Oscars for Mirren, Cromwell

Rating: 10/10 (22 November 2006)

In the end, Stephen Frears' "The Queen" shows how the traditionalism of the British monarchy comes head to head with the modernization of PM Tony Blair.
Opening the film is the election of Labour Party Prime Minister candidate Tony Blair, three months before the devastating events of August 31, 1997. In his first meeting with HRH Queen Elizabeth II (aka The Queen) after his election, in which, according to tradition, he must acquire the permission of the monarch to be the Prime Minister, The Queen, played by Helen Mirren ("Gosford Park") is presented to the audience as being a stoic, unemotional woman. It isn't as though Mirren's presenting HRH as wooden, but as a solemn monarch, unhappy with the election and not wanting to show it, but for Blair to know it. PM Blair (Michael Sheen) is seen as an excited for his victory, This is only our first encounter of many more to follow between The Queen and Blair, but certainly a glimpse at what appears to be the repeating battle of traditionalism (here, acquiring the monarch's permission) v. modernization (not seen in this scene, but to appear later on).
After this preceding, almost prophetic, meeting begins the week after Diana, Princess of Wales, is killed in a Paris car crash, the period of time the which the film covers. Prince Phillip (James Cromwell, "Babe," "RKO 281"), shocked and appalled by the immense outpouring of grief for Diana by people who never even met her, decides to take his grandsons, Diana's sons, stagging at their Scottish estate to keep them away from the press. The Queen, in a criticized decision, decides to come along afterward. Here The Queen decides that the death of Diana is a private manner, not to be discussed publicly, and does not make a statement. Here traditionalism comes into play. Blair, upset with The Queen's decision not to release a statement, comes out with one himself.
In a scene in which The Queen fords a river with a jeep and it breaks down, she finally allows her built up emotions regarding Diana to come out. She just cries. Sitting on a rock in the middle of the river, she just bawls. In an almost metaphorical moment, she sees a stag on the river bank, hears a gun shot and tries to shoo it away. After she looks for where the shot came from, she looks at where the stag was, but it's gone all of the sudden.
As Blair, angry with The Queen for not showing any emotion, comforting a grieving nation, or even putting the Buckingham Palace flag at half staff urges her to do four things, in order to repair the damage she has caused the monarchy: 1. Make a speech, via live television, to the people of England; 2. Pay her respects to Diana's coffin directly, 3. Look at the tokens of grief outside the gates of her Scottish estate; and 4. Lower the flag at Buckingham Palace at half staff. The last demand of Blair to The Queen is a direct take on the traditionalism of the monarchy. The flag is only to be used to signal The Queen's presence, not for anything else, not even to show the mourning for the death of a monarch.
Up until this point, The Queen's, and Price Phillip's, main reason for not making a statement was to look after their grandchildren. Prince Charles, portrayed as a weak, emotional, and non-affirmative man, is too distracted with the preparations for his deceased ex-wife. The Queen relents to all of Blair's instructions. She sucks up her pride and make a speech to the entire world live, even though planned for just England.
This film ends with a discussion between The Queen and Blair and her unspoken gratitude of what he made her do.
"The Queen" is one of the best films I have seen this year. I would give the Oscar for Best Actress to Helen Mirren for her outstanding, reserved performance of HRH. James Cromwell, also a standout, deserves a Oscar for his role as Prince Phillip. Also, a screenplay nomination would be in order, but not for a win as well as Direction for Stephen Frears, cinematography for the panning shots of the Scottish countryside, editing for the flawless incorporation of archive footage, and for Best Picture.