Cate Blanchett is Queen Elizabeth. Watching her morph from the twirling young girl in the opening scenes, to the intelligent, strong-willed, committed virgin-queen, is fascinating viewing. The men constantly around her vary from manipulative to sincere and at times, downright vacuous. The conspiracies and subplots are layered with credibility. I’m certain that liberties have been taken historically, but the facts are there: Elizabeth was a virgin queen who ruled long enough to see England rise into a powerful state that would be remembered historically as a golden age. I again caution that this is not to be seen by young children, but thanks to this edited version, it is wonderful viewing for the family and young adults.