Glenda Jackson Reigns as Queen Elizabeth

A stellar cast carries the day in Elizabeth R, the highly regarded 1971 British miniseries shown on Masterpiece Theatre in the U.S. The compelling subject matter and the first-rate actors—led by Glenda Jackson in the title role--mask what is often a  slow-moving, occasionally creaky historical biography.

Elizabeth R charts the life of Queen Elizabeth I of England, from her days as a young woman through her 45-year reign as queen to her death in 1603. The six episodes, each with a running time of approximately 85 minutes, focus on: the events that lead to Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne; her close relationship with Robert Dudley (Robert Hardy); Elizabeth’s near-marriage to France’s Duke of Anjou (Michael Williams); the treason plot involving Mary, Queen of Scots (Vivian Pickles); the defeat of the Spanish Armada; and her complex relationship with the much-younger Earl of Essex (Robin Ellis).

The best episodes are those involving the men in Elizabeth’s life, specifically Dudley, the Duke of Anjou, and Essex.  Each of them love the Queen in their own way, but they are thwarted by rumor (Dudley), politics (Anjou), or greed (Essex). It helps immensely that these historical figures are portrayed by a trio of fine actors.

Robert Hardy as Dudley.

Robert Hardy, best known for playing veterinarian Siegfried Farnon in the TV series All Creatures Great and Small, captures the genuine affection that Dudley feels for his queen. He also makes it clear that Dudley is an ambitious man who faults fate for not having a seat on the throne. Married when childhood sweetheart Elizabeth becomes queen, Dudley's terminally-ill wife suffers an accidental death--or commits suicide--while he's at court. The timing leads to rumors that Dudley may have been involved with her demise. Those suspicions nix his chances of marrying Elizabeth, though they remain lifelong friends and he becomes a powerful royal adviser.

Michael William as the Duke of Anjou.

Michael Williams takes center stage in the third episode as the Duke of Anjou, brother to King Henry III of France. Williams, a veteran stage actor and long-time husband to Dame Judi Dench, brings much-needed humor to his role of the suitor that Elizabeth nicknamed "her frog." Eager to claim a position of similar authority to his brother, Williams' Anjou is a delightful mixture of lazy fop, petulant child, and charming wooer.

Robin Ellis as Essex.

Robin Ellis, best remembered as the handsome hero of the immensely popular Poldark, stars in the last episode as the doomed Essex. Ellis portrays Essex as a likable rascal, who is far too greedy and self-absorbed to appreciate the royal favors bestowed by Elizabeth. He repays her with insolence--at one point, she smacks his head and he partially withdraws his sword, an incident that actually occurred. Poldark fans will no doubt enjoy seeing Ellis in such a different role.

Jackson as the young Elizabeth.

Yet, while these three actors hold their own, it is Glenda Jackson that dominates Elizabeth R. She captures the intricate shadings of Elizabeth, as she ages from teenage princess to powerful ruler to an elderly woman who accepts her life, but not without remorse. She is gleeful when unlikely events fall into place and secures her the throne. She is filled with guilt and anger when her closest advisers convince her to execute her half-sister Mary. She is overcome with grief with she learns of Dudley's death. It's a remarkable performance and one that earned Jackson an Emmy. Ironically, she played Queen Elizabeth again in 1971 in the theatrical film Mary, Queen of Scots, which starred Vanessa Redgrave in the title role.

Elizabeth R won a total of five Emmys, including ones for outstanding drama series and costumes. Although it's easy to see why it was held in high esteem, the series is nonetheless inconsistent. The episode about the defeat of the Spanish Armada is flat, mostly because the show's budget required that the battle scenes not be shown (but described by a character after the fact). Although Jackson has a powerful scene near the end, the episode about the treasonous Babington Plot is so convoluted that it's often hard to follow the historical events.

Still, Elizabeth R remains a must-see for fans of historical drama. It is, based on my limited research, remarkably accurate...and the acting is often sublime.

DVD Spotlight: Love in a Cold Climate (1980)

Fans of the the 1980 version of Love in a Cold Climate can rejoice that the British miniseries has been finally released on DVD in the U.S. The eight-part series, produced by Thames Television and shown on Masterpiece Theatre, starred Judi Dench and her real-life husband Michael Williams. Simon Raven, who penned teleplays for The Pallisers and Edward & Mrs. Simpson, adapted it from two Nancy Mitford novels.

The first episode, set in 1924 in the English countryside, introduces the Radlett family and its relatives. You'll be tempted to reach for a notebook to jot down all the characters, but resist the urge and focus on Sadie Radlett (Dench) and three teenage girls: Sadie's daughter Linda Radlett (who becomes the principal protagonist); Linda's cousin Fanny (the narrator); and Polly (one of Fanny's distant relatives).

The Hons discuss "it."

The Radlett household proves to be an eccentric one. A popular family game consists of Linda's blustery father, Matthew, hunting the children--fox hunt-style--on their vast estate. Linda and Fanny head the children's "secret society," known as The Hons (short for "honorables"), that meets in the linen cupboard. The family refers to Fanny's absent mother solely as The Bolter--a name bestowed due to her notoriety for leaving husbands.

Lucy Gutteridge as Linda.

With the second episode, the focus shifts to Linda, who has grown into a lovely, but self-centered, young woman. Shallow and dramatic, Linda never lends a hand to help anyone (which has no impact on her enduring friendship with the practical Fanny). Naively believing herself in love, Linda marries a handsome banker despite her father's initial objections. However, by the time their daughter has been born, Linda has become bored with her husband and has no desire to become a mother. She is perfectly content to let her in-laws raise her daughter.

Meanwhile, Fanny weds a low-key university professor and Polly returns with her family from India, where her father served as viceroy. The unnaturally-reserved Polly resists her flighty mother's pressure to get married, although her reasons aren't revealed until after a family member's death.

The unhappy Polly (Rosalyn Landor).

Spanning a period of about 16 years, Love in a Cold Climate is a faithful adaptation of Nancy Mitford's novels The Pursuit of Love (1945) and Love in a Cold Climate (1949). Interestingly, both books cover roughly the same time period, with The Pursuit of Love centering on Linda and Love in a Cold Climate on Polly. As the narrator, Fanny plays a major role in both, as do supporting characters such as Polly's mother, the outrageous Lady Montdore, and Linda's father Matthew (who proclaims that "foreigners are fiends"). Mitford wrote a third novel, Don't Tell Alfred, in 1960 which focuses on Fanny and her husband Alfred. It takes place later chronologically and those events are not include in the miniseries.

Lifelong friends Fanny (Isabelle
Amyes) and Linda.

There were certainly major obstacles in adapting Mitford's first two books, namely how to make viewers care about the self-absorbed Linda and broad characters like Lady Montdore. However, screenwriter Simon Raven and the cast navigate these waters impressively. Despite her flaws, Linda is likable, as evidenced by her strong friendship with Fanny. Actress Lucy Gutteridge does a fine job of providing subtle shades to Linda as she gradually grows more mature. As for those characters prone to excess dramatics--Lady Montdore, The Bolter (yes, we do meet her!), and the Montdore heir Cedric Hampton--they appear sparingly and typically as comic relief. Raven also "leads" the viewers by using Fanny's narration to foreshadow what is to come. In response to a thoughtful gesture by Linda's eventual husband, Fanny says: "It was the one romantic gesture of Tony Koesig's life."

Michael Williams as Davey.

Although there are several fine performances, the standout one is provided by Michael Williams as Fanny's step-uncle (and father, for practical purposes) Davey Warbeck. A hypochondriac prone to bizarre health "remedies", Davey is nonetheless the Radletts' "go to" person when it comes to resolving family crises. Williams captures Davey's eccentricities, but also his warmth and kindness. A classically-trained actor, Williams worked steadily in British television, but was best known for his stage work during 14 years with the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. He and Judi Dench married in 1971 and remained a couple until his death from cancer in 2001.

That year, the BBC produced its own two-part adaptation of Love in a Cold Climate. It starred Elisabeth Dermot Walsh as Linda, Rosamund Pike as Fanny, and Alan Bates as Matthew.

With its solid cast and smart writings, the 1980 Love in a Cold Climate will appeal not only to the Masterpiece Theatre crowd, but to any fan of first-rate literary drama.

Acorn Media provide the Cafe with a review copy of this DVD boxed set, which will be released on June 26th.