Having recently seen the iconic Glenda Jackson in a stunning performance as King Lear on Broadway, I began revisiting much of her filmed works, and reached out to obtain this classic BBC mini-series, a follow up to "The Six Wives of Windsor" about one of the world's first truly powerful women. The first episode documents her as a young woman, dealing with a weak younger brother who dies as a boy on the throne, and then her obsessive older sister, Queen Mary I (Daphne Slater) whose determation to return the official religion of England to Catholicism makes her distrust her formerly beloved sister. This lands princess Elizabeth in the tower of London (and nearly to death) and it's through her intelligence, grace and necessary cunning after being charged for setting up rebellion against her. The shot of the dying King Edward is horrifying in how he looks at the end.
All eyes are on the terrific Glenda Jackson, on the verge of winning her first Oscar when this first aired on TV. Jackson's stunning voice guides her performance to be truly commanding. Veteran actress Slater is sensational as the stern Queen Mary, adding tenderness to her scenes with Jackson, yet obsessively convinced that Catholicism is the only true religion.
Mentions of Mary Queen of Scott's follows the brief appearance of Lady Jane Grey. Slater, an actress I wasn't familiar with, reminded me of a younger Jessica Tandy. They are surrounded by a cast of familiar British character actors playing famous people from the court, but it is the complex relationship between Elizabeth and Mary that guides the episode, especially with the torn heart of the monarch of the brutal Bloody Mary. Their final goodbye is quite touching and the episode stunning in its period detail.
All eyes are on the terrific Glenda Jackson, on the verge of winning her first Oscar when this first aired on TV. Jackson's stunning voice guides her performance to be truly commanding. Veteran actress Slater is sensational as the stern Queen Mary, adding tenderness to her scenes with Jackson, yet obsessively convinced that Catholicism is the only true religion.
Mentions of Mary Queen of Scott's follows the brief appearance of Lady Jane Grey. Slater, an actress I wasn't familiar with, reminded me of a younger Jessica Tandy. They are surrounded by a cast of familiar British character actors playing famous people from the court, but it is the complex relationship between Elizabeth and Mary that guides the episode, especially with the torn heart of the monarch of the brutal Bloody Mary. Their final goodbye is quite touching and the episode stunning in its period detail.