Anonymous is a movie based on the idea that Shakespeare was a tool and is not the author of the works credited to him. The particular theory being espoused is what is known as the Oxfordian Theory of Shakespeare Authorship with the role of the Bard being assumed by Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. As laid out in the movie, it is an interesting enough theory to keep the viewer engrossed for the duration of its length, competently acted, with great visuals of Elizabethan London. It is a task to follow however, with the narrative taking place within three different times. Being neither a Shakespearean nor a British history scholar, I cannot attest to the accuracy of the events portrayed, but I have a hard time thinking Elizabeth being the naive and trusting and sometimes downright foolish monarch in which the movie portrays her. Being a woman at that time, in that position, a position in which not only she thrived, but England as well, was not for the foolish. The only one portrayed worse than Elizabeth is Shakespeare himself, who is shown as a conniving, womanizing drunkard who could not even write the letter "I" when told its a straight line. So in this case, the less known about events the more enjoyable the movie becomes.
Verdict: 2.5 stars
No comments:
Post a Comment