Elizabeth: The Golden Age is the 2007 sequel to Shekhar Kapur’s earlier film Elizabeth (1998). Where the first film covered Elizabeth’s precarious rise to power, this one sets its sights on the middle years of her reign, the clash with Spain, and the looming shadow of mortality. Cate Blanchett reprises her role as Elizabeth I, giving another towering performance, while Clive Owen strides into view as the rakish Sir Walter Raleigh.
It is a film painted in grand strokes. History is there, but it has been dressed up in costumes, thunderous speeches, and naval battles that lean more on atmosphere than archival accuracy.
The Historical Context
The film sits squarely in the 1580s, a time when Elizabeth I faced several converging challenges:
- Catholic plots to unseat her and place Mary, Queen of Scots, on the throne.
- Spain’s growing power under Philip II, culminating in the launch of the Armada in 1588.
- Internal unease, as Elizabeth remained unmarried and childless, leaving the succession uncertain.
All of this is framed in the film with a kind of operatic grandeur, turning Elizabeth into both stateswoman and tragic heroine.
Key Characters and Performances
- Elizabeth I (Cate Blanchett): Blanchett carries the film with fiery speeches and moments of vulnerability. The film pushes her towards the archetype of the warrior queen, which makes for good cinema even if it flattens the subtler politics of her reign.
- Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen): A romantic adventurer who adds swagger and sexual tension. Historically, Raleigh’s relationship with Elizabeth was more political than personal, but here he becomes the dashing foil.
- Mary, Queen of Scots (Samantha Morton): Her execution in the film is portrayed as both a political necessity and a personal torment for Elizabeth. Morton plays her with a quiet dignity, a tragic counterpoint to Blanchett’s grandeur.
- Philip II of Spain (Jordi Mollà): Painted as a pious fanatic. He is less a man than a looming shadow of empire, muttering prayers as his Armada prepares.
Accuracy vs Drama
This is not a documentary. A few liberties include:
- Timeline compression: Years of events are squashed into what feels like a few frantic months.
- Armada battle scenes: More thunder and smoke than strategy, and Elizabeth did not personally ride into the surf in shining armour as shown.
- Raleigh and Elizabeth: The romantic undertones are dialled up for cinematic effect, though he did enjoy favour at court.
If you go in expecting a textbook account, you will come out disappointed. If you go in expecting drama, you will get it in spades.
Visuals and Style
Visually, the film is sumptuous. The costumes are exquisite, the court scenes look like they belong in a gilded painting, and the naval battles are drenched in atmosphere. The cinematography leans heavily on contrasts: Elizabeth draped in light, Philip swamped in shadows.
The style sometimes overwhelms the story, but it is undeniably memorable.
Themes
- Faith and Power: The film repeatedly contrasts Protestant England with Catholic Spain.
- Mortality: Elizabeth is portrayed as a woman aware of her own fading youth and the risks of leaving no heir.
- National Identity: The Armada serves as a crucible for England’s self-image as a plucky underdog defying continental might.
Legacy
Elizabeth: The Golden Age split critics down the middle. Some praised Blanchett’s performance and the film’s operatic ambition. Others dismissed it as overwrought and historically careless.
From a historian’s point of view, it is more pageantry than precision. From a filmgoer’s point of view, it is two hours of spectacle with enough political intrigue to keep the dialogue crackling.
The Seven Swords Takeaway
The film is not subtle. It is history painted in bold colours, the kind you might see splashed across a cathedral mural rather than in a dusty archive. Blanchett gives a performance that demands attention, the visuals are jaw-dropping, and the story carries just enough truth to anchor the spectacle.
If you want Elizabethan politics in all their messy detail, read a history book. If you want Elizabeth riding into battle in shining armour with the wind in her hair, Elizabeth: The Golden Age has you covered.
Watch the trailer:
