Review of Lady Jane (1986) by Sarah G — 16 Sep 2009

This is a very good and reasonably historically accurate (at least by "The Tudor's" standards!) telling of the Lady Jane Grey story, other than perhaps overdoing the cod-Fabian Society politics a bit. Helena Bonham Carter (fresh from Room With A View) plays the Queen of 9 Days well, and Cary Elwes makes a fine foil as her doomed husband. The manipulation of the young couple by their various self-serving and venal relatives is portrayed well, but at least Jean-Luc Picard comes good in the end. The (off-screen) Philip II of Spain is revealed as the true villain of the Bloody Mary era that is to follow. He will crop up and be even more villainous in Elizabeth, Elizabeth R and all sorts of sequels and prequels until Francis Drake gives him a good singeing!

NB, I did NOT recognise that was Guildford Dudley resurrected as Michael Collins in "From The Earth To The Moon"!