I saw the movie “The Queen” the other night. Helen Mirren stars as Queen Elizabeth II, the film’s central figure. Everyone knows that Mirren won an Academy Award as Best Actress for her role in the film — and deservedly so. I should note that Michael Sheen also does a fine job of playing Prime Minister Tony Blair.
I didn’t realize before seeing the it, but the movie is about a single week in 1997 surrounding the death of Lady Diana Spencer (7/1/61 – 8/31/97).
The movie focuses on the utter lack of understanding the royal family had about the overwhelming grief suffered by the British people — and millions of others throughout the world. While Tony Blair tried to gently push Queen Elizabeth into making an official statement of grief, the outrage in Britain mounted over what was perceived as the cold-heartedness of the royal family.
Seeing how out of step the Queen was in this matter, Tony Blair asks “will someone please save these people from themselves?” He soon finds out that if they’re to be saved, he must be the one to do it.
I liked — as anyone would — the “look behind the curtain” this movie provides as we see the royal family at Buckingham Palace and Balmoral Castle. It also shows how out of touch the privileged are in society. I’m reminded of Oprah’s recent road trip with Gayle King when they pulled over to a gas station and Oprah didn’t know how to pump gas and admitted that she hadn’t pumped gas since 1983.
The royal — and rich — are simply different than you and I.
The movie does a great job of highlighting the issue of the sometimes fragile relationship between a monarch and its people. Only at the end of the movie does Queen Elizabeth seem to grasp that what the people give, they can take away.
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