THE QUEEN--WILL SOMEBODY SAVE THESE PEOPLE FROM THEMSELVES?
Written: Oct 16 '06 (Updated Oct 17 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Tremendous performances from Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen; splendid screenplay and direction
Cons: May feel like Masterpiece Theater exercise to some
The Bottom Line: God save the majestic Helen Mirren in Stephen Frears' THE QUEEN, a funny and humane account of the House of Windsor's controversial reaction to the death of Lady Diana
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| jarvococker's Full Review: The Queen |
On the surface Stephen Frears' new film THE QUEEN might have been retitled "Much Ado About Nothing." This docudrama account of the week following Lady Diana's sudden death in August of 1997, and the escalating culture clash which ensues between a British nation united in grief and the House of Windsor tucked away in Scotland, united in apparent apathy, couldn't appear more simple. But don't confuse simplicity with transparency. Beneath the seeming anti monarchist conjecture is a bitterly funny, wonderfully acted and ultimately heartrending portrait of a Queen out of touch with the enormity of public opinion, forced to reveal a heart she has been bred to conceal as a consequence of duty. And in the majestic presence of a never better Helen Mirren in the title role, the gravity of this public coercion is both illuminating and cruel. THE QUEEN is extraordinary.
Written by Peter Morgan and directed by Frears in a tone that suggests satire but is surprisingly reverent, THE QUEEN employs archival footage and fictionalized interactions between its highly publicized, real life characters to present the clear divide between Queen Elizabeth II and her evolving subjects. Crucial to the film's bearings is the relationship between Her Majesty and recently elected Prime Minister Tony Blair (An excellent Michael Sheen). A terrific early sequence in which Blair is presented to the Queen on the eve of his term establishes a working dynamic that is cordial at best and frosty at worst, right down to the air of superiority the Queen adopts reminding Blair Winston Churchill once occupied the position he finds himself in. When the aftermath of Diana's death results in a public relations fiasco for the royal family, Blair serves as an increasingly vocal liaison to the Queen in Scotland, much to the chagrin of Elizabeth and her embattled family.
The contrast in sensibilities between the Queen and Blair is like comparing night and day--Elizabeth II somber, her every move governed by regal detachment; the "cheshire grinning" Blair relaxed and eager to please. When the nation descends in an unprecedented outpouring of grief upon Buckingham Palace, the prime minister seizes upon the mood and acts as a de facto eulogist for the former princess of Wales. The "people's princess" tribute, coined by speechwriter Alastair Campbell (Hilariously smug Mark Bazeley), is the first step in the national healing process. The next step, Blair assumes, is the quick return of the Windsors for a state funeral befitting the late, globally adored Diana.
No such luck. What the prime minister doesn't count on is the lingering animosity the Queen and her vicious circle hold toward their former daughter in law. "Diana is more annoying dead than she was alive," Prince Phillip (A pricelessly stubborn James Cromwell) quotes Princess Margaret shortly after the news. Adamant about holding a private service, the Windsors refuse to issue any form of statement and worse, continue their retreat in Balmoral. For nearly a week. Everything, as a matter of British sentiment, goes tits up. The rest of the film explores Blair's efforts to change the Queen's mind amidst growing public resentment toward the Crown, and the Queen's humiliating decision to bow before the will of her people.
If the difference between Elizabeth II and Blair is like night and day, then the gulf between the royals and Diana is slightly smaller than the Grand Canyon. One of the great strengths of THE QUEEN is how effectively it conveys the complex relationship between these diametrically opposed forces. Diana represents unparalleled glamour and fierce independence; the royals are held accountable for her death after the fact (A tragedy which is sensitively rendered on film but elicits a tremendous amount of sadness nevertheless). The Queen, on the other hand, remains a symbol of antiquated largesse and is borne of an outdated constitution; no wonder her silence is interpreted as disrespect. But as the film also powerfully illustrates, the queen and Diana are united by a common royal legacy which neither asked for. Diana married into it, Elizabeth II was born into it. The personal cost has been staggering, as Blair (And by extension audiences) slowly and sympathetically comes to realize.
This revelation seems to be the underlining purpose of THE QUEEN, and is grandly realized by the dignity and restraint the royal Mirren exhibits in the role. One of the most quietly resonating moments in the film occurs when the Queen encounters an emotional Charles (Alex Jennings in a sympathetic but subordinate portrayal) after he's broken the news to William and Harry. Such duress in most occasions would cry out for a hug or more; the Queen greets it with cold if taken aback stoicism. This is echoed in a later sequence where Charles inadvertently accuses the queen of being an emotionally unavailable mother on a ride to Balmoral's extensive hunting grounds. Mirren's unspoken hurt hints at years of dutiful repression (Indeed, the most compassion the Queen directs to any character in the film seems to be toward a killed stag). And yet viewers should find themselves secretly appalled by the Queen's ultimate public about face, a testament to the greatness of Mirren's stirring performance.
Early in the film, the Queen is having a portrait painted at the palace on election day. When the humble artist admits to having voted, the Queen informs him she is constitutionally excused from the voting booths, but sadly wishes to feeling "partial." In Stephen Frears' exquisitely entertaining and sobering new historical drama THE QUEEN, it takes a national tragedy for Her Majesty to finally attain her ironic wish. The result, as showcased in a destined to be legendary performance by Helen Mirren, feels like the outright selling of one's soul, and ultimately humanizes its elusive subject beyond measure. God save this misunderstood Queen.
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Serious Movie
Viewing Method: Other
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing
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Member: marcelo deugarte
Location: bethesda, md
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And the hand that rocks you cuts you up like lyrics of your life.
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