TIFF 2013: Mary Queen of Scots Review

Mary Queen of Scots

Mary Queen of Scots

Special Presentation

Director: Thomas Imbach

Less of a sumptuous period piece (although those elements are there), Imbach’s look at one of the world’s most intriguing historical, female figureheads takes finely detailed historical fact and makes an emotionally resonating experience out of it. It’s a period piece for those who always wished they got more of the figure at the core of it.

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Played by French actress Camille Rutherford (who looks stunning and adds a much needed undercurrent of melancholy to a strong character), Mary’s relays her story to her cousin Queen Elizabeth and the audience follows along. From her early days as a member of nobility forced into service at infancy to her struggles with her land and church, everything about the leader’s life is chronicled, but in a humane way rather than a clinical fashion. Imbach directs with a keen eye for visuals (on what couldn’t have been a huge budget), with a particular ear for character moments and musical cues. It indeed could be a musical on the same subject if a few songs were tossed in, but it’s fine just the way it is.

Screens

Saturday, September 14th, TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, 9:30pm



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