Inside The Gilded Cage

Rating: 9/10 (10 June 2007)

At an early point in THE QUEEN, Prince Charles comments that the Princess Diana known to the royal family and the Princess Diana known to the people are two entirely different entities. It is an astute observation, and much the same might be said of Queen Elizabeth II herself, a woman who has spent most of her life upholding the dignities, responsibilities, and duties of the crown regardless of her personal sentiments--and who has worked remarkably hard to keep those sentiments out of the public eye.
THE QUEEN focuses on the week following Princess Diana's fatal car crash, and Princess Diana's presence broods over the film in the form of actual news footage. But THE QUEEN focuses on Elizabeth, and as presented here she is a woman whose life has been dominated by the discipline required of her office. She has authority, wealth, and privilege of such degree that it is far, far beyond the scope of all but handful to imagine, much less understand. At the same time, however, she is a prisoner in a gilded cage; few moments are hers alone, and only her iron-clad will upholds her in the face of the demands of her office.
It not therefore surprising that upon Diana's death Elizabeth instantly sets aside her own emotions and moves forward inside the code of conduct that has dominated her entire life. Even her concerns for her grandsons must take second place to the demands of her office, and in this instance she determines that the office demands the same stability she has always offered to her people: a calm and unruffled visage and adherence to the meticulous protocol that has shaped her entire life. This proves a great miscalculation. The public, enamored of Diana, interprets this as indicative of royal indifference.
Very little can be said of Helen Mirren's performance as Queen Elizabeth II which has not already been said. It is brilliant and quite possibly unequaled in its recreation and interpretation of such a well-known and still-living figure. It is perfectly balanced by Michael Sheen in the role of Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose habitual informality offers a perfect counter-balance, and the remarkable efforts of those cast as the royals: James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms, Alex Jennings, and Helen McCrory, who play Prince Philip, The Queen Mother, Prince Charles, and Cherie Blair respectively. The tone of the film is cool, graceful, elegant, and indeed stately--and although this might have emerged as dull in other hands, it builds to a remarkable climax in the hands of Stephen Frears.
The one occasionally questionable note is the script by Peter Morgan. In one sense, it is remarkably resourceful, managing to include considerable detail; in another, however, it is extremely obvious. I was occasionally troubled by the thought that, had it not been fueled by the miraculous performances of the cast, it would have drifted into triteness. This is particularly the case in terms of character shifts, which occasionally seem unexpected and which occasionally go nowhere in particular.
It would be interesting to know what the royals and the Blairs think of the film. At present there has been--in typical Buckingham Palace style--little or no comment. The Queen herself has only noted that, given that it focuses upon a particularly painful time, she has no desire to see it. In terms of quality, the DVD is quite good without being dazzling. Bonuses include a short and generally interesting, if not particularly deep, "making of" documentary and two audio commentaries: one by director Stephen Frears and writer Peter Morgan, which is good, and one by royal expert Robert Lacey, which is better still. Strongly recommended.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer