Does This Woman Fascinate You?


Bette Davis starred in two movies about her. Cate Blanchett has done the same thing. Helen Mirren picked up an Emmy (naturally) for playing her on television. Judi Dench played her in the movies.

She died over 400 years ago. She wasn't even remotely pretty. She never married, and the legend persists she remained a virgin (my husband scoffs at that one, naming Sir Walter Raleigh, the Earl of Leicester, and the queen's late-life interest in the Earl of Essex).

I don't know which historical figure has been portrayed in film and television the most, but Elizabeth I has got to be at least near the top of the list.

So, does anybody plan to see the latest movie on her life?



6 comments:

Gwyneth Bolton said...

I can't say that I am. I think our fascination with the British monarchy past and present is way past over done... And I think I'm with your husband on that virgin stuff... But we'll never really know. LOL.

Gwyneth

DonnaD said...

Not a chance. Though I like Cate Blanchett as an actress, I couldn't sit through one of these movies. (There's Oscar talk of her for Best Actress; she'll probably win.)

I am interested in seeing "The Queen" though because I really liked Diana and was fascinated with the current queen's actions surrounding Diana's death.

bettye griffin said...

Good joke, Gwyneth. And yes, I agree with you. Is all this adulation actually coming from the descendants of people who absolutely hated the British? Poor Princess Diana still can't get any rest, 10 years after she died. While I can understand Mr. Fayed's grief over the loss of his son, that whole bit about Diana being pregnant, Diana and Dodi being engaged, and a conspiracy theory to kill them with origins at Buckingham Palace strikes me as the rantings of a fanatic . . . even if I also believe that the family probably wasn't crazy about her relationship with a dark-skinned Muslim. Diana and Dodi didn't look like they were all that much in love to me. But I digress.

Donna, I'd like to see The Queen, too. But at least that's about a different Elizabeth!

Gwyneth Bolton said...

I actually saw The Queen . We rented it a few months ago. It was really interesting to see those events from that perspective. It showed how essentially the times had changed and she just didn't have a clue. It was worth renting.

Gwyneth

PatriciaW said...

I'm completely uninterested in all things Diana. I do want to see Helen Mirren's movie because it was so highly touted.

I gotta say it's hard when you visit London not to do the whole Buckingham Palace thing. And it is definitely something to see.

bettye griffin said...

Gwyneth and Patricia,
I'd like to see The Queen myself!