The Queen – In May 1997 Tony Blair (Michael Sheen in a very convincing performance) became prime minister of Great Britain in a landslide election, an outcome Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren in Academy Award turn) and her consort Prince Philip (James Cromwell) disliked. (The Sovereign – in this instance, the Queen – and her heir are not granted voting privileges to preserve an appearance of political neutrality.) Later in August, Princess Diana and her Egyptian lover were killed in a car crash in Paris. Melding actual video of Princess Diana and the public’s outpouring of grief with the film’s fictionalized portraits, this fascinating narrative imagines behind-the-scenes communications between Blair and Elizabeth II, which eventually resulted in a closer understanding between the prime minister and the Queen.

Initially the royals in “stiff upper lip” fashion ignored the public’s sympathy for Diana, whom they jealously disliked, refusing to consider memorializing the former princess with a public funeral or even deign a public appearance with expressions of sorrow for the loss of the mother of their grandsons, while at the same time Blair proclaimed her “the people’s princess,” thereby adding to his own popular perception in the public eye. But while Prince Philip in his Scottish kilt at Balmoral (the royal family’s 40,000 acres in Scotland) took Diana’s sons out stalking a 14-point stag, which he desired for a trophy, ostensibly to distract the young princes from their mother’s death, Blair repeatedly and tactfully contacted Elizabeth, attempting to save the royal family from themselves. During this period the media reported public disapproval for the out-of-touch royals soaring to 70% with a quarter of the British saying they wanted to do away with the monarchy. The film presents Prince Charles (Alex Jennings) as a sympathetic but calculating figure in secretly siding with Blair. In the film’s critical turn, the stag confronts Elizabeth with its genuine beauty, piercing her heart, before becoming the prize of a neighbor.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2007 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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