Mary Queen of Scots is a 2018 historical drama film directed by Josie Rourke (in her feature directorial debut) and with a screenplay by Beau Willimon based on John Guy’s 2004 biography Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart. The film stars Saoirse Ronan as Mary, Queen of Scots and Margot Robbie as her cousin Queen Elizabeth I, and chronicles the 1569 conflict between their two countries. Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn, David Tennant, and Guy Pearce also star in supporting roles.
Mary Queen of Scots had its world premiere on closing night of AFI Fest on 15 November 2018, was released in the United States on 7 December 2018, and was released in the United Kingdom on 18 January 2019. The film received mixed reviews, with praise for the performances (particularly Ronan and Robbie) and costumes, but was criticised for the screenplay and several historical inaccuracies. The film received three nominations at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards, and two nominations, for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling, at the 91st Academy Awards. For her performance, Robbie earned nominations for a SAG Award and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Plot
In 1561, nineteen-year-old Mary Stuart, Catholic Queen of Scotland, returns to her home country from France following the death of her husband, Francis II, to take up her throne, where she is received by her half brother, the Earl of Moray. In neighbouring England, Mary’s twenty-eight-year-old cousin Elizabeth is Protestant Queen of England – unmarried, childless, and threatened by Mary’s potential claim to her throne. Mary dismisses the cleric John Knox from her court. A Protestant and leader of the Scottish Reformation, Knox views Mary as a danger to the kingdom’s Protestant supremacy.
Seeking to weaken her cousin’s threat to her sovereignty, Elizabeth arranges for Mary, whom English Catholics recognize as their rightful Queen, to be married to an Englishman. She chooses Robert Dudley, whom she secretly loves; though he and Mary are unwilling, news of Elizabeth’s smallpox convinces Mary to accept, provided she is named Elizabeth’s heir apparent. Reluctant to let go of Dudley, Elizabeth sends Lord Darnley to Scotland with the pretence of living under their religious freedom. Despite sensing an ulterior motive, Mary grows fond of Darnley and eventually accepts his marriage proposal.
Mary’s impending marriage causes a constitutional crisis within both realms: Elizabeth is advised to oppose the marriage for fear that Darnley, an English noble, will elevate Mary’s claim to the Crown; Mary’s council is suspicious of Darnley, fearing an English takeover. Both kingdoms demand his return to England but Mary refuses, enraging Moray to mount a rebellion against her. Mary marries Darnley, only to discover him in bed with her friend and private secretary, David Rizzio. Mary quashes the rebel forces but spares Rizzio and Moray, and demands Darnley give her a child. When a child is conceived, Mary declares the child is “heir to Scotland and England” – offending the English.
Moray colludes with Darnley’s father Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, to undermine Mary. They spread rumours that her child was illegitimately fathered by Rizzio, driving John Knox to vehemently preach that Mary is an adulteress. Fearing these accusations and the possible discovery of his homosexuality, Darnley is coerced by the underminers to join them in murdering Rizzio, and reluctantly delivers the final blow.
Discovering the plot, Mary agrees to pardon the conspirators if presented with evidence that Darnley took part. She ultimately forgives Moray, and asks Elizabeth to be her child’s godmother. They agree the child is heir presumptive, much to the English court’s chagrin. Mary banishes Darnley but refuses to divorce him, despite the appeals of her council, which approaches her adviser and protector, the Earl of Bothwell, to have him killed.
After Darnley’s death, Mary is forced to flee without her child. Bothwell advises that her council have decided she must marry a Scotsman immediately—and that Scotsman should be Bothwell himself. Mary initially objects, suspecting he was involved with Darnley’s murder, but after he threatens her and subsequently rapes her, she consents to the marriage. This induces Knox to preach to the Scots that Mary is a “harlot” who had her husband killed, leading Moray and her court to demand her abdication. Despite her objections, Mary eventually abdicates her throne and flees to England.
Elizabeth arranges a clandestine meeting, where Mary asks for help to take back her throne. Reluctant to go to war on behalf of a Catholic, Elizabeth instead promises a safe exile in England as long as Mary does not aid her enemies. Mary responds that if she does, it will only be because Elizabeth forced her to do so, and threatens that should Elizabeth murder her, she should remember that she “murdered her own sister and queen”. Placing Mary under house arrest, Elizabeth receives compelling evidence that Mary conspired with her enemies to have her assassinated. With no other choice, Elizabeth orders Mary’s execution. As Mary is walked to the scaffold, a remorseful Elizabeth cries for Mary, who reveals a bright red dress, implying herself a martyr. In her final thoughts, Mary wishes her son James well and hopes for peace upon his reign.
A post-script reveals that upon Elizabeth’s death in 1603, James became the first monarch to rule both Scotland and England.
Cast
Saoirse Ronan as Mary Stuart, the Queen of Scots and Elizabeth’s cousin
Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I, Mary’s cousin and the Queen of England and Ireland
Jack Lowden as Henry Darnley, Mary’s second husband
Joe Alwyn as Robert Dudley, Elizabeth’s counselor and lover
David Tennant as John Knox, founder of the Church of Scotland
Guy Pearce as William Cecil, advisor to Elizabeth
Gemma Chan as Bess of Hardwick, a friend and confidante of Elizabeth and keeper of Mary
Martin Compston as Lord Bothwell, Mary’s third husband
Ismael Cruz Córdova as David Rizzio, Mary’s close friend and confidant
Brendan Coyle as Earl of Lennox, father of Lord Darnley
Ian Hart as Lord Maitland, Lord Chancellor of Scotland
Adrian Lester as Lord Randolph, Elizabeth’s ambassador to Scotland
James McArdle as the James, Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland
In addition, Eileen O’Higgins, Izuka Hoyle and Liah O’Prey are seen throughout the film as Mary’s personal attendants, Mary Beaton, Mary Seton and Mary Livingston, respectively. Alex Beckett, who appears as Sir Walter Mildmay, English Chancellor of the Exchequer, died at age 35, seven months before the film’s release; the film is dedicated to his memory.
The director, Josie Rourke, followed British theatre’s principle of color-blind casting.
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