Top 5 Elizabeth's

My top 5 Elizabeths would be like this:

1) Glenda Jackson
2) Cate Blanchett & Helen Mirren
4) Bette Davis
5) Anne-Marrie Duff

Like you, superstu86, Cate Blanchett is one of my favorite actresses. She provided a stellar performance in Shekar Kurpur's version, but Glenda Jackson always owned the role when she portrayed the Virgin Queen. You always saw Elizabeth's formidable presence as a genius of statesmanship and power in Glenda's performances, which is why I think she's number one. But the other actresses seemed to add something different to the role. Cate and Helen tied for second because they are the two who come even remotely close to Glenda. Cate gave us a view of the queen as a woman both emotionally dependent and politically overpowering. Helen showed us a side of Elizabeth rarely seen in film, a woman constantly gripped with the fear of loneliness. Bette Davis always portrayed her as the cunning and powerful queen. Anne gave us an honest attempt, but she did not have a quality that stood out as strikingly as the others did.

1.2.3.4. Glenda Jackson
5.Bette Davis

I did not enjoy the Cate Blanchett version because of the time distortion. It was decades not month those events covered. Also I do not believe a woman who read and wrote many languages(Greek, latin and french at least) and who came so close to the headsman would have been so foolish to take Dudley to her bed. Also the make up and wigs came after a bout with smallpox in later years to try to keep a youthful image. She was not greatly marked but had a few small flaws and had her hair cut while ill.

GLENDA, GLENDA, GLENDA!

Glenda Jackson was, in my opinion, the greatest British actress of them all. Her decision to move into a lacklustre career in politics was one of the greatest tragedies of twentieth century arts. GJ just became whatever role she had. Whilst quite plain looking, she had the ability to act "beautiful", and to be convincing doing this. Despite only choosing to appear in a handful of feature films, she still scooped two oscars. That tells its own tale.

She was, and probably will be, unsurpassed as Elizabeth. All future (and past) incarnations will be held up against her performance as a mirror. She is the only Elizabeth that I have seen that was able to produce the charm, wit and yet the steel that the real queen must have had.

I have to agree with you, Anne-Marie Duff IS Elizabeth. She is so underrated.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 GLENDA JACKSON!

1. Cate Blanchette
2. Glenda Jackson
3. Bette Davis
4. Ann-Marie Duff
5. Helen Mirren

Okay, I did not see all of Mirren's "Elizabeth," but somehow, she just seemed wrong for the role, even though she did shine as a later Liz. Blanchette gets the top nod from me because she managed to interject some humor into her performance, and I for one refuse to believe that Good Queen Bess was a stick in the mud.

I felt sorry for Anne-Marrie, she did really try and gave it her all. However when the scene with her going out to Tilbury to greet her loyal fighters, Helen Mirren did a much much better performance in the way she said the words, compared to Anne-Marrie when she was on a horse. Glenda Jacksons versions gave the divine touch to Elizabeth but Helen gave a much personal Elizabeth, one where you could get into her mind.

Cate of course is doing her sequeal to 'Elizabeth' eight years ago. I'm looking forward to seeing her again as the only monarch who in my eyes rocked!God save Queen Elizabeth!

Some of this is from another post of mine, but it applies.

Glenda Jackson is awesome, but I find her a little too hard sometimes. Whe she's giving orders or doing anything royal, no other version of Elizabeth comes close in terms of authority, intelligence, and strength. However, I prefer Cate Blanchett as a younger Elizabeth in terms of capturing the uncertainty, softness, and development into 'the Virgin Queen.' Glenda's Elizabeth doesn't seem to show that much growth, imo, though Cate's Elizabeth lacks the notorious flirtiness and political deftness of Jackson.

Helen Mirren is great, and she captures the emotional aspect of Elizsbeth. I also love the treatment of her relationship with Essex (granted it's perhaps romanticized, and I might be less critical because of Hugh Dancy), but Helen doesn't match Cate and especially Glenda for authority and steel (I'd do what Glenda and Cate ordered. Helen, I think I might be able to work around).

Anne Marie Duff does the emotional Elizabeth too, along with the flirtiness, and some of the political strenghth and machination, but I find her common. When she speaks I think peasant instead of Tudor queen. She improves in performance in Part 2, though I prefer Part 1 overall. I also find Duff's face shape wrong for the part. Glenda, Helen, and Cate especially, are all striking in their looks, while Duff as Elizabeth is quite unattractive (compare the coronation image between Duff and Cate). Still, Duff's is my favorite version of the Elizabeth-Dudley relationship, in spite of the extra tenderness with the wife.

Bette Davis takes the emotional too far in Elizabeth and Essex, imo. I can't get over the end of the movie when Elizabeth says "take my crown!" Elizabeth would never have uttered those words for anyone. It's funny because Davis is among my top five actresses ever but I don't particularly care for either of her Elizabeths, and the accent...

Judi Dench is amazing, but her screen time is short, towards the end of the reign, and we don't really explore her character.

Jean Simmons is actually quite good in the very romanticized Young Bess, and I think she captures some of the steel, cleverness, authority, and emotion of Elizabeth.

Flora Robson is good, but her performances are pretty short as she's not the focus of either movies.

So my list:

1. Glenda Jackson
2. Cate Blanchett
3. Helen Mirren
4. Anne Marie Duff
5. Jean Simmons

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Everyone sees what you seem to be, few know what you really are. -- Machiavelli