the queen film
discussion
Stephen Frears
September 2 2006
“Duty first... self second” "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" "That women has given her whole life in service of her people. 50 years doing a job she never wanted, a job she watched kill her father"
"I envy your ability to vote. The sheer joy of being partial" Portrait Artist:“You may not be allowed to vote, ma'am, but it is your government.”Queen Elizabeth II:“Yes. I suppose that is some consolation.” "all Labour PMs go gaga for the Queen"
"Yes well, you are my tenth Prime Minister, Mr Blair. My first, of course, was Winston Churchill, he sat in your chair in a frock coat and top hat. And he was kind enough to give a shy young girl like me quite an education."
"Have we shown you how to start a nuclear war yet?” Will somebody please save these people from themselves" "Nowadays people want glamor and tears, the grand performance. I've never been good at that" "The world has changed and one must modernise"
“They screwed up her life, let's hope they don't screw up her death.” “If there’s a photographer out there, he could be the first kill of the day.“ "It would appear that every proprietor and editor of every publication that has paid for intrusive and exploitative photographs has blood on its hands today""She was the people's princess, and that's how she will stay"
- The Queen: What did she say?- Prince Philip: Something about Diana managing to be even more annoying dead than alive.- The Queen: Just make sure you never let the boys hear you talk like that!
“Well, just remember, you're a man that's just been elected by the whole nation" "Sleeping in the streets and pulling out their hair for someone they never knew. And they think we're mad!"And remember, it's "Ma'am" as in "ham", not "Ma'am" as in "farm" "But, she's still, you know: The Queen"
questions
- Do the royals really find it almost impossible in most cases to trample royal protocol even when it ought to be done?
- Why are they still so tightly attached to it?
- How come did people all across Britain lament when the Princess passed away?
- Was the new Labour government shown in the film a beam of hope for the entire Kingdom indeed?
- Would the monarchy have been abolished then had the Queen not followed Blair's advice?
- What is the way the monarchy is seen today, does the entire instituion embolish a relic of the past or a feature inherent in Britain?
- If taking sides, whose side do you personally take - Charle's and Blair's as modernisers on one side, or the rest of the royal Familiy as champions of the traditionalism on the other? Who managed to conquer your sympathy?
- What do you think about the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and Tony Blair as depicted in the film?
- How does the film portray the relationship between the Queen and the Prime Minister?
- How were the relationship between the Queen and Tony Blair developing later?
- Was the Queen's decision to listen to the Prime Minister's advice the right one?
- What is Tony Blair's attitude towards the royal family?
- How does Tony Blair’s views on monarchy change throughout the film?
- Why did the Prime Minister, an ardent supporter of modernisation, change his attitude towards the monarchy after his interaction with Queen Elizabeth?
- How representatives of the Queen and Tony Blair differ?
- Can one say that the film is politically biased?
- How did exposure to the press lead to Diana’s death?
- Why did the Queen regard Diana's death as a private affair and not as an official royal death?
- Why didn`t the Queen want to treat Diana`s death as an official royal death?
- Why has the royal family been so reluctant to publicly express their regret over Princess Diana's death?
- Why did the royal family's senior members make no effort to acknowledge Diana's significance to society?
- What conclusions can be drawn about the relationship between Diana and the royal family from their behaviour after her death?
- What might the deer scene symbolise?
- What impression does the royal family make?
- Do you believe Charles is portrayed accurately in the film?
- What does the film suggest about the role of the monarchy in modern society?
- Why did the majority of the country believe that Queen`s actions were damaging to the monarchy?
- What is more important for us as society - to preserve traditions or to move along the path of modernization?
- Is it possible to remain a human while ruling a country?
- How were personal struggles and emotions of the Queen depicted in the film?
- What are some of the key moments in the film that highlight the challenges faced by Queen Elizabeth II?
commentaries
The film is undoubtedly a treasure fot those passionate about british history and monarchy in particular. It's a rare example of a documentary showing the full range of emotions and all the twists and turns of the fate. Not only been I entirely and deeply moved, but also this film managed to give me a food for thought, foremost, thought on human nature. Incredible loyalty to traditions, blind devotion to the foundations and instutions derived from the ancient times and barely responding to the modern needs are all the things that seem to a certain extend irrational, but it does perfectly make sense for some and for, I'd say, the outright majority of us. Wheither it's a sense of comfort or appeasment that we find in such things I don't know, but what it's clear is that it should be handled with care. Though it's all wonderful how this state-of-the-art innovations get along with such relics, the truth is that nothing can stand still without being touch by the wind of changes. As are the monarchy and its pillars. Albeit it's all worth respecting and preserving, the core idea is expressed by the lead of the film herself - the world has changed and one must modernise. However, I'd somehow restate it to my own taste to avoid ambiguity by saying - The world has changed and one must change after". Thank you for such a wonderful choice!
Personally, I truly enjoyed it! The plot is captivating enough, the language is beautiful and exquisite, and the acting is excellent (Michael Sheen is one of my favourite actors :)). Thank you for giving us this assignment!
I liked the way the Royal Family and relationships between them were portrayed. The film creates a sense that you can look into what goes on backstage in the monarchy. We can see that the British monarchy is quite an outdated institution that keeps to traditions that are no longer relevant in the modern world.
Overall, “The Queen” is a wonderful film. First and foremost, the color scheme and sound design are marvellous. Moreover, the topic of the film is still relevant 20 years later. The gist is pretty much captivating. Although what stands out most is the cast. All actors managed to fit into their roles perfectly. Finally, real-life footage elevates the film to another level. Final scenes are quite touching, heart-wrenching even.
I find the film to be quite entertaining and even insightful as it explores one of the most significant moments in modern British history and depicts the challenge the monarch faced, torn between the traditional values she holds dear and the evolving expectations of the modern world. It also elaborates on the importance of speeches and addresses in forming of public opinion. The film leans towards a more dramatised interpretation of the events and highlights the emotions of the characters. The film is not always quite accurate as it, in my opinion, often exaggerates the reality. For example, we see everyone, including the Queen, being shocked by the fact that 25% of the population is in favour of abolishing the monarchy, and we are led to believe that it is an aftermath of the mismanagement of Diana’s death and that never before was the abolishment idea so popular. However, the level of support for republican ideas has been consistent at around 20% for decades now, and it wasn’t significantly affected by the events of 1997. Talking about Tony Blair, I think the film is very complementary for him and attempts to make him relatable (we see him doing some chores, spending all the time at home with his family and living in a quite worn-out apartment). It also shows him as a sort of «saviour», the only one who was able and determined to bridge the gap between the Queen and the public. At the same time, I could not help but compare the film with the show «The Crown», especially given the fact that both shows were made by the same writer. It is striking that the film is not that detail-oriented or polished. It was also rather distracting that Charles in The Queen and Edward VIII in The Crown were played by the same actor (which is obviously not the fault of the film-makers as the film was made 10 years before the show).All in all, it is definitely a piece worth seeing, especially for all those interested in British history and the royal family.
It was interesting to learn about the details of the atmosphere reigned in the royal family at that period connected to Diana`s death and to understand the feelings of the Queen towards the Princess.
This film impressed me greatly with its plot, in-depth character analysis and original stage moves. In my opinion, the director succeeded perfectly in conveying the image of the royal family and their daily life. Royal service is closely connected with duty, self-control and cold calculation and often it can be seen as ignorance and indifference. Moreover, the setting of the film and the general atmosphere perfectly conveyed the British lifestyle and mentality. The film makes you think about a lot of matters: what comes first, duty or emotion? How do tradition and modernisation relate to each other? Who does the public love and who does it despise? I am sure that everyone will be able to give their own answer to these questions after watching the film.
I personally really liked the film. I think it perfectly portrayed the balance between the traditionalist monarchy on the one hand and the new modernising labour government on the other. There is an excellent performance by all the actors and especially Helen Mirren. She portrays Elizabeth as strong, intelligent and reserved, but with a kind heart and sensitivity. I think we can say that this is one of those rare cases when an actress gets used to a role rather than playing it. I also liked the plot. In my opinion, it managed to be vastly factological, representing the peculiarity of the British monarchy.
The Queen
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Transcript
the queen film
discussion
Stephen Frears
September 2 2006
“Duty first... self second” "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" "That women has given her whole life in service of her people. 50 years doing a job she never wanted, a job she watched kill her father"
"I envy your ability to vote. The sheer joy of being partial" Portrait Artist:“You may not be allowed to vote, ma'am, but it is your government.”Queen Elizabeth II:“Yes. I suppose that is some consolation.” "all Labour PMs go gaga for the Queen"
"Yes well, you are my tenth Prime Minister, Mr Blair. My first, of course, was Winston Churchill, he sat in your chair in a frock coat and top hat. And he was kind enough to give a shy young girl like me quite an education."
"Have we shown you how to start a nuclear war yet?” Will somebody please save these people from themselves" "Nowadays people want glamor and tears, the grand performance. I've never been good at that" "The world has changed and one must modernise"
“They screwed up her life, let's hope they don't screw up her death.” “If there’s a photographer out there, he could be the first kill of the day.“ "It would appear that every proprietor and editor of every publication that has paid for intrusive and exploitative photographs has blood on its hands today""She was the people's princess, and that's how she will stay"
- The Queen: What did she say?- Prince Philip: Something about Diana managing to be even more annoying dead than alive.- The Queen: Just make sure you never let the boys hear you talk like that!
“Well, just remember, you're a man that's just been elected by the whole nation" "Sleeping in the streets and pulling out their hair for someone they never knew. And they think we're mad!"And remember, it's "Ma'am" as in "ham", not "Ma'am" as in "farm" "But, she's still, you know: The Queen"
questions
commentaries
The film is undoubtedly a treasure fot those passionate about british history and monarchy in particular. It's a rare example of a documentary showing the full range of emotions and all the twists and turns of the fate. Not only been I entirely and deeply moved, but also this film managed to give me a food for thought, foremost, thought on human nature. Incredible loyalty to traditions, blind devotion to the foundations and instutions derived from the ancient times and barely responding to the modern needs are all the things that seem to a certain extend irrational, but it does perfectly make sense for some and for, I'd say, the outright majority of us. Wheither it's a sense of comfort or appeasment that we find in such things I don't know, but what it's clear is that it should be handled with care. Though it's all wonderful how this state-of-the-art innovations get along with such relics, the truth is that nothing can stand still without being touch by the wind of changes. As are the monarchy and its pillars. Albeit it's all worth respecting and preserving, the core idea is expressed by the lead of the film herself - the world has changed and one must modernise. However, I'd somehow restate it to my own taste to avoid ambiguity by saying - The world has changed and one must change after". Thank you for such a wonderful choice!
Personally, I truly enjoyed it! The plot is captivating enough, the language is beautiful and exquisite, and the acting is excellent (Michael Sheen is one of my favourite actors :)). Thank you for giving us this assignment!
I liked the way the Royal Family and relationships between them were portrayed. The film creates a sense that you can look into what goes on backstage in the monarchy. We can see that the British monarchy is quite an outdated institution that keeps to traditions that are no longer relevant in the modern world.
Overall, “The Queen” is a wonderful film. First and foremost, the color scheme and sound design are marvellous. Moreover, the topic of the film is still relevant 20 years later. The gist is pretty much captivating. Although what stands out most is the cast. All actors managed to fit into their roles perfectly. Finally, real-life footage elevates the film to another level. Final scenes are quite touching, heart-wrenching even.
I find the film to be quite entertaining and even insightful as it explores one of the most significant moments in modern British history and depicts the challenge the monarch faced, torn between the traditional values she holds dear and the evolving expectations of the modern world. It also elaborates on the importance of speeches and addresses in forming of public opinion. The film leans towards a more dramatised interpretation of the events and highlights the emotions of the characters. The film is not always quite accurate as it, in my opinion, often exaggerates the reality. For example, we see everyone, including the Queen, being shocked by the fact that 25% of the population is in favour of abolishing the monarchy, and we are led to believe that it is an aftermath of the mismanagement of Diana’s death and that never before was the abolishment idea so popular. However, the level of support for republican ideas has been consistent at around 20% for decades now, and it wasn’t significantly affected by the events of 1997. Talking about Tony Blair, I think the film is very complementary for him and attempts to make him relatable (we see him doing some chores, spending all the time at home with his family and living in a quite worn-out apartment). It also shows him as a sort of «saviour», the only one who was able and determined to bridge the gap between the Queen and the public. At the same time, I could not help but compare the film with the show «The Crown», especially given the fact that both shows were made by the same writer. It is striking that the film is not that detail-oriented or polished. It was also rather distracting that Charles in The Queen and Edward VIII in The Crown were played by the same actor (which is obviously not the fault of the film-makers as the film was made 10 years before the show).All in all, it is definitely a piece worth seeing, especially for all those interested in British history and the royal family.
It was interesting to learn about the details of the atmosphere reigned in the royal family at that period connected to Diana`s death and to understand the feelings of the Queen towards the Princess.
This film impressed me greatly with its plot, in-depth character analysis and original stage moves. In my opinion, the director succeeded perfectly in conveying the image of the royal family and their daily life. Royal service is closely connected with duty, self-control and cold calculation and often it can be seen as ignorance and indifference. Moreover, the setting of the film and the general atmosphere perfectly conveyed the British lifestyle and mentality. The film makes you think about a lot of matters: what comes first, duty or emotion? How do tradition and modernisation relate to each other? Who does the public love and who does it despise? I am sure that everyone will be able to give their own answer to these questions after watching the film.
I personally really liked the film. I think it perfectly portrayed the balance between the traditionalist monarchy on the one hand and the new modernising labour government on the other. There is an excellent performance by all the actors and especially Helen Mirren. She portrays Elizabeth as strong, intelligent and reserved, but with a kind heart and sensitivity. I think we can say that this is one of those rare cases when an actress gets used to a role rather than playing it. I also liked the plot. In my opinion, it managed to be vastly factological, representing the peculiarity of the British monarchy.