Royal flush
THE QUEEN Director: Stephen Frears Cert. 12a
Some of us know only too well about the painful aftermath of divorce and how its effects are felt in the wider family. Its bitter poison is long-lasting and far-reaching. The point is illustrated well in The Queen.
Helen Mirren’s performance as Her Majesty in the week following the death of Princess Diana is extraordinary: it is noble and human, funny and poignant and so lifelike, to the last wave of the hand and tilt of the chin. The palace may deny the accuracy of the detail, but the audience gains an insight into the machinations of a family under siege and a monarchy in crisis.
The film concerns the reaction of the royal family to the news of Diana’s death and the role of the newly-elected Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in helping the Queen to come to terms with the public mood.
