Mary, Queen of Scots

This is the second “queenly” movie I have seen in as many weeks, the previous being “The Favorite.”  Both movies depict an era of history that I am very fond of.  I really wanted to love these movies, but they both let me down. ” The Favorite” was a way better movie, but I really don’t recommend either one.  I found “Mary, Queen of Scots” to be very boring, which is not easy to do with all of the rich history that occured in this time period.   Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie do a pretty good job of depicting these two great, regal cousins.  The historical events are basically accurate, with the exception of a very contrived meeting, that never occured!  (the director and writer say there could have been a secret meeting.  Not very likely in an era when monarchs were accompanied at all times and their courts knew where they were.)  The meeting was given a rather modern and nonsensical cast and really begged the issue of the rift between the two queens.  In the movie, Mary and Elizabeth have this secret meeting that leads Elizabeth once and for all to lock up her cousin, who shows a remarkable lack of acumen for a woman who otherwise was a worldly and intelligent monarch.  There was of course alot more to the rift that ended with the execution of Mary Stewart!   Mary became Queen of Scotland when she was six days old due to the death of her father, but spent her formative years in France, where she eventually married the Dauphin.  When he died, she returned to rule Scotland as an adult – yet in the movie, she has a thick Scottish brogue!  I won’t go into the details of her history with her cousin. Elizabeth, and her Scots nobility.  It’s a very complex and murky story, with many plots and intrigues afoot, including some poor choices made by Mary herself.  The movie depicts some of these, but in a confusing way that manages to make them seem uninteresting.  The murder of her private secretary was dramatic and intense, as were several depictions of skirmishes.   I think if you were not familiar with many of the events in this story, you might be confused as to the reasons for some occurances, like the murder of her husband, Lord Darnley.  Just too much is not effectively explained or fleshed out.  The costume designer might have done a better job with less leather and inaacurate hair stying.  Look for a few surprises though, David Tennant and Guy Pearce are very effective as John Knox and Sir William Cecil.  Both had make up that was so well-done I didn’t recongize either of them.  Maybe they preferred it that way…  I enjoyed Margot Robbie’s performance as Queen Elizabeth, but her time on screen was comparatively brief.  If you know absolutely nothing about Mary, Queen of Scots, this movie will at least introduce you to the basic facts of her rule and her tragic death.  Otherwise, you would probably be better served by reading a good biography.