September 8, 1998 (UK) | R | 2h 4min “Elizabeth” (1998), a depiction of the early life and times of Elizabeth I of England (daughter of the notorious Henry VIII), is considered to be Australian actress Cate Blanchett’s international breakout role. It was the first time most people had ever seen her on-screen before. It was a powerful, “A Star Is Born” debut. Blanchett is hands down the queen of this opulent cinematic Renaissance pageantry, plain and simple. Without her, Indian director Shekhar Kapur’s labyrinthine history lesson (playing fast and loose with the actual history, it must be added) would have merely been a bunch of dark maneuverings in murky castles by men in tights. >> Blanchett’s declaration, “I am no man’s Elizabeth”—like fellow Aussie actress Miranda Otto’s later declaration in “The Lord of the Rings,” “I am no man,” before smiting the mighty Nazgul witch-king—gave audiences to understand that here was …