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The Queen
UK/France/Italy 2006
produced by
Andy Harries, Christine Langan, Tracey Seaward, Francois Ivernel (executive), Cameron McCracken (executive), Scott Rudin (executive) for Granada Screen, Pathé, Canal+, Bim Distribuzione, France 3
directed by Stephen Frears
starring Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Alex Jennings, Roger Allam, Sylvia Syms, Helen McCrory, Tim McMullan, Robin Soans, Lola Peploe, Douglas Reith, Joyce Henderson, Pat Laffan, John McGlynn, Gray O'Brien, Dolina MacLellan, Mark Bazeley, Kananu Kirimi, Julian Firth, Earl Cameron, Elliot Levey, Anthony de Baeck, Wolfgang Pissors, Paul Barrett, Xavier Castano
written by Peter Morgan, music by Alexandre Desplat
review by
Mike Haberfelner
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UK, 1997: Tony Blair (Michael Sheen - who also played Tony Blair in
Stephen Frears' 2003 TV-movie The Deal) has just been elected Prime
Minister and is invited to meet His Majesty the Queen Elisabeth II
(Helen Mirren) - who doesn't care too much for this modernist, the
first Labour-PM in 18 years - for the very first time ... and somehow the
Queen makes him feel like a naughty schoolboy having to pay a visit to the
principal.
The tides however turn only a few weeks later when Princess Diana is
killed in a Paris carchase, and the Queen refuses to show too much
compassion, since in her eyes, Diana, after her divorce from Charles (Alex
Jennings) is no longer part of the family. And while the rest of the
nation is mourning over the death of the Princess of Hearts, the Queen and
family leave for their country estate in Balmoral, to keep Charles and
Diana's sons occupied by hunting stags and the like.
In the meantime, back in London, Tony Blair seems to do everything
right, making compassionate speeches to the masses and showing feelings
where it's due, and thanks to that his popularity skyrockets, while the
British public seems to turn against the Royals ... and suddenly, Blair
finds hikself in an odd situation: It seems he is the only one in his
party who wants to save the monarchy nad help the Queen to keep face, with
even the Queen at first refusing each and every of his suggestions to show
compassion.
Only eventually does the Queen realize how the tide has turned against
her and pays tribute to the death of the mother of her grandchildren ...
and with her gesture seems to save the monarchy. And eventuall, too, she
and Blair start to show a mutual respect for one another ...
A film that's a bit hard to judge: It's not a great film in the Citizen
Kane mode, it is not an accurate historical record it was never
supposed to be, and it's not even the great political satire it is
(probably) supposed to be ... but somehow the movie works - as (of all
things) a sitcom: Despite the tragic events depicted in this film, it is
quite funny (and intentionally so), but somehow one just can't shake the
feeling it's merely an (overlong) episode in a series and one just can't
wait to tune in again next week to have another laugh with this funny
Windsors and their friend Tony - despite the fact that one knows that is
not going to happen, never. And (to stretch the sitcom-comparison a bit)
in some scenes, when assembled in front of the TV, the Royal Family even
resembles the Royle
Family, in their inability to do anything more than just sit,
watch and comment (in all fairness, impressionist Alistair McGowan had the
idea of substituting the Royles with the Royals years earlier in his series
Alistair McGowan's Big Impression, however, he executed the
whole thing with way less panache).
So no, a masterpiece this film isn't. But that said it's also loads of
fun. Recommended.
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amazon.de
eThaiCD.com
find The Queen at adultvideouniverse.com
