Mary Queen of Scots (4 Stars)

My knowledge of English (and Scottish) history is poor. All I knew about Queen Mary of Scotland before watching this film is that she was the mother of King James, the man who united England and Scotland. After watching the film I read summaries of her life online. That's not enough to make me an expert, but at least I know more now than I did before.

Mary became Queen of Scotland when she was six days old. She lived in France while others governed Scotland on her behalf. When she was 15 she married Francis II and became Queen of France, but she lost this title when he died three years later. Aged 18, she returned to Scotland to claim her kingdom from the current regent, her half-brother James. That's where the film begins.

It was a time of political and religious upheaval. Protestantism was rising in Scotland, but Mary was a Catholic. She tried to make peace by saying that everyone was free to follow whatever religion they wanted, but that wasn't good enough for the Protestants, because they considered Catholicism evil.

Mary also considered herself the rightful Queen of England, although after looking at the royal family tree I don't understand what the basis for this claim was. Queen Elisabeth was her cousin. She insisted on being named as heir in the case of Elisabeth's death, which was rejected by the English noblemen. England was completely Protestant at this time. Elisabeth tried to make Mary marry an English nobleman who was under her influence, but Mary refused and married another English nobleman.

The English nobility made several unsuccessful attempts to get rid of Mary by supporting Scottish rebellions. Mary remarried and had a son, James. She reached an agreement with Elisabeth that if Elisabeth had a child that child would become King of England, otherwise James would become King.

Eventually, after the assassination of her second husband, the Protestant fanatic John Knox stirred up the people, and she had to run for her life. Her one-year-old son James became King in her place. She met Elisabeth, who offered her asylum in England. For 19 years she lived in comfort, but with no freedom to go where she wanted. Then false charges were brought against her that she was planning to assassinate Queen Elisabeth, and she was executed. In 1603 James became King of England, at the age of 36.

The film has excellent performances by Saoirse Ronan as Mary and David Tennant as the religious fanatic John Knox. Margot Robbie's acting is very subdued and unemotional, but that's appropriate for a portrayal of Queen Elisabeth. This is a beautiful film throughout, though tragic in its outcome.