The Queen (2006) ****

The Queen is a biographical tale of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain which mainly focuses on the week following the death of Princess Diana in August-September 1997. The film is mostly known for Helen Mirren's tour de force portrayal of the monarch which had her leading the race for Best Actress at the Oscars before the film had even been released. It's a near perfect adaptation of what occurred that week and how it affected the public perception of the Royal Family. Mixing real documented footage with reconstructed scenes based on hundreds of sources close to the parties involved with a dash of dramatic license results in this gripping and emotional tale of Queen Elizabeth II as she struggles during the conflict she has with her subjects and the turmoil of her confusion about her people who could turn on her so quickly. Mirren is absolute perfection in the role so much so that you begin to think of her as the actual Queen before the end of the film. She epitomizes the dignity and grace of the monarchy and makes the spell she casts over all who meet her so believable. It is hard to imagine anyone but Mirren in the role she became so entwined with it and the film's enormous success rests largely on her shoulders.

It is hard to imagine, being a U.S. citizen, the reverence people can have for a monarch as having a president is not very similar. The British people seen in the film are in shock and awe when they see her in person despite whatever they may have said prior to her return to London to pay her respects. At one point it is stated that 25% of the British people think the monarchy should be abolished but two months after the incident all has been forgotten and the Queen has returned to the people's good graces. I think they were looking for an excuse to forgive as the British people seem to have a special love for their Queen that cannot be extinguished with anger, no matter how much there may be. Even in the news testimonials some people seem hesitant and a bit ashamed to be speaking ill of their monarch. The ghost of Princess Diana is as present in the film as any of the main characters and the film accurately portrays the turmoil the citizens must have felt to be divided by their feelings for both public figures.

There are of course the completely anti-monarchist characters such as the Prime Minister's wife, Cherie Blair (Helen McCrory) and his director of communications, Alastair Campbell (Mark Bazeley) who constantly disparage the Queen's actions and pontificate about how her position should no longer exist. It's a testament to Tony Blair's (a brilliant Michael Sheen) faith in the monarchy, that despite his ardent pledges to modernize the nation and surrounded by an inner circle full of nay-sayers, that he continues to support the Queen and respect her decisions no matter how much he may disagree with them. He easily could have taken advantage of the situation and used his burgeoning popularity to bring about a monarchy reform, but even when he is told of his rising numbers and power over the Queen, he appears silently ashamed. He always maintains a respect for her position and is torn by his desire for her to rectify her current predicament and his duty to communicate the needs of the British people.

The scenes between Blair and the Queen are some of the best in the film despite the fact they only share the screen twice with other scenes taking place as phone conversations. The relationship between Blair and the Queen is a microcosm of the British people. Cherie says it best "You know, I don't know why I'm so surprised. At the end of the day all Labour Prime Ministers go ga-ga for the Queen.". The reverence and love for the monarchy appears to have been ingrained in the people and will always bring her back into their good graces. No, the only change is in the Queen herself who seems quite shaken by the whole experience. After a half century of rule, she cannot comprehend how the people could turn against her so quickly and so viciously. The anguish on her face is heartbreaking when she reads the cruel messages written on the cards at the Main Gate of Buckingham Palace and she is positively devastated when she thinks a young girl outright rejects her offer to place the flowers for her. She feels that she has lost the understanding of her subjects and begins to question her right to rule. In the end, she makes a sacrifice of her own dignity, which may not seem like much to people who are not royals, in order to reassure her people. She placed her people before her pride and that alone demonstrates just how noble a sovereign she truly is.

Favorite moment: Breaking precedent I'm going to pick two as both the Queen and Blair had short little speeches which I found very impacting and respectively shows how much the Queen understands her people and how much the Prime Minister understands his Queen. The Queen's speech reflects a noble statement from the Doctor Who episode "The Unicorn and the Wasp" where the Doctor states that the British carry on. That's what they do. It also helps to show her internal justification for why it seems her people are turning on her. While Blair's speech reflects the audience sentiment that has grown over the course of the film as, at least where I am concerned, the Queen never for a second lost favor.

"Their grief? If you imagine I am going to drop everything and come down to London before I attend to my grandchildren who've just lost their mother, then you're mistaken. I doubt there is anyone who knows the British people more than I do, Mr. Blair, nor who has a greater faith in their wisdom and judgment. And it is my belief that they will, any moment, reject this . . . this mood which is being stirred up by the press, in favor of a period of restrained grief and sober private mourning. That's the way we do things in this country. Quietly. With dignity. That's what the rest of the world has always admired us for."

"You know, when you get it wrong, you really get it wrong. That woman has given her whole life in service to her people. Fifty years doing a job she never wanted. A job she watched kill her father. She's executed it with honor, dignity, and as far as I can tell, without a single blemish, and now we're all baying for her blood! All because she's struggling to lead the world in mourning for someone who threw everything she offered back in her face. And who, for the last few years, seemed committed 24/7 to destroying everything she holds most dear!"