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As far as Elizabeth I goes, I have favorite portrayals and not so favorite portrayals concerning her.
My favorite portrayal is by Glenda Jackson in BBC's Elizabeth R. It's a 70's telling of the story. It looks dated, but I find it to be the most accurate. Jackson's portrayal is not glamorous nor glossy, I liked it tremendously. As far as the Essex and Dudley, they were adequate.
I enjoyed Mirren's Elizabeth I. The story seems iffy in places, but it's okay. She is terrific, she plays the edge she had well. Jeremy Irons was great as Dudley. Dancy did a good job showing the impetuousness of Essex.
I also like Cate Blanchett's take on Elizabeth, but the movie is not great. (I have not seen the 2nd one.) I liked the way the relationship of E and Dudley was portrayed. The big dance number between the two was a bit much, I thought.
I absolutely disliked the Elizabeth in the 2005 Virgin Queen. I also hated the modern music that accompanied the story. It was a weird attempt to youthify the story and make it more hip. Ick.
I adore the relationship between Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love. Because he did, in fact, write the plays for her. And I have a soft spot for Mirren but moreso for Judi Dench. It's a great display of what her latter years were like. She was quite a wreck, but still very much in charge.
There are many, many more but these are noteworthy. I avoided the 2nd part of Blanchett's Elizabeth because the reviews were horrid. I figured it could wait.
So, if you're looking for an excellent portrayal checkout the Glenda Jackson Elizabeth R. I'm not too fond of the Bette Davis portrayals of her.
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