Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
Biography, Drama, History |.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age is a biographical drama film, directed by Shekhar Kapur and produced by Universal Pictures and Working Title Films. It stars Cate Blanchett in the title role and is a fairly fictionalised portrayal of events during the latter part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, following up on Kapur’s 1998 film Elizabeth, also starring Blanchett.
The film co-stars Geoffrey Rush (reprising his role from the previous film), Clive Owen, Jordi Mollà, Abbie Cornish, and Samantha Morton. The screenplay was written by William Nicholson and Michael Hirst, and the music score was composed by A. R. Rahman and Craig Armstrong. Guy Hendrix Dyas was the film’s production designer and co-visual effects supervisor, and the costumes were created by Alexandra Byrne. The film was shot at Shepperton Studios and various locations around the United Kingdom.
In 1585, Catholic Spain, ruled by King Philip II of Spain, is the most powerful country in the world. Seeing Protestant England as a threat, and in retaliation for English piracy of Spanish ships, Philip plots to take over England and make his daughter, Isabella, the Queen of England in Elizabeth’s place. Meanwhile, Elizabeth I of England is pressured by her advisor, Francis Walsingham, to marry – if she dies childless, the throne will pass to her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, who is Catholic.
English explorer Walter Raleigh is presented at Elizabeth’s court, having returned from the New World. Elizabeth is attracted to Raleigh, enthralled by his tales of exploration, and asks Bess Throckmorton, her most favored lady-in-waiting, to observe him. Bess also finds Raleigh attractive and they begin a secret affair. With tensions strained between England and Spain, Elizabeth seeks guidance from her astrologer, Dr. John Dee.
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Writers: William Nicholson, Michael Hirst
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen, Geoffrey Rush, Jordi Mollà, Abbie Cornish, Samantha Morton, Eddie Redmayne
Cast:
| 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 |
| Adrian Scarborough | … | Calley |
| Robert Styles | … | Palace Doorkeeper |
| William Houston | … | Don Guerau De Spes |
| Coral Beed | … | First Court Lady |
| Rosalind Halstead | … | Second Court Lady |
| Steven Loton | … | Manteo |
| Martin Baron | … | Wanchese |
| David Armand | … | Walsingham’s Agent |
| Steven Robertson | … | Francis Throckmorton |
| Jeremy Barker | … | Ramsey |
| George Innes | … | Burton |
| Adam Godley | … | William Walsingham |
| Kirstin Smith | … | Mary Walsingham (as Kirstin Coulter Smith) |
| Kelly Hunter | … | Ursula Walsingham |
| Christian Brassington | … | Archduke Charles |
| Robert Cambrinus | … | Count Georg von Helfenstein |
| Tom Hollander | … | Sir Amyas Paulet |
| Sam Spruell | … | Torturer |
| Tim Preece | … | Old Throckmorton |
| Vidal Sancho | … | Spanish Minister |
| David Threlfall | … | Dr. John Dee |
| Benjamin May | … | Dance Master |
| David Sterne | … | Cellarman |
| Kate Fleetwood | … | Woman with Baby |
| Glenn Doherty | … | Royal Servant |
| Chris Brailsford | … | Dean of Peterborough |
| Dave Legeno | … | Executioner |
| Antony Carrick | … | Spanish Archbishop |
| John Atterbury | … | Marriage Priest |
| David Robb | … | Admiral Sir William Winter |
| Alex Giannini | … | First Spanish Officer |
| Joe Ferrara | … | Second Spanish Officer |
| Jonathan Bailey | … | Courtier |
| Alexander Barnes | … | Courtier |
| Charles Bruce | … | Courtier |
| Jeremy Cracknell | … | Courtier |
| Benedict Green | … | Courtier |
| Adam Smith | … | Courtier |
| Simon Stratton | … | Courtier |
| Crispin Swayne | … | Courtier |
| Kitty Fox | … | Mary Stuart’s Lady in Waiting |
| Kate Lindesay | … | Mary Stuart’s Lady in Waiting |
| Katherine Templar | … | Mary Stuart’s Lady in Waiting |
| Hayley Burroughs | … | Queen Elizabeth’s Lady in Waiting |
| Kirsty McKay | … | Queen Elizabeth’s Lady in Waiting |
| Lucia Ruck Keene | … | Queen Elizabeth’s Lady in Waiting |
| Lucienne Venisse-Back | … | Queen Elizabeth’s Lady in Waiting |
| Morne Botes | … | Courtier (uncredited) |
| Amelia Dearing | … | Young girl (uncredited) |
| James Fiddy | … | Nobleman (uncredited) |
| Steve Lately | … | Walsingham’s Servant (uncredited) |
| Finn Morrell | … | Young Boy (uncredited) |
| Shane Nolan | … | Tyger Salior (uncredited) |
| Jack Pollock | … | Boy on Ship (uncredited) |
| William Sarto | … | Elizabethan Soldier (uncredited) |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia
