Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Mary, Queen of Scots
- Commentary: I watched this movie a couple of days ago. Because this movie was packaged with Anne of a Thousand Days and I watched that movie first, I settled in for a second royal treat. Wow! Was I whipped about! Despite my admiration for quite a bit of Vanessa Redgrave's work, well, let me put it this way: having seen (and owning) at least three other characterizations of Mary, Queen of Scots, knowing that she was at least as troublesome as depicted in all four characterizations, and probably more so in real life, I was not impressed with Vanessa Redgrave's characterization of her. Perhaps it's the more accurate, it's hard to know at this point in time. But, the impression Vanessa Redgrave leaves is that of a blitering idiot (excuse my French). Considering how determined Mary, Queen of Scots was to be a reigning Royal and how much support she had, the characterization in this movie portrays her as someone who had no ability to scheme and no initiative that wasn't urged by her supporters. Knowing a bit about Royal history in this era, many people were executed for many dubious reasons, but I can't recall anyone who was executed for deluded stupidity, and, yet, that's what this movie implies happened to Mary, Queen of Scots. I couldn't help but contrast this with the portrayal of her in Elizabeth I in which she is displayed as someone who is intelligent, knowledgeable, and so devious and dissembing in her desperation to consolidate and conserve whatever power she imagines herself to possess that, as a viewer, you not only understand her execution, you understand that Elizabeth I's reluctance to execute her was not because she didn't consider Mary, Queen of Scots dangerous, she clearly was, but that Elizabeth I was in sympathy with the idea that royalty must remain untouchable from the point of view of execution, even if a royal's threat to the throne is obvious and worthy of imprisonment.
In this movie, Glenda Jackson plays Elizabeth I, one of two times she played this role in 1971, the other being in the BBC TV production Elizabeth R. Frankly, I don't remember her reactions to the idea of executing Mary, Queen of Scots in Elizabeth R, so it looks like I have some delightful homework ahead of me rewatching it. It's been a few years, so I'm excited. I will report back.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Vanessa Redgrave Mary Queen of Scots Glenda Jackson Queen Elizabeth I of England Patrick McGoohan James Stewart 1st Earl of Moray Timothy Dalton Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley Nigel Davenport James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell Trevor Howard Sir William Cecil Daniel Massey Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester Ian Holm David Riccio Frances White Mary Fleming Tom Fleming Father Ballard Katherine Kath Catherine De Medici Beth Harris Mary Seton
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1971
Directed by Charles Jarrott.
Labels: elizabeth-I, historical4, period7, royals
