Mary Queen of Scots: A Queen Who Lost It All & Became A Legend

A Queen who lost three kingdoms. A wife who lost three husbands. A woman who lost her head.

This is the tagline of the European produced movie Mary Queen of Scots by director Thomas Imbach. And it sums up the life of Scotland's tragic Queen perfectly.

Director Imbach wrote the film based on a biography by Stefan Zweig, a biographer and playwright, who's approach to Mary's story was told with more dramatic flair than the average biography. One of the main viewpoints from Zweig was that Mary had been in a position of power and command for so long that it drained her; when Bothwell caught Mary's eye he was commanding and took control of the situation taking the burden of rule from Mary's shoulders.

Indeed, this is a main theme of the film, as Mary struggles to gain control of her Scottish Kingdom, where all the lords are backstabbing and power hungry, an issue that Mary hasn't dealt with before. This is highlighted very early on when Elizabeth Tudor becomes Queen of England. Mary is determined that the new English Queen will love her, and when asked how she would get that she simply responds that she will charm her into loving her.

This is one of Mary's weaknesses that she believes will win over the Scottish Lords but sadly her charm is not what they want. They want her to command, and do what they want her to do. It's through this struggle of queenship and authority that Imbach gives us a human portrait of Scotland's Queen. A woman facing stress, rebellion and betrayal. And as she struggles through it we can see her pain; we can feel it as she rides along the Scottish grounds screaming at the top of her lungs. It's a relatable moment for anyone who has struggled to keep control of their life.

The film highlights Mary's struggle to rule

Imbach's version gives the story of Mary a fresh perspective; not a woman who was too busy enjoying herself to rule, but a woman who was ill prepared for ruling her own Kingdom for she was raised a French princess, prepared for French Queenship. The contrast between the French court and the Scottish is shown almost immediately through the harsh landscape of Switzerland, which substitutes for Scotland very well. The landscape is beautiful, as Imbach does show some beautiful aerial shots, using long shots of the vast landscape to emphasize Mary's growing isolation throughout the film.

Camille Rutherford portrays a well rounded Queen of Scots

Mary herself is played by Camille Rutherford, an up and coming French actress who's beauty and physique is possibly the closest to the true image of the real woman that any film or TV project has come close to. Mary was said to be close to six feet tall, and Rutherford is the first actress to resemble the queen of Scots in height, colouring and beauty. She proves to be a strong actress in the part. Rutherford captures her character wonderfully, exuding sensuality, wit and charisma that were famous characteristics of Mary. But she gives us a more complex individual; she is strong willed, confident and beautiful but she becomes isolated, she is betrayed and in her bid for happiness she loses everything. It's a tragic story of a woman born to rule but with all the odds stacked against her; ill prepared for Scottish rule after a French upbringing.

It is also a refreshing take on history for its historical accuracy, compared with the recent Hollywood series Reign, based on Mary's time in France. Mary Queen of Scots is a well made production with a strong lead performance that captures the woman behind the myth. For any history fan or period drama fan, this is a must see but is not recommended for a more mainstream crowd. If you're looking for The Tudors I suggest looking elsewhere, or waiting for the upcoming Hollywood production of Mary Queen of Scots written by Michael Hirst (Elizabeth, Vikings, The Tudors). For a human portrait on an iconic tragedy this is worth at least one viewing.

* Mary Queen of Scots will be released on DVD & Blu-ray 27 October. You can pre-order a copy on Amazon now.