The Favourite

**The Favourite** is a 2018 film starring Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara and produced by Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lanthimos and Lee Magiday.

The film was a financial success as it generated a profit of $17 million.

## Plot

In 1711, Great Britain is at war with France. Queen Anne is in poor health; she shows little interest in governing, preferring activities such as racing ducks and playing with her 17 rabbits, surrogates for the children she miscarried or who died in infancy. Her confidante, adviser, and furtive lover Sarah Churchill effectively rules the country through her influence over the Queen. Sarah's efforts to control Anne are undermined by Robert Harley, the Leader of the Opposition, who as a landowner argues against a doubling of property taxes proposed to fund the war.

Abigail Hill, Sarah's impoverished younger cousin, arrives in search of employment. Abigail's standing has been tainted by her father, who gambled her away in a game of whist. Abigail is forced to do menial work as a scullery maid in the palace. After seeing the Queen's gout, Abigail forages for herbs and applies them to the Queen's inflamed legs. Sarah has Abigail whipped for entering the Queen's bedroom without permission but relents and appoints her Lady of the Bedchamber after realising the herbs have helped the Queen. One night, Abigail witnesses Sarah and the Queen have sex. Harley asks Abigail to spy on Sarah and the Queen, hoping to circumvent Sarah's authority. Abigail refuses Harley's offer, and then tells Sarah about this while implying that she knows about their secret and that it is safe with her, but receives a subtle warning from her in case she cannot be trusted.

With Sarah focused on the war effort, Abigail kindles a friendship with Anne that becomes sexual. Sarah finds out about this and tries to remove Abigail from her position, which Abigail prevents by earning pity from the Queen. Knowing she earned a powerful enemy and desperate to be a lady again, she reconsiders Harley's offer. Sarah becomes aware of Abigail's machinations and after flaunting her deeper friendship with the Queen, threatens to throw her back to the streets. Abigail drugs Sarah's tea, causing her to fall off her horse and be dragged unconscious on the ground. Sarah awakens in a brothel, battered from the fall. Anne, thinking Sarah has abandoned her to make her jealous, takes Abigail into her favour and allows her to marry Colonel Masham, reinstating Abigail's noble standing as a Baroness, with the help of Harley. Abigail then helps Harley's influence on the Queen's decision about the war.

When Sarah returns to court, Abigail offers her a truce but is instead rejected and slapped. Sarah then issues an ultimatum to Queen Anne: change her stance on the war and send Abigail away or Sarah will disclose her correspondence with Anne that details their sexual relationship. She tells Anne that Abigail does not love her and merely flatters her. Sarah, remorseful, burns the letters but Anne nevertheless sends her away from court. Godolphin convinces Anne to mend her relationship with Sarah if the latter sends a letter, then persuades Sarah to send one. Anne eagerly awaits for Sarah's letter, while Sarah attempts to express what she feels in writing. When Abigail, who has been promoted to Keeper of the Privy Purse, presents what she claims is evidence Sarah had been embezzling money, Anne does not believe her. Sarah's letter finally arrives but is intercepted by Abigail who tearfully burns it. Hurt that she did not receive the expected apology, Anne uses Abigail's claims about the embezzlement as an excuse to exile Sarah and her husband from Britain.

With Sarah gone and her position secure, Abigail begins to neglect and ignore Anne while indulging in court society and openly having affairs. One day, while lounging in the Queen's chamber, Abigail abuses one of Anne's rabbits. Anne, now very sick, is awakened by the animal's distressed cry and sees what Abigail is doing. Anne forces herself out of bed and angrily orders Abigail to kneel and massage her leg. She gradually pulls Abigail's hair and bears down on her head as Abigail winces and continues to begrudgingly massage her.