by Anna Iuppa

Often the most superb films are the unknowns that make the least amount of money at the box office. Sometimes it is because they are independently made or because they have not gained enough momentum in advertising and popularity. Whatever the reason, the tragedy is that these incredible pieces of art are forgotten and missed by audiences who could have been moved by their messages. Just such a film is The Queen, which takes audiences into the fiercely private British royal family in the days following Princess Diana’s death.

I was fascinated with this film from the get go. Because Princess Diana’s premature death took place when I was only in third grade, I have few memories from her lifetime. However, I do recall people’s reaction to her death. I distinctly remember the shock from family members and friends as we all watched on television the horde of flowers placed in her honor at Buckingham Palace and the millions of crying bystanders. But even those who are old enough to remember Princess Diana and her death never got the other side of the story. That is why The Queen is so interesting. Everyone knows that Diana was never popular with the Royal Family, but this film gives insight into their reactions to her death and the ruckus they believed she caused from the grave.

In the film, as soon as Princess Diana’s death is announced, the Queen, played brilliantly by Helen Mirren, along with the rest of the Royal Family decide to cope with the death in private with dignity at one of their country estates. However, they eventually come to realize that Princess Diana’s worldwide popularity, which is shown with actual camera footage from the time, is more astounding than they could have ever imagined. The Queen’s decision to not go to London to see her people and to refrain from flying the flag at half-mast above Buckingham Palace (which by the way had never been flown at half-mast for any member of Royalty’s death) causes a complete uproar by all but especially by the citizens of the United Kingdom. Eventually, the Queen concedes but only after a newspaper statistic reports that 1 in 4 English citizens thinks that the English monarchy should be abolished completely. The genius of this film is that it is at times humorous as it pokes fun at the rigidity of the Royal Family, tragic as it shows those deeply affected by Princess Diana’s death, and thought-provoking as the values of tradition and honor are contrasted with the necessary modernization and transformation of England. Rather than make the Queen look like a villain full of hatred toward Diana, the story sympathizes with her struggle between maintaining dignity in the private way that she knows and changing with her country’s citizens. The end result of this excellent character study is a rich and moving story full of symbolism and a first-time insight into the personalities of the Royal Family. So take advantage of hearing about The Queen and make your movie experience worthwhile by seeing this small but superb film!

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