The Queen (2006)

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writer:

Peter Morgan (written by)

Release Date:

15 September 2006 (Italy)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Tradition Prepared Her. Change Will Define Her.

Plot:

After the death of Princess Diana, HM Queen Elizabeth II struggles with her reaction to a sequence of events nobody could have predicted.

Plot Keywords:

Queen | Royal Family | Monarchy | Prime Minister | Speech

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 58 wins & 51 nominations

Cast

Helen Mirren	...	The Queen
James Cromwell	...	Prince Philip
Alex Jennings	...	Prince Charles
Roger Allam	...	Robin Janvrin
Sylvia Syms	...	Queen Mother
Tim McMullan	...	Stephen Lamport
Robin Soans	...	Equerry
Lola Peploe	...	Janvrin's Secretary
Douglas Reith	...	Lord Airlie
Joyce Henderson	...	Balmoral Maid
Pat Laffan	...	Head Ghillie
Amanda Hadingue	...	Queen's Dresser
John McGlynn	...	Balmoral Head Ghillie
Gray O'Brien	...	Charles' Valet
Dolina MacLennan	...	Balmoral Switchboard Operator

Also Known As:

La regina (Italy)
The Queen (France)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.

Runtime:

103 min | Turkey:94 min (TV version)

Country:

UK | France | Italy

Language:

English | German | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:PG | UK:12A | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Finland:K-3 | Netherlands:AL | France:U | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Germany:o.Al. | Portugal:M/12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:Atp | Denmark:A | Norway:A | Sweden:Btl | Canada:G (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Nova Scotia) | South Korea:12 | Peru:PT | USA:PG-13 (certificate #42527) | Malaysia:U | Norway:10 (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Blairquhan Castle, Blairquhan, South Ayrshire, Scotland, UK

Company:

Granada Film Productions

Trivia:

Large parts of the film are real life; it includes several of Diana's real press conferences, scenes from outside Buckingham Palace after the death of Diana (including those of flowers, and the hysterical population taking interviews), and scenes from her funeral. Therefore, many of the uncredited appearances are from Princess Diana, several broadcasters and many celebrities from the funeral (including Elton John, Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg and so on).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The numberplate on the Range Rover has the new style 'Charles Wright' font, which was introduced in September 2001.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Reporter: After weeks of campaigning on the road, Tony Blair and his family finally strolled the few hundred yards to the polling station this election day morning. Amongst the Labour faithful up and down the country, there is an enormous sense of pride in Mr. Blair's achievements, and the confidence that he is about to become the youngest prime minister this century.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Have I Got News for You: (#32.1)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

CNN World News Theme

Pointed and Impartial. Mirren is superb.

On the 1st of September 1997, the world saw tragedy. In the turmoil that followed, Princess Diana's death was blamed on the Media, the driver, and an entire array of others, before the upset and ill-meant malaise of the public was turned sneeringly to the Royal Family. In this film, we get a glimpse of what life was like inside Buckingham Palace, and whether The Queen (played here by Helen Mirren) was being cold and uncaring, or, if she was the one who was suffering most of all.

Director Stephen Frears recreates one week in 1997 with intelligent, deft strokes. The presentation of Princess Diana is artfully done in news snippets and archive footage, which brilliantly demonstrates the high impact her being had on people. The design of The Queen's home and her surroundings are convincing without being overly showy, and the Alexandre Desplat score is by turns dark, sad, and grand, perfectly summarizing the mindset of those involved.

But the film belongs to Helen Mirren, who takes on of her most challenging roles and showing us that behind the Queen lay a person, and one with feelings. In her role as the reigning lady, she is the epitome of suppressed disappointment and hurt. The Queen chose not to make a parade of her feelings in response to Diana's death, and, though the nation hated her for it, we learn here that it is not because she did not care, but because she honestly thought it the right thing to do.

As a young and newly elected Tony Blair with big aspirations and an even bigger grin, Michael Sheen is freakishly good as the Prime Minister. His performance shows a likable side of the prime minister in his refusal to side with the public over the denouncement of The Queen for her actions, and his attempts to make The Queen limit the damage that she has made is the basis for a very insightful story.

Other delights in this film come in some high-brow one-liners and some other good performances, but the best thing about it is how it manages to make you think, and even empathise with a group of people that you never saw yourself giving a toss about. At under 100 minutes, The Queen is funny, pointed and highly intelligent, showing that, as always, there are two sides to every story.