elizabeth, there are not enough candidates for the job. While, the evil Duke of Norfolk plots to put himself and Mary, Queen of Scots on the English throne, Elizabeth's supporters rush around trying to find her a suitable international king.

The crux comes when she declares she is only interested in her English lover, Lord Robert Dudley. When her enemies learn of this, they try to drive a wedge between them. And from this premise the real intrigue flows.

In terms of characterisation, the film scores some hits and some misses. Some curious casting decisions undermine a few of the characters - working class mainstay Kathy Burke moves to the opposite end of the social spectrum to play Queen Mary, Brit comic Angus Deayton has an unnecessary cameo, while Eric Cantona seems an odd choice, although his performance seems adequate.

As to the main characters, Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett) is well charted from gamboling youth to ice-hard queen. The black loyalty of Sir Francis Wolsingham (Geoffrey Rush) is tested time and again and never found wanting, allowing him to grow from mistrusted bodyguard to Queen's adviser.

Unfortunately the Queen's enemies are so numerous it is difficult to focus on one. Michael Hirst, the writer, chooses the Duke of Norfolk as the chief villain but we never really learn why, or what his plans, beyond unseating Elizabeth, are. Christopher Ecclestone plays the Duke with the right amount of menace but we are never truly intimidated by his smouldering glare. Lord Robert (Joseph Fiennes) is an equally confused character. Is he guilty of the crimes he is accused of? Does he love the queen? Some of his behaviour suggests he does not, yet he constantly returns to her claiming he does. The uncertainty generated by Lord Robert is compounded by the fact that Joseph Fiennes does not belong in this film.

Beyond the characters, many of the films finest moments come in the form of the brightly coloured set pieces - when the court takes to the boat lake, the arrival of the french prince and the coronation. Some of the blacker scenes also serve very well - the aftermath of the battle, the plotting in the Vatican.

Despite the fine art direction, what we are eventually left with is a sumptuous, well made film let down by a slow start and a few undefined characters.