0
0
Rating: 5 out of 5
Queen Elizabeth II has been a famous fixture in the public eye in England and the world. Have you seen this woman’s outfits sometime? Homegirl got some style, and have you seen her hats? One must respect this homegirl because she has been Queen since 1953 for a total of 67 years on the throne and currently still living strong at 94. What’s your diet, girl? I’m trying to live that long. The Queen has become quite popular again with the Netflix series “The Crown,” which chronicles her reign. The series, just like this movie, was written by Peter Morgan. Morgan got his inspiration for the series when writing this movie.
To be the ruler of a country that you actually have no power over anymore must be quite challenging. As the famous line from Shakespeare’s play Henry IV, Part II stated, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” Many of us would probably love to be a king or Queen and have subjects answer to us. One can see that leading a country is not all that cracked up to be, especially for someone who has ruled as long as the Queen. Sometimes tradition gets in the way of common knowledge, and stupidity around a situation arises.
The movie is an intimate behind the scenes look at the reaction of the British’s Royal Family and that of newly elected Prime Minister Tony Blair (Sheen) in the immediate aftermath of Princess Diana’s death in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. The film starts off with the election of Tony Blair as the youngest Prime Minister. Blair has quite different views than the Queen (Mirren), as the Queen believes in that old school way of thinking while Blair is more of a modernizer. Their first interaction is quite chilly as the Queen is respectful but pretty much gives the wave of her hand with the statement of begone peasant. After about two or three months in office, Blair and the Royal family face a crisis that will shake everything the Queen believes in. Princess Diana has died in a tragic car accident. As the public is crushed by the news of their princess’s death, the Queen and Royal family believe that Diana’s death is a private matter given that she was no longer an “HRH.” Blair believes that the public has taken a different view, feeling the loss of the “People’s Princess. While the world reacts to the news, the Royal Family seems to be oblivious to the public reaction and seems heartless. As time passes, soon the public turns against the Royal Family. As the pressure mounts, the Queen must decide between tradition or the rule of her people.
Director Stephen Frears does an amazing adding both news reports and filmmaking to this film, and it just added to the overall appeal to this film. Frears’ direction made this film great and takes you into a fictional inside look of the Royal Family’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death. You want to talk about a MAJOR F-UP, this film shows it.
One of the major themes in this film is the Queen’s strong sense of duty and tradition. She is a woman who plays no games and believes that her way is the best way. It is hard to tell someone that their way is wrong when they were crowned at 25 and has ruled for over fifty years. The first few minutes of the film told it all when she is talking to her painter, and her reaction is quite cold to the new Prime Minister. As the painter states that it is her government, even though she can’t vote, she gives a dead-pan serious look as triumphant music plays as she looks directly into the camera.
Sorry, seems like I went off to something else, but the film shows the extreme sense of duty she has to her role as Queen. She isn’t impressed when she hears that Blair has his staff go by first name basis. Before meeting the Queen, a man gives a laundry list of instructions on correctly approaching and addressing the Queen and pretty much kiss her ass. Yet, the Queen is quite snobbish towards Blair as she states that Blair is her 10th Prime Minister, and her first was the great Winston Churchill. The first conversation between the Queen and Blair was civil and cordial, to say the least. It must seem so odd to be voted by the people of a country and then have to go and ask for permission from a queen who is actually powerless. The way the Queen looked at people who really don’t know formal tradition. Her eyes are always critiquing and looking for subtle mistakes.
Now the major drama that unfolds in this film is the Royal Family’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death. Sometimes common sense goes so far out of the window that it is laughable. Honestly, how could people be so naive about things? First, when news first comes in, the family and Queen bicker about whether she was still part of the family. Homegirl might not be under your rule, but she is still a mother to the princess. I’m sorry, Charles should’ve kept his thing in his pants rather than running off with someone else. When Blair brought up that the funeral should be a public affair, watching the Queen push back so hard and quickly by always stating it is a private matter. Having no public statement and thinking one is above the people is how the monarchy was destroyed. A significant difference in ideology right there and once again, DRAMA!
The insensitivity of the whole matter is mind-blowing, and to see Blair be a middleman had to weigh heavily on him. How don’t you fly the flag over Buckingham Palace? Seems like a simple thing but nope! To watch the people turn on the family/Queen is entirely reasonable. If you are the so-called leader, then you need to do the right thing. I loved when they were presenting funeral ideas, and the Queen’s mother was in disbelief because they took her long waited planned funeral. GOOD FOR YOU!!
I don’t know how he is in real life, but Prince Phillip, you were a complete D**K in this film. You better be happy that you are a prince and only know prince things because, on the streets, you would’ve felt these paws.
The film’s ending was actually a full circle moment because years later, Tony Blair becomes the one that is in the news and in the firing line of the news and tabloids.
Out of all the cast, the highest praise needs to be given to Helen Mirren. You KNOW how much I love me some Helen Mirren, and she was terrific. Her poise and characteristics were spot on. She must’ve studied a lot because she was phenomenal. The scene that was touching was when her car breaks down, and she sits and cries as she is having an epiphany moment. We never see her cry, but you know the powerful woman has feelings.
The Queen is a fantastic movie that gives you insight into all the decisions and drama surrounding the Royal Family and Princess Diana’s death. Helen Mirren is superb as the Queen and deserved her Academy Award for Best Actress. This movie should be a teaching point on how not to mess up a situation.
