The Queen

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Drama

To most of us born in the 70s and early 80s, when say “British monarchy”, two images tend be seen instantly: Queen Elizabeth II, and her late former daughter-in-law, Princess Diana. These two polar opposites have had such an impact on the globe and on popular culture, that their iconic personas have been viewed as representative of the United Kingdom. Diana of course burst onto the scene when she married Prince Charles in a gala wedding in the early 1980s. But Queen Elizabeth II had been the most recognizable Briton for a good 30 years before then.

In the film “The Queen”, director Stephen Frears examines the compelling image that is Queen Elizabeth II, and how she and her strict devotion to crown and country may have alienated Lady Diana Spencer. Relying on archive footage of the princess leading up to her 1996 death, Frears hypothesizes how the royal family of Windsor might have been behaving behind closed doors, wondering if the country needed a strong, detached grieving period or a more modern, highly emotional funeral.

Helen Mirren won an Academy Award (on top of other awards) for Best Actress in the title role, and it’s easy to see why. More than just putting on a gray wig, adding a little make-up, and copying Queen Elizabeth’s voice, she makes you believe that she really is the monarch. In this day and age, Britons are already questioning the relevance of a royal family. After all, they don’t work, don’t pay taxes, yet are ridiculously wealthy. Frears’ film gives voice to that argument, but also takes into consideration the special relationship the queen and her family have with the British people.

Michael Sheen plays newly elected Prime Minister Tony Blair and he does so with aplomb. His Blair is understandably nervous when he first meets the queen, yet he also knows that between the two of them, he was the one with a mandate from the people. By trusting his advisors in this time of grief, Blair comes across as a father figure for the Brits, putting the royals in a bad light in the process. Still, when those same advisers (and his own wife) want Blair to crucify the queen, no one is more adamant about supporting Queen Elizabeth than Blair himself.

I, of course, have known of no other British ruler save for Queen Elizabeth II. When I was growing up, I too was amazed at how pretty the new princess of Wales was. Yet as I got older, I began to realize that these two people just couldn’t get along. Prince Charles having an affair certainly didn’t help, but everyone always looked to Elizabeth and Diana as the British icon of the moment.

Mirren is absolutely brilliant as Elizabeth. She and her immediate family have such a regal bearing, and are so annoyed with Diana’s continued defiance of what they believe should be law, that they seem as arrogant, domineering, and, basically, regal. After all, what king or queen would allow one of their subjects to spit in their face and defy their will?

With Diana’s death, the queen thought that a strong, calm stance was what the people needed to grieve. She and her advisors were completely taken aback at the emotional outpouring that came from people in and out of the U.K. Mirren plays Elizabeth as flabbergasted by this reaction, a queen who sees that perhaps she doesn’t know her people as well as she did. However, that too is proven false when, upon visiting mourners outside Buckingham Palace, her subjects still show their respect for their beloved monarch.

Though this is a work of fiction, it is easy to believe that the events could have played out like this in the inner workings of Buckingham Palace and Downing Street. Credit must be given to the actors, refusing to turn their portrayals into mere caricatures, but giving a proper and respectful performance to people in the halls of British power. Both James Cromwell as Prince Philip and Alex Jennings as Prince Charles were very credible as the men who are closest to the queen. Their subtle performances gave Mirren an even shinier shine than she already had.

I cannot help but gush at what Helen Mirren did in this movie. She made Elizabeth II so human, so real, it truly is heartbreaking when she finally shows off some emotion. For although Queen Elizabeth II has been a monarch for over 50 years, so few of us have seen her being anything but “queenly”. This film shows us that, and more. Long live “The Queen”!