The Great Man Poll (UK interest)

[beagle]

Watched "Elizabeth" at the weekend. If only E II R had a Walsingham to protect the realm from conspiracy by those in league with the French .

[Griffin NoName]

I have it taped for watching later in the week. Will Walsingham break my VCR?

It's not the French we need to worry about. I heard it's the Lithuanians

[beagle]

Only if it shows Catholic inclinations I suspect.

I'm liking Cameron more and more. Independence from being governed by Scotland, and Prince Philip style witticisms.

[Griffin NoName]

Will we see the Cameron Wars at the Monastery?

[beagle]

No, I'm sure Goat is a big fan.

Be interested what you make of "Elizabeth". Some of the historical detail has been "re-arranged" a bit.

[Griffin NoName]

Finally watched "Elizabeth". Interested to learn One must cut off One's hair to become a Virgin.

Good performance by Cate wotsit, usual over-acting by Fiennes, other than that utter twaddle. Long live the Queen.

[beagle]

Couldn't work why they prematurely aged Burgley and bundled him off to retirement a few decades early, after painting him as a bungler.  Presumably to make Walsingham look good.
Made good theatre to have Walsingham bump off Mary of Guise though.

[Griffin NoName]

Couldn't work why they prematurely aged Burgley and bundled him off to retirement a few decades early, after painting him as a bungler.  Presumably to make Walsingham look good.
Made good theatre to have Walsingham bump off Mary of Guise though.

Noticed Burgley turn up in the final scene. Assumed he'd been on Garden Leave enjoying his new title. In fact, could he have actually been at the House of Lords?

As for Mary, if it was indeed Mary, who was bumpd off, because she seemed to be a different person to an ealrier Mary - hair dye and face lift perhaps. But you have to admire the lady whoever she was, brandishing that kinfe under her own throat was a very brave challenge, even if she did give it the odd lick or two.

The great achievement of the reign was the poisoned dress. Puzzled by why they haven't lasted - seems a very useful idea to me. Much less obvious and likely to succesd than say a letter bomb.

BACK ON TOPIC a bit

What power the media have to cheer one up or ruin one's day.

Queen's Speech, part thereof:

Guardian: Rules covering unfair dismissal and disability will be repealed;

All others: Rules covering unfair dismissal and disability will be repealed and improved.

[Swatopluk]

The late Romanian dicator Ceaucescu was paranoid about the CIA killing him with a poisoned suit. Therefore he never wore anything twice.

Anyone seen the sequel to Elizabeth yet?

Btw, I understand the scene with Burgley as a threat of early retirement not yet the retirement itself (eat your humble pie now or you're out).
No disagreement about "historical rearrangements". They also combined the two major conspiracies against Elizabeth into one for dramatic purposes.
To make the Dauphin gay/transvestite is another thing. From the biographies I read, it was the only foreign suitor that she genuinely considered and not just for political reasons.
The cutting of the hair is a traditional symbol of sacrificing one's sexuality and also of submission (it was done with nuns also iirc).
In this context it would mean: I stop to be a (sexual) woman and submit to a higher duty.

[beagle]

You may well be write about Burghley.  IIRC he was in the House of Lords early, but in those days that was no bar to still running the country 

Reviews of the latest film are mixed. Some say only QE seems to be playing it straight, with the rest thinking they're in Blackadder. It's less popular with the Catholics .

Last Post.

[anthrobabe]

I think beagle needs a hug

don't know why

just think beagle needs a hug

[Griffin NoName]

Btw, I understand the scene with Burgley as a threat of early retirement not yet the retirement itself (eat your humble pie now or you're out).

I would have too except he reacted so badly - or over-reacted - or over-acted, so it did seem more like curtains.

No disagreement about "historical rearrangements". They also combined the two major conspiracies against Elizabeth into one for dramatic purposes.

And they bungled the dates of Dudley's marriages - managing to get in a right muddle scene/time/details/what-she knew/when-she-knew wise. Playing for cheap effects; most irritating.

To make the Dauphin gay/transvestite is another thing. From the biographies I read, it was the only foreign suitor that she genuinely considered and not just for political reasons.

Well he was such a pretty boy. Bit more than a handful though.

The cutting of the hair is a traditional symbol of sacrificing one's sexuality and also of submission (it was done with nuns also iirc).
In this context it would mean: I stop to be a (sexual) woman and submit to a higher duty.

All very well, but after the erhem frollicking a bit much to proclaim oneself a Virgin Queen. And she'd been Queen a good few years by then - how many seconds after becoming Queen would one lose the Virginal Queenness - so it won't work for me on that score either.

Reviews of the latest film are mixed. Some say only QE seems to be playing it straight, with the rest thinking they're in Blackadder.

I thought they all thought they were in Blackadder in the fisrt film. I nearly posted as much but I was too tired.

Anthrobabe, I think Beagle needs hugs cos history is always wroong.

[beagle]

just think beagle needs a hug

[Sibling Chatty]

Not Anthrobabe, but I'm a smoocher, not a hugger...

[Griffin NoName]

Is Beagle fussy what he gets from whom???