
Elizabeth
1998 · Movie · R · 123 min · ★ 7.2 · 79% critics
A young monarch takes the throne in a divided kingdom and must navigate religious conflict, political pressure, and constant threats to her rule. As advisers push her toward a strategic marriage, she faces hard choices between personal feelings and the demands of power, learning what it takes to survive and lead.
Also known as Elizabeth: The Virgin Queen
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2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 1998
- Release date
- 1998-09-13
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 123 min
- Critic score
- 79/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.2/10 (1,500 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a tense, drama-heavy royal power struggle with conspiracies and high stakes, similar in spirit to The White Queen; Not for you if you need strict historical accuracy or fast, action-first pacing.
Pros: gripping court intrigue; strong lead performance; lavish period atmosphere | Cons: historical liberties; slow middle stretch; romance may irritate
Themes
- queen
- duke
- treason
- queen elizabeth i
- tudor
- historical figure
- catholic
- protestant
- palace intrigue
- 16th century
- british monarchy
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Makeup and Hairstyling · 1999
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Academy Award — Best Costume Design · 1999 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Actress · 1999 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Picture · 1999 · nominated
Show all 9 awards →
- Academy Award — Best Makeup and Hairstyling · 1999 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Cinematography · 1999 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Original Dramatic Score · 1999 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Production Design · 1999 · nominated
Cast & crew

Cate Blanchett
as Elizabeth I

Joseph Fiennes
as Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester

Geoffrey Rush
as Sir Francis Walsingham

Christopher Eccleston
as Duke of Norfolk

John Gielgud
as The Pope

Richard Attenborough
as Sir William Cecil

Fanny Ardant
as Mary of Guise

Éric Cantona
as Monsieur de Foix

Vincent Cassel
as Duc d'Anjou

Kathy Burke
as Queen Mary Tudor
Directed by Shekhar Kapur