Mary Queen of Scots
Published July 6, 2024
Film info
- Title Mary Queen of Scots
- Director Josie Rourke
- Year 2018
- Run time 2hrs 4m
- Genres History, Drama
- Tagline Bow to no one
In 1561, Mary Stuart, widow of the King of France, returns to Scotland, reclaims her rightful throne and menaces the future of Queen Elizabeth I as ruler of England, because she has a legitimate claim to the English throne. Betrayals, rebellions, conspiracies and their own life choices imperil both Queens. They experience the bitter cost of power, until their tragic fate is finally fulfilled.
Live blog
| Time | Comment |
|---|---|
| 4:54 | So far, so little dialogue. |
| 7:36 | Loving two Australians chatting to each other as rulers of England. |
| 13:21 | What a cast in this! |
| 25:27 | I feel like travelling by horse and carriage is uncomfortable anywhere but in the wilds of Scotland must be pretty rough! |
| 30:11 | “Be whoever you wish to be with us. You make for a lovely sister.” |
| 33:18 | So far I think there have been two people doing their own accents. Tricky film! |
| 41:25 | It does seem like Elizabeth needs to make up her mind. |
| 51:36 | It all looks unplanned - just grab some weapons and head out, see what happens. |
| 57:19 | Everyone listening at the door, ugh. |
| 1:22:36 | Can never decide if I feel sorry for Elizabeth or not! |
| 1:24:54 | “I will not become a lady Henry VIII, dispensing with husbands as he did wives.” |
| 1:35:24 | Saoirse speaks French with such confidence. |
| 1:52:30 | Love the flourish of the red dress. |
Thoughts
I find costume and historical dramas very hit and miss, and thankfully this was more a hit than anything else. It’s a pretty tragic story, and once I’d got my head around all the different characters, it played out well. The screen is naturally owned by Ronan and Robbie as Mary and Elizabeth, and the rest pale into comparison. It’s a shame they didn’t get to share more screen time, but ultimately a watchable if not groundbreaking movie.
Rating: 3 / 5