Elizabeth I

Our journey through Tudor England continues with Elizabeth I (2005). Tom Hooper presents an intelligent, stirring miniseries that avoids the speculative melodrama and soggy romanticism of recent Tudor efforts. With a smart script and the sterling Helen Mirren, it's a first-class work.

In 1578, Elizabeth's (Helen Mirren) throne is reasonably secure, but she still desires marriage. Unable to wed lover Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (Jeremy Irons), Elizabeth woos the Duke of Anjou (Jeremie Covillault), but the match falls through. Catholics plot against the Queen and the Spanish Armada comes calling. Ministers William Cecil, Lord Burghley (Ian McDiarmid) and Francis Walsingham (Patrick Malahide) argue that the captive Mary Queen of Scots (Barbara Flynn) remains a threat, and Elizabeth agonizes over whether to execute a "God-anointed Queen."

After Leicester's death, his stepson Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex (Hugh Dancy) becomes the Queen's new favorite. Essex abuses his position to gain military commands, secure tax revenue and place friends in power. Burghley and Walsingham pass away, and Essex goes to Ireland to suppress an uprising. An isolated Elizabeth leans on Robert Cecil (Toby Jones), Burghley's son, for guidance when Essex's ambition escalates to rebellion.

Elizabeth I's sober approach lifts it above other recent Tudor epics. Nigel Williams's script bristles with biting wit, sharply drawn characters and a real sense of Elizabeth's time. Hooper and Williams make familiar personages and events seem fresh, precisely where Elizabeth: the Golden Age faltered. The show keeps the romance tasteful: Elizabeth shares only a few hesitant kisses with her favorites. In Elizabeth I, however, the personal and political are closely interwoven.

This series provides a complex, credible Elizabeth. Queen Bess inherited not only Henry VIII's political skill but also his uneven temprament. Her emotions and allegiance veer wildly, a level-headed monarch one moment, a vain, shrieking harpy the next. Her love for Leicester is genuine, but her infatuation with the much younger Essex reeks of desperation. She forgives him for repeated indiscretions and grants him unearned power. This Elizabeth sacrifices love with the utmost reluctance, allowing her private ills to seep into her statescraft.

Elizabeth's favorites play a dangerous game, trading on their Queen's affection for titles and influence. Frustrated by Elizabeth's caprice, both Leicester and Essex take mistresses and foolishly think they can retain the Queen's favor. Where Leicester learns to accept Elizabeth's "friendship," Essex thinks her love entitles him to kingly power, even marriage. He dies earnestly (if not honestly) proclaiming the Cecils his malefactors, when he clearly dug his own grave.

While court intrigues take a backseat to Elizabeth's personal life, there's plenty of politicking to savor. Elizabeth needs her ministers to keep things on an even keel but spars with them nonetheless. Anjou seems an ideal suitor until Burghley decides his incompetence runs contrary to England's interests. Walsingham rigs the evidence against Mary Stuart and strong arms Elizabeth into ordering her execution. Elizabeth then rewrites the warrant to make them shoulder the guilt. Robert learns that propriety and competence earn the Queen's respect; favorites come and go but a good councilor is constant.

Director Tom Hooper went on to the celebrated John Adams and The King's Speech. He's quite good here, managing a beautifully shot, large scale production without the annoying camera work of the aforementioned shows. The show is long (211 minutes) and occasionally slow, but Hooper keeps it lively with rich imagery and art direction; he stages a swordfight, a modest-sized battle scene and some gruesome executions along the way.

Helen Mirren joins Bette Davis and Glenda Jackson in the Elizabethan upper tier. Mirren isn't afraid to look dowdy or make Elizabeth unlikeable, going for the human even when repugnant. She handles Elizabeth's ranting rages, regal monologues, and desperate pining with equal aplomb. It's a difficult, complex characterization that Mirren masterfully pulls off.

Jeremy Irons gets his best role in ages. Irons has some great banter with Mirren and crafts a memorably tragic character, endlessly frustrated by his ambiguous standing with the Queen. Hugh Dancy's charismatic performance is equally memorable. Dancy is appropriately dashing, arrogant and rash, allowing his ego and entitlement to override common sense.

Toby Jones (Captain America) gets a standout role as the shrewd Robert Cecil. Ian McDiarmid and Patrick Malahide play Elizabeth's senior ministers with dry wit and professional detachment. Jeremie Covillault's sensitive Anjou is a nice departure from Vincent Cassel's effete stereotype in Elizabeth. Barbara Flynn appears briefly as Mary Stuart; Groggy fondly remembers her as Robbie Coltrane's estranged wife on Cracker.

Elizabeth I is the best Tudor film in a long time. We all enjoy Natalie Dormer's heaving bosom (or maybe you're into Jonathan Rhys-Myers?), but it's nice to see an Elizabethan epic take its subject seriously.