I just finished watching Elizabeth The Golden Age and found myself comparing it to both The Sea Hawk and The Virgin Queen. the comparison between ETGA and TVQ centres around Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett and Bette Davis) and Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen and Richard Todd). it's funny, but i'm sure Bette Davis in TVQ is playing Elizabeth a lot younger than the near elderly Queen she potrayed 15 or so yrs ago in The Private Lifes Of Elizabeth And Essex.
however, the main comparison is between TSH and ETGA. in ETGA it shows Phillip as a devout Catholic trying to oust the prodestant Queen Elizabeth, by sending his Armada to invade England. in TSH religion is never mentioned. this might be because while TSH was made in America, it was intended as a propaganda movie supporting the British, who where standing alone against the might of Hitler's Germany. at the begining of TSH Motogue Love as Phillip talks about his destiny by ruling the world, as a comparison to Hitler in real life. while Blanchett does Elizabeth's famous speech just prior the war, Flora Robson does a more up to date speech similiar to Winston Churchill's 'We shall fight them on the beaches'
though it's Cate Blanchett's second outstanding outing as Elizabeth, it left room for a third movie. i wonder if she'll make it and who'll be her young Essex
The Sea Hawk/Elizabeth The Golden Age
I've never been that shot with "The Sea Hawk." Part of it is that its big naval battle comes at the start of the film, leaving the rest of the action rather anti-climactic for me.
However, a bigger reason is that "The Sea Hawk" is just a veiled World War II movie and all the movie's parallels between Philip II and Hitler just got on my nerves.
However, a bigger reason is that "The Sea Hawk" is just a veiled World War II movie and all the movie's parallels between Philip II and Hitler just got on my nerves.