I watched this film previously when I was in college, but almost forgot all about it, it was only with the release of the new movie of the same name with Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie that I rediscovered it, and I'm glad I got to watch it again. Basically in 1560, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots (Oscar and Golden Globe nominated Vanessa Redgrave), returns to her native land following the death of her husband. Her half-brother James Stewart, Earl of Moray (The Prisoner's Patrick McGoohan) has ambitions to rule, and knows that Mary is young and inexperienced, he suggests she enjoy herself. Queen Elizabeth I of England (Golden Globe nominated Glenda Jackson) fears that Mary has ambitions to to the throne of England, so she sends ambitious Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (Daniel Massey) to distract her, by wooing her. Elizabeth promises that Mary will become her heir if she agrees to marry Dudley, but she also sends younger, dashing but weak and spoiled Lord Darnley (Timothy Dalton) as another distraction. Mary is tempted by Darnley and chooses him for marriage, ignoring the protests of Moray, she even exiles him to strengthen her own authority. Soon after the wedding, bratty Darnley throws a childish temper tantrum, complaining that he has no real power, a disillusioned Mary soon banishes him, and frequently consults with Italian courtier David Riccio (Ian Holm). Darnley is persuaded by a group of Scottish lords to help get rid of Riccio, whom they murder in Mary's presence. Lord Bothwell (Nigel Davenport, Jacks father) has been an ally of Mary since her arrival in Scotland, he helps her to escape the plotters. After she forces Moray, Darnley and Bothwell to make a truce, she gives birth to a son, James, who is expected to succeed both Mary and the unmarried, childless Elizabeth. Peace is short-lived, Darnley still wants power, though by now he is hideously scarred and already dying of syphilis (the pox), Mary pities him, but finds herself falling in love with Bothwell. Following a failed assassination attempt, Darnley is strangled to death, while Mary marries Bothwell, and Moray rejoins the Scottish lords and leads a rebellion against them. Moray forces Mary to abdicate and is driven with her husband into exile, Mary to England and Bothwell to Denmark, meaning Mary's young son James is to be crowned King of Scotland. In England, Mary begs Elizabeth for money and an army to regain her throne, instead Elizabeth takes her prisoner, locking her in a luxury room in a remote castle. Elizabeth's closest advisor, Sir William Cecil (Trevor Howard), is anxious to get rid of Mary, Elizabeth fears sentencing her to death will set a precedent, that her Catholic subjects will rebel and cause problems with powerful France and Spain. As a result, Mary is doomed to never-ending captivity, she half-heartedly plots her escape, but ultimately becomes comfortable in her luxurious seclusion, occupying herself with a lazy daily schedule. With the help of his associate Walsingham (Richard Warner), Cecil finds evidence of Mary's involvement in the conspiracy to assassinate Elizabeth known as the Babington Plot. Finally Elizabeth confronts Mary in a secret meeting, Elizabeth offers her mercy if she begs for forgiveness, but Mary refuses. Mary accepts her fate, enduring the trial, conviction and execution, as she knows her son James will ultimately succeed to the throne of England. Also starring Tom Fleming as Father Ballard, Jeremy Bulloch as Andrew, Beth Harris as Mary Seton, Frances White as Mary Fleming, Maria Aitken as Lady Bothwell and The Spy Who Loved Me's Vernon Dobtcheff as Duc De Guise. I will admit I did not understand much of what was going on, especially all the political chat, only the opposition between the queens and the conflict between their nations, but to be honest, it is much more about the performances. Redgrave and Jackson are both terrific as the monarchs at loggerheads, it is fact that Mary Stuart and Queen Elizabeth did not meet in real life, but the scene created for them to do so does work well, and the performances of supporting cast members Dalton (young, with blonde hair?), Holm, Davenport and Howard are also well done, what I did understand worked well, it is written well, and the period detail is splendid, all together it is a worthwhile historical drama. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Music for John Barry and Best Sound, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Original Score and Best Screenplay. Good!
Review of Mary, Queen of Scots
