'Mary Queen of Scots' (15)

****

Arriving on the shores of Scotland, Mary Stuart moves to reclaim her title and her position as Queen. A Catholic and with a claim to the throne of England, she immediately poses a threat to Queen Elizabeth, a Protestant and the last of the House of Tudor. 

The relationship between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor is one that has fascinated historians and artists alike for centuries. In a history that's dominated by male sovereigns, Mary and Elizabeth ruled alongside each other until Elizabeth had her cousin executed - surely that means that the two hated each other? In his play which premiered in 1800, Friedrich Schiller portrays Mary's last days, and the fraught relationship between the two women - one that is far from the 'black and white' dynamic that you might expect. Since then, numerous historians have revisited this momentous moment and dissected the connection between the two. One such biography is John Guy's Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart, the basis for Josie Rourke's directorial debut, Mary Queen of Scots.

I was perhaps predisposed to love this film. A period of history that I find endlessly fascinating, the lives of Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor have always piqued my interest - I can't help but be intrigued by these two Queens. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. In Saoirse Ronan, the warmth and the passion, the fire and the fury of Mary is bought mesmerically to life. Her youth, her ambition, pain, joy and determination are beautifully and idiosyncratically portrayed by the chameleon actress - it's a brilliant performance. Opposite Ronan is Margot Robbie. Undoubtedly daubed with the harder role, Robbie's Elizabeth is a restrained, pondering figure. If Mary is ruled by her heart, Elizabeth is led by her head, and these ruling forces are sensitively depicted. History tells us that the two women never met face-to-face and, whether you choose to believe that or not, the moment when our two characters finally see each other is one of pure emotion - recent interviews have revealed that the moment on camera is the first time either actress had seen each other in their respective roles. These were two Queens who understood each other but couldn't coexist - it's a powerful scene.

Aside from these two powerhouse performances, the rest of the film is similarly excellent. The costumes are sumptuous, and Mary's and Elizabeth's dresses are carefully worked to display their characters further. Whilst Elizabeth's gowns are rich with delicate lace and brocades, Mary's dresses are mud-stained at the hem and often mounted with armour from riding into battle. The soundtrack is also perfect - atmospheric, stirring and disturbing in equal measure. The performances from the supporting cast are admirable too, with a bearded David Tennant as a plotting John Knox chewing the scenery in suitably villainous style, and rising star Jack Lowden as Mary's problematic second husband. 

For a directorial debut, Josie Rourke has certainly made an impact with her thought-provoking and moving historical drama. Fronted by two excellent leads, this is a story that still manages to shock even after all these centuries. A film to ponder on long after the credits, you can't help but marvel at these two era-defining Queens and all that they achieved.