I don’t usually use this space to discuss movies and TV, but I have to say a word or two about The Queen and Helen Mirren’s performance for which she won a much-deserved Academy Award.  Her performance as Queen Elizabeth II is not just an actor mimicking another person; no, Helen Mirren captures the essence of this most famous of modern European royalty.  The film itself is not a flattering depiction of the British royal family.  It presents Elizabeth II as a cold and uncaring, but more because of the way she was brought than by actually being cold and uncaring.  Helen Mirren captures that so astonishingly well.  This film also presents an interesting picture of Charles, Prince of Wales.  In the film he’s shown as this sort of mealy-mouthed and pathetic man who would sacrifice his own mother to become king of England. 

But what I found most interesting how Tony Blair was depicted in the film.  I don’t know much about British politics, but I know that Labor are not exactly Royalists, but Blair and his team — his wife especially — are shown to have utter contempt for the royal family and at first they see the death of Diana as some sort of political gain.  At least at first.  As time passes you can see how Blair’s attitude changes and his contempt is replaced with a deep respect, affection even, for his monarch.

I’ve never been much interested in royalty, but I always felt Diana was at least party to blame for her predicament simply because she used the press as much they used her.  I also felt like the royal family got the shaft even though they obviously misjudged the situation and were so far removed from “their people” they didn’t understand how in thrall the British people were with their “people’s princess.”