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“I will do what queens do, I will rule.”
-Daenerys Targaryen
‘Mary Queen of Scots’ is a historical drama film entailing the story of perhaps the two most powerful and resilient queens in the history of the English empire- Mary and Elizabeth I. Although they were cousins and sisters by blood, their difference of religious beliefs led to their tragic way down the path of history.
Introduction
Name of the Movie - Mary Queen of Scots
Directed By - Josie Rourke
Starring - Saoirse Ronan as Queen Mary, Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I, Jack Lowden as Henry Darnley (Mary’s second husband) and Joe Alwyn as Robert Dudley (Elizabeth’s advisor and lover).
Screenplay By - Beau Willimon
Genre - Historical Fiction
Language - English
Duration - 125 minutes
Plot of the Movie - Spoiler Alert!
Mary Stuart, the Queen of France who married King Louis and became a widow at the young age of 18, unwilling to surrender to the pressure of remarrying wants to return to her home, Scotland and take-over the English throne, to which she is the rightful heir.
At the time though, Scotland and England were under the robust rule of Elizabeth I, Mary’s cousin. But it does not just end there. Mary is a Catholic as opposed to her cousin Elizabeth who follows the Protestant Church.
As England is turning into a protestant kingdom, Elizabeth;s advisors think of Mary Stuart as a threat to her reign and the kingdom.
Throughout the movie though we see how the two queens who, even though they are rivals, have an unnatural feeling of respect and admiration for each other.
Elizabeth’s claim to the throne lands in danger when she refuses to marry and therefore fails to produce an heir. When Mary has a son, she names Elizabeth his god-mother and asks her to protect him against all odds.
Things go south for Mary and she is soon guillotined, by Elizabeth’s orders of course. The beauty of the movie lies in the fact that even though the queens are rivals, they seem to try to bring some kind of balance by working together, but it does not really work for long, as Elizabeth finds Mary to be too much of a threat and later the court also advises her towards Mary’s sentence.
Rebellions, betrayals and conspiracies shake both the courts of England and Scotland and force the two queens to take actions they would rather not. Mary’s and Elizabeth’s reign was a most interesting one because it was perhaps the first time in history that two women were in such powerful places and they determined the course of history.
About the Movie
‘Mary Queen of Scots’ is a historical drama film that was released in 2018 and is based on a book titled ‘Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart’ by John Guy that came out in 2004. The film premiered on the closing night of AFI Fest on 15th November, 2018.
The reviews regarding the film were kind of indistinct and mixed. While critics praised the performances given by the two lead actresses- Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie, the story line and the screenplay was deemed to be weak.
Also the film was criticised for its several historical inaccuracies while it was praised exceedingly for its costume design.
The film was nominated in three different categories at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards and received two nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 91st Academy Awards. Margot Robbie was also nominated for a SAG Award and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Some Memorable Scenes from the Movie
Scene 1:
Picture Credits- FreshMovieQuotes
Scene 2:
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The Bottom Line
‘Mary Queen of Scots’ is definitely a powerful movie, owing not so much to its screenplay or plot as much to the stellar performances by the two actors who are in the lead role- Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie.
The scenes where the both actors are present are nothing short of exemplary. The movie fails to really tell the story of the two queens individually, at times.
I personally enjoyed watching Margot Robie play such a serious character and bring out the emotions of the character so beautifully and magnetically. It makes you pity Elizabeth and feel for her.
My Ratings for the Movie - 3 on 5
Written By - Sakshi Singh
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