Being an American who learned very little about the European monarchies, I can't even BEGIN to understand the historical intricacies and familial relations between all of the characters in this film. Therefore, I won't even TRY to get into the plot.
This isn't my type of movie, but I had to cross it off my McGoohan Filmography to-see list. It was well enough made that I did indeed watch the whole thing, even if I was a bit confused as to who was a good guy and who wasn't! Costumes are good, as is photography.
Patrick McGoohan is Mary's half-brother James Stuart, and he IS a bad guy... sort of... I think... Other than the Scottish accent, he does his usual good job, though I sure wish there was more of him in this film. I don't know why they didn't cast him as William Cecil instead of Trevor Howard, perhaps he wasn't old enough. Otherwise, casting is good, though I think Glenda Jackson as Elizabeth was ever so slightly "off" as far as her looks. Vanessa Redgrave does a good job though the character seems a bit "daft". Dalton makes Lord Darnley downright hiss-worthy. His blonde hair made me not even know it was him! His scenes with Ian Holm add to the hiss-worthiness.
My historical confusion made me think the last 1/4 of the film was a bit rushed. All of a sudden, Mary is (I think) let into England by her brother, she meets Elizabeth, and then she's in prison. Next thing you know, she's executed. Perhaps this stretch of history is worthy of a movie of it's own, and was left out to focus on the relationship between the two queens.
Which reminds me, as far as I have read elsewhere, they never did meet. Just in this movie.
So if you like this style of movie, you should like this one. There are a few flaws, but don't let them turn you away from it.
This isn't my type of movie, but I had to cross it off my McGoohan Filmography to-see list. It was well enough made that I did indeed watch the whole thing, even if I was a bit confused as to who was a good guy and who wasn't! Costumes are good, as is photography.
Patrick McGoohan is Mary's half-brother James Stuart, and he IS a bad guy... sort of... I think... Other than the Scottish accent, he does his usual good job, though I sure wish there was more of him in this film. I don't know why they didn't cast him as William Cecil instead of Trevor Howard, perhaps he wasn't old enough. Otherwise, casting is good, though I think Glenda Jackson as Elizabeth was ever so slightly "off" as far as her looks. Vanessa Redgrave does a good job though the character seems a bit "daft". Dalton makes Lord Darnley downright hiss-worthy. His blonde hair made me not even know it was him! His scenes with Ian Holm add to the hiss-worthiness.
My historical confusion made me think the last 1/4 of the film was a bit rushed. All of a sudden, Mary is (I think) let into England by her brother, she meets Elizabeth, and then she's in prison. Next thing you know, she's executed. Perhaps this stretch of history is worthy of a movie of it's own, and was left out to focus on the relationship between the two queens.
Which reminds me, as far as I have read elsewhere, they never did meet. Just in this movie.
So if you like this style of movie, you should like this one. There are a few flaws, but don't let them turn you away from it.