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Movie Review:
The Queen

Production Company: Miramax Films
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms, Alex Jennings, Helen McCrory, Roger Allam, Tim McMullan
Rating: PG-13 for some brief, strong language

By Gregg Tubbs

(UMC.org)—In Henry IV, Shakespeare wrote, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” The Queen offers us a delightful look at a very specific moment of royal unease that is both comic and soulful. Set within the inner circles of British royalty and government, The Queen takes us behind the scenes—and inside some regal heads—to see the cataclysmic impact of the sudden death of Diana, the Princess of Wales. While Diana’s ghost and complicated legacy haunt every scene, it is Helen Mirren, brilliant as Queen Elizabeth II, who positively rules the screen. She portrays the Queen as a woman trapped in a role she never chose, bound by ancient tradition, and baffled by the winds of change.


Helen Mirren portrays the Queen as a woman trapped in a role she never chose, bound by ancient tradition, and baffled by the winds of change. Copyright © 2006 Miramax Films
Expertly directed by Stephen Frears (Dirty Pretty Things), The Queen does everything a good film should. It transports us to an interesting place and introduces us to fascinating characters who find themselves dealing with a tragedy that will challenge and change them. Elizabeth II, Queen since 1952, is a woman steeped in tradition and privilege, but with a strong sense of duty and a real love for her people. As the newly elected Prime Minister, Tony Blair (Michael Sheen), the boyish labor party progressive, is determined to modernize Britain. The lush palaces and castles of the monarchy are in sharp contrast to the Blair’s business-like office and modest home, where even a Prime Minister must still help with the dishes.

The critical and defining moment Elizabeth and Blair must face hits them like a bombshell. Diana Spencer, divorced from Prince Charles but still “mother of the next king of England,” has tragically died in a car crash. For Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip (James Cromwell), decorum is the rule. They believe that a period of quiet, private mourning is proper, and since Diana is “no longer a royal,” her funeral will be a matter for her family. Blair is appalled. As the groundswell of public mourning builds and mountains of flowers and memorials grow outside Buckingham Palace, he is convinced that a public, personal tribute from the Queen and a state funeral for the newly dubbed “People’s Princess” are required. As newspaper headlines scream for the Queen to “show us you have a heart,” Elizabeth and Blair engage in a delicate and oh-so-polite cat and mouse game. The question, of course, is whether the mouse can change the cat.


Although Blair (Michael Sheen) will wield the day-to-day power, Elizabeth (Helen Mirren) dispels any doubt that it is still her government by coolly reminding him that he is her tenth Prime Minister. Copyright © 2006 Miramax Films

The beauty of this film is the witty and light touch with which it negotiates the fine balance between comedy and tragedy, gently lampooning the stuffy monarchy while also honoring their unique and often difficult role as the heart and soul of British society. As Elizabeth is nudged slowly towards approving the inevitable state funeral and her historic personal televised tribute, we begin to understand that far from having a heart of stone, the Queen’s heart is in a cage—tightly corralled by centuries of tradition. In a country where people are famous for maintaining a “stiff upper lip” in the face of adversity, she believes her public role as ceremonial head of the nation requires her to present a stoic and unemotional facade. Far from ignoring her people’s need for solace, she truly believed she was responding as the public expected. But the public’s love—and now sorrow—for Princess Di, is an entirely new thing, calling for new behavior.

 
As the groundswell of public mourning builds and mountains of flowers and memorials grow outside Buckingham Palace, Blair (Michael Sheen) is convinced that Diana’s death requires a public, personal tribute from the Queen as well as a state funeral. Copyright © 2006 Miramax Films
The Queen emerges as a story about confronting change and defying outmoded traditions. Traditions and rote behavior can be a comfortable refuge during changing times, but it takes true courage to break the mold and act as our heart and conscience tell us. Not only did Elizabeth need to challenge convention, but she also had to find the strength to change herself. Her animosity towards Diana was no secret, but she had to rise above her personal issues to do the right thing for her nation. By giving her people the solace they needed and in reaching out in a personal way to acknowledge their grief, she herself changed and became more open and more connected to her people.

Blair himself also changes, gaining new respect for the Queen. He discovers that she has largely lived an isolated and circumscribed life. Bound by tradition, she has had much less freedom of choice than he has enjoyed, having had to live up to a role determined by birth rather than choice. Far from diminishing the Queen, the film humanizes her as a wife, daughter and mother, but with full regal stature intact. The Queen may be a small film by Hollywood standards, but it’s a small gem—very much like a stellar episode of The West Wing by way of Buckingham Palace. Expect another Oscar nomination for Mirren’s uncanny, multifaceted performance, and expect to be both amused and moved by the rare wit and charm of this fine film.

Gregg Tubbs is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Md.

This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.

Study Questions

  • What are your feelings about royalty? Do you believe some monarchs rule by divine right?
  • The film opens with a quote from Shakespeare: “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” Why do you think the filmmakers chose that quote? What do you think Shakespeare meant? Do you think being a world leader is easy?
  • The Queen expresses envy for those who can vote. Why do you think she did?
  • The film deals with roles we play, both private and public. What roles do you play?
  • Do you feel you have chosen your “role” or was it imposed on you, just like Elizabeth’s?
  • What role do you think God has in mind for you? Are you serving in that role now?
  • Elizabeth II is seen as a ruler, but the scene in the garden with the Queen Mum clearly shows she sees herself as a servant of the people. Which is she? Can you both rule and serve? How does this connect to the words of Jesus? (See Matthew 20:28.)
  • Elizabeth had to find the courage to change. Have you ever been faced with a change that took courage? Did your faith help you find that courage?
  • Elizabeth was stuck in an old way of thinking, while Tony Blair represented new way of thinking. In what ways did Jesus represent a new way of thinking?
  • Do you feel traditions are important, or stifling? Why? Are there any Christian traditions you would change? Which should not change?

Resources
Official The Queen Web site

Theatrical Trailer
QuickTime