thequeen

The Queen

Written by Nobuhiro Hosoki

The Queen, the much-anticipated opening night movie of the New York Film Festival, deserves to be received as a royal treat. The flm starts off by depicting a crumbling monarchy facing the tumultuous week following the death of Princess Diana. As all are aware, that accident sent a shock wave around the world, with weeping crowds placing an ocean of flowers outside Buckingham Palace--perhaps one of the biggest public incident of the 90s.

This film explores the stuffy tradition of a highly guarded society. The Queen, Elizabeth II, initially underestimated the public's reaction and downright adoration of Diana by regarding her as no longer part of her family and avoiding any exposure of her grandchild. But her frigid stature enormously backfired in the presence of media scrutiny that put pressure on her with each passing day. Soon, newly elected Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen), a strong believer in modernization--though even his wife Cherie is a staunch monarchist-- is unwillingly thrown into the international spotlight as he advises his Queen. It's his first test of his role as a leader, and he seizes the opportunity, rallying a shaky administration to a steady footing by delivering an impassioned speech painting Diana as the "people's Princess."

Helen Mirren portrays an incredibly self-disciplined Queen, adding a touch of vulnerability that becomes a turning point in her self-realization before she makes her much-anticipated response. Her performance makes us feel the presence of the actual Queen without being actually mimicked.

For many reasons, it seems that Prince Charles (Alex Jennings), who is often seen as a wimp and fearful of his mother, might finally change this public perception when he immediately suggests getting on a jet to fly to Paris and see the deceased, only to end up boarding a commercial plane. A narcissistic Prince Philip (James Cromwell) shows a dimwitted mind even worse than that of Charles with his preference for stag hunting over grief for Diana.

Screenwriter Peter Morgan, who also worked with Stephen Frears in the TV drama, "The Deal," has greatly researched the royal family's pettiness with its adherence to protocol. Director Stephen Frears has always provided a versatile genre of films while never binding himself to any particular one. This time, he meticulously scrutinizes a serious and stifling monarchical lifestyle, smoothly capturing its comical and pleasant moments. Even though the film is fiction, the mixture of archival footage makes it almost as if real events are transpiring. Another notable thing is that the film is peppered with sublime mischief,showing a human face that we can all relate to.

When the Queen sees a display of a deer stag, we slowly realize it's a meatphor for the hunted royal family, now on public display, thus leaving us with a deeper understanding of her past and present. We can embrace this ceremonial persona and actual human with certain admiration.

Directed by Stephen Frears
Written by Peter Morgan
Director of photography: Affonso Beato
Edited by Lucia Zucchetti
Music by Alexandre Desplat
Production designer: Alan Macdonald
Produced by Christine Langan, Tracey Seaward and Andy Harries
Released by Miramax Films.
Running time: 103 minutes.

Cast: Helen Mirren (the Queen)
Michael Sheen (Tony Blair)
James Cromwell (Prince Philip)
Sylvia Syms (the Queen Mother)
Alex Jennings (Prince Charles)
Helen McCrory (Cherie Blair)
Roger Allam (Sir Robin Janvrin),
and Tim McMullan (Stephen Lamport).