Elisabeth: The Golden Days

Very early on in the film, Cate Blanchett starring as Queen Elisabeth poses this question, thus setting the general tone of the drama. Don’t be mistaken: This is all a film about the cultural and religious conflicts in the 21st century and less a film about the politics of the 16th. This is a film about black Muslims and white Christians interlocked in a drama, whose outcome is finally decided by God. All told through a heavily redacted presentation of the story of Gloriana, her grip on (half) the English people and their fight for freedom from the Spanish invasion and inquisition.

This is for instance signified through the very peculiar film-locations chosen for the set: Ely, Wells, Winchester and Westminster Cathedrals. These rather medieval settings give a stony, cold gloom to many of the scenes presenting us with the feeling of doom and despair. Of course there are also warm and cosy tudor-settings filled with friendly banter, small-talk and soft pillowing. But the overall impression is that of Elisabeth aka St. George aka the Saviour as sacrificing herself through beheading Mary Queen of Scots for the good of her people and her nation, Britain. In short it is supposed to be a feel good film for the English. One problem is however the English viewers who know their history story and are disenchanted by its historical inaccuracy. It may be symptomatic that reviews in the Guardian were very lousy (one star) while The Times saw fit to be more positive (three stars).

Apart from the political agenda, the film must be viewed as a piece of pageantry. As such it succeeds. Every scene is filmed like an intricate piece of Tudor jewellery, complete with dresses, textiles, tableware and mimes parading as ballet-dancers. And then of course there are the scenes from the piece de resistance: The Battle of Britain 1588, when the invincible Spanish Armada was hounded out of the Channel towards its doom in the North and Irish Seas.

On a final note it is worth taking notice of the way in which English Catholics have been heavily involved in an internet-debate on the presumed bashing of the Catholic Church which is thought to take place in the film. Of course the setting is defined as the fight between the “good” protestant (British) North as opposed to the corrupt and inquisitorial “bad” catholic South. But it seems to this reviewer that this is just an excuse to frame the ongoing conflict between Muslim South and Christian North.

Whatever the case: It is important to ponder this film. It clothes a modern dilemma in an epic setting presumably to seduce viewers to adopt a less than nuanced approach to the current terrorist threats. As such it merits attention for the people of Europe trying to come to grips with present politics.