“Elizabeth,” 22 November 1998, theater. Lush, well-acted costume drama about Elizabeth I and her rise to the throne. Kate Blanchett as Elizabeth is fine and Geoffrey Rush as Walshingham, her guardian spook is superb. The rest of the cast is very good. It is a very cerebral film and is not emotionally engaging. It is about how Elizabeth becomes a virgin, that is, how she creates herself to consolidate her rule and keep her throne. It is slow in its romantic parts, as Joseph Finnes is not convincing as Robert, Earl of Essex. Their affair did not draw me in. The history in this film is all messed up. Men portrayed as Catholics were actually Protestants, people assassinated actually died of natural causes, and a hoaky bit with John Gielgood as the wicked pope. Wonder what Catholics thought about this? Interesting framing device (that Bronwen saw) of hair cutting at the beginning (martyrs) and end (Elizabeth martyring herself as queen)