Review: Mary, Queen of Scots
That Mary, Queen of Scots is handsomely mounted and excellently acted is not in doubt. It is sexy and spirited in parts, thrilling and observant in others. Yet it is also conventional to the core, heavily explanatory of the political forces in play, and prone to moments of airlessness from which no amount of pageantry can detract. Its flaws are even more pronounced when one considers that The Favourite, another historical drama in which women deal with treachery and machinations from both within and without, manages to touch upon the same themes with an audacity and bracing energy that Mary, Queen of Scots sorely lacks.
The screenplay by Beau Willimon, who knows a thing or two about political backstabbing in his former capacity as writer and showrunner for House of Cards, positions the two 16th century British queens less as contentious rivals and more as women who might have been friends had it not been for the manipulations of the men around them. It's an interesting angle, one which may even contain a kernel of truth, but, in telling the story through an arguably revisionist feminist point-of-view, it actually undermines the very women it wishes to herald and reduces their complicated relationship into something that wouldn't be out of place in the Real Housewives franchise.
Which isn't to say that the jealousy and pettiness might not have been true and that they are not a frequent source of entertainment. Certainly both Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie deliver formidable performances that brim with depth and intelligence. The year is 1561, and Ronan's eighteen-year-old Mary has returned to the shores of her native land after having been widowed by King Francis II of France a year earlier. Technically a queen since she was a mere six days old, she's eager to claim her place on the throne. This does not sit well with her half-brother, the Earl of Moray (James McArdle), who has been ruling in her absence. Neither does it go down well with religious leader John Knox (David Tennant), who is so appalled at her decision to let people choose whatever faith they desire that begins what is essentially a smear campaign against her.
Most dangerously of all, her return presents a problem for Elizabeth I (Robbie), the reigning queen of England, who is constantly warned by members of her council, particularly William Cecil (Guy Pearce), that Mary is angling for her throne and the best way to have control over her is to ensure the loyalty of her next husband. Elizabeth assigns Robert Dudley (Joe Alwyn), whom she loves, to be Mary's suitor, though Mary refuses unless Elizabeth names her the successor to her throne. More favourable to Mary is Lord Darnley (Jack Lowden), for whom she develops an affection but Elizabeth's council deems him a threat to Elizabeth as Darnley's standing as an English noble would strengthen Mary's claim to the throne. Mary doesn't help matters with her impetuousness, mocking Elizabeth's famed virginity - and therefore, inability to produce an heir - and proclaiming that her child will be heir to Scotland and England.
Ronan is ferocious, displaying the cunning ambitiousness that made her such a formidable foe but also the adolescent naiveté and self-importance that ultimately did her in and which, in some respects, made her a far less intriguing figure than Elizabeth, around whom many a work has revolved. Robbie has less screen time, but makes more of an impact despite being saddled with a prosthetic nose and a face scarred with smallpox. There's a tenderness in her playing, a sense of hard-won wisdom that renders Elizabeth an immensely compelling woman.
Josie Rourke, the famed artistic director of London's Donmar Warehouse, makes an auspicious directorial debut, staging scenes with confidence, though there are some problems with pacing. Compositions are painterly, the production design well-executed, yet there's something about the overall handling that makes it feel old-fashioned despite its moments of boldness and modernity.
Mary, Queen of Scots
Directed by: Josie Rourke
Written by: Beau Willimon; based on Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart by John Guy
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn, David Tennant, Guy Pearce, Gemma Chan, Martin Compston, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Brendan Coyle, Ian Hart, Adrian Lester, James McArdle, Simon Russell Beale
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