ELIZABETH I {PART 2 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
Part two in this two-part miniseries about the later years of Queen Elizabeth I. The program beings in 1589 as Elizabeth's epic defeat of the Spanish Armada has preserved the English nation and the Protestant church. However, as the question of her successor persists, the aging Elizabeth banishes mirrors from her palace. Shortly thereafter, the Earl of Essex arrives to celebrate her thirtieth "succession day," in which knights annually fight for her favor. During the jousts, Elizabeth notices that Frances, the daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham, seems smitten with the Earl of Essex. Later, Elizabeth accuses Frances of trying to be the center of attention by wearing a pretty dress. Elizabeth takes Frances on a walk to see the Earl of Essex challenge Sir Walter Raleigh to a swordfight. Elizabeth celebrates Raleigh's victory, seemingly amused that the Earl of Essex was injured in the duel. Afterward, Elizabeth presents the Earl of Essex with a room in the palace, that of his stepfather, the late Earl of Leicester. There, Elizabeth attempts to bind the Earl of Essex's wounds as the two passionately kiss. However, before matters intensify, Elizabeth leaves. Later, Lord Burghley and the counsel propose an expedition to Portugal to reinstate Don Antonio, an ally of Britain, to the throne. Elizabeth agrees with the proposal but tells her counsel that the Earl of Essex is not allowed to travel. Robert Cecil, the son of Lord Burghley, is awarded a seat on the council at his father's bequest. After Cecil tells the Earl of Essex of his achievement, the two find themselves reminiscing about their common past. That night, Elizabeth asks the Earl of Essex what he wishes for her. Elizabeth claims that she will only find happiness if she sets aside her kingdom. The next morning, Elizabeth is infuriated after finding a note that the Earl of Essex has forbidden her wishes and left for Lisbon. Eventually, the Earl of Essex triumphantly returns, to Elizabeth's great excitement. Elizabeth takes the Earl of Essex into the palace where, behind closed doors, she awards him a small fortune so that he will no longer need to go into battle. Later, the Earl of Essex asks Elizabeth if he may have a seat upon her council. Cecil, Burghley, and Sir Walsingham are upset to hear that she has granted his request. Then, while speaking to her counsel, Elizabeth collapses. However, Dr. Lopez finds the queen's health to be satisfactory. Elizabeth suspects that the Spanish may have attempted to poison her. Then, Burghley's nephew, Sir Francis Bacon, arrives at the palace and is greeted by the Earl of Essex. Bacon secretly offers the Earl of Essex a way to grow in Elizabeth's esteem. Thus, the Earl of Essex arrests Lopez, claiming he conspired with Spain to poison Elizabeth. However, Elizabeth's counsel finds the Earl of Essex's claims absurd, confusing the queen. Elizabeth eventually sends Lopez to his death. Later, the Earl of Essex argues to the counsel that there will never be peace with Spain, so they must go to war. Following his speech, news arrives that the evidence against Lopez was obtained from a tortured prisoner, negating the charge. A furious Elizabeth tells the Earl of Essex that restitution must be made to Lopez's widow. Then, the Earl of Essex suggests that Bacon should be awarded the office of attorney general, but Elizabeth refuses. The next day, Cecil brings Elizabeth a pamphlet claiming that the Earl of Essex should be her successor. Elizabeth calls for the Earl of Essex, wondering if he wrote the pamphlet. which he denies. Then, Sir Walsingham arrives, informing Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex that Frances is pregnant with the Earl of Essex's child. An angry Elizabeth removes the Earl of Essex as her favorite, telling him to marry Frances. That night, as Elizabeth notes the recent death of Sir Walsingham, she and Cecil discuss how someone at court has been writing to King James VI of Scotland, the son of the late Mary Queen of Scots. Cecil refuses to divulge his suspicions about the letters' author. Soon, Cecil and Elizabeth secretly meet with James, who asks for the right to succeed her. Elizabeth tells James to stop making "overtures" toward the English court. Later, Elizabeth wonders if the Earl of Essex has penned the letters before she tells him that they are now simply friends. She also offers him the command of the army against Spain. Soon, the Earl of Essex and his fleet have set off for Cadiz. After victory there, he returns and is feted by the people. Elizabeth takes umbrage at how the Earl of Essex glories in attention, at her expense. The next day, Elizabeth speaks with her counsel about the deteriorating situation in Ireland, with the Earl of Essex suggesting that Cecil should take on the little-desired position of Lord Deputy there. Elizabeth thinks that the Earl of Essex is being insolent and slaps him, after which he draws his sword against her. She demands his exit from court. Soon, Burghley dies and Elizabeth, Cecil, and the Earl of Essex are among those at his funeral. There, Elizabeth questions Cecil on his memories of the Earl of Essex from their growing-up days, when the Earl of Essex was Burghley's ward. Cecil reveals that the Earl of Essex was cruel to him. Elizabeth subsequently orders the Earl of Essex to go to Ireland on her behalf as Lord Deputy. Six months later, Cecil reports to Elizabeth on the Earl of Essex's Irish campaign, during which he has refused to engage his opponent, the Earl of Tyrone. Surprisingly, the Earl of Essex returns late one night, revealing that he made a truce with the Earl of Tyrone. The Earl of Essex also claims that Cecil is "false counsel," working against him as well as Elizabeth. Sending the Earl of Essex to bed, Elizabeth tells Cecil that she is angered by the truce. The next day, the Earl of Essex is called before Elizabeth and Cecil, where he is charged with being contemptuous to the queen's instructions. A shocked Earl of Essex is taken away under guard while Elizabeth and Cecil decide what to do with him. Later, Elizabeth tricks Frances into telling her about the Earl of Essex having written to James VI. An enraged Elizabeth then sends Bacon to retrieve the Earl of Essex "for counsel." However, the Earl of Essex and his men subsequently draw their knives on Bacon and lock him up. Then, the Earl of Essex and his men charge toward the palace, wanting to get rid of Cecil, whom they accuse of being a traitor. Elizabeth orders cannons fired at the Earl of Essex, killing some of his men and forcing a retreat. Soon, the Earl of Essex is surrounded and captured. At trial, the Earl of Essex continues his claim that Cecil is being paid by Spain, which he claims to have been told by the Earl of Southampton. However, the Earl of Southampton denies having made such a statement, damning the Earl of Essex. Pronounced guilty of treason, the Earl of Essex is sentenced to death. Before his execution, the Earl of Essex offers some final, humble words to Elizabeth. The queen weeps after reading the final letter sent to her by the Earl of Essex. Later, at a "glum" gathering of court members, Elizabeth apologizes for granting profits to the Earl of Essex before stating how much she loves her subjects and asks to "let us be one." Soon after, a sickness befalls Elizabeth and she asks that a mirror be brought to her. After noting how "the hardest thing to govern is the heart," she stops eating for three weeks and stands at her chamber's window without speaking for fifteen hours. Finally, she returns to her bed and asks for a priest, confirming that she is "minded" to die.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: April 24, 2006 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:51:43
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:88710
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; Monarchy - Great Britain
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 2006
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Suzan Harrison … Executive Producer
- George Faber … Executive Producer
- Charles Pattinson … Executive Producer
- Nigel Williams … Executive Producer, Writer
- Barney Reisz … Producer
- Gary Tuck … Line Producer
- Tom Hooper … Director
- Rob Lane … Music by
- Jane Gibson … Choreographer
- Helen Mirren … Cast, Elizabeth I
- Hugh Dancy … Cast, Earl of Essex
- Toby Jones … Cast, Robert Cecil
- Patrick Malahide … Cast, Sir Francis Walsingham
- Ewen Bremner … Cast, King James VI
- Ian McDiarmid … Cast, Lord Burghley
- Will Keen … Cast, Francis Bacon
- Eddie Redmayne … Cast, Southampton
- Ben Pullen … Cast, Sir Walter Raleigh
- Charlotte Asprey … Cast, Frances Walsingham
- Toby Salaman … Cast, Dr. Lopez
- Malcolm Terris … Cast, Chaplain
- Douglas Reith … Cast, Judge
- Ann Firbank … Cast, Lady Anne
- Anna Steel … Cast, Lady in Waiting
- Ramunas Rudokas … Cast, Thomas Burghley