THE QUEEN
© 2006 by C. E. Murphy. All Rights Reserved.
Dame Helen Mirren as The Queen
in The Queen. Directed by Stephen
Frears, U.K., 2006; 99m

Photo Credit: Laurie Sparham
(Courtesy of Miramax Films)

        The opening night selection for the 44th New York Film Festival, THE QUEEN,
set the bar pretty high for the remainder of the festival. And it was only met by the
closing night film, the ineffably brilliant PAN'S LABYRINTH.

        THE QUEEN is a showcase for the superb performance of its leading lady,
Dame Helen Mirren. This is a rare case in contemporary history that the sitting
monarch has been portrayed in a fictional work that is not meant to be satirical.
(The other was Alan Bennett's play and subsequent television adaptation
A QUESTION OF ATTRIBUTION and in that she was very much a supporting
character.)  

        Peter Morgan's terrific screenplay focuses on the week in late summer 1997
just following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Director Stephen Frears has
judiciously used archival footage of Diana and of the crowds outside Buckingham
Palace. He also guides his gifted cast, lead by Mirren and including Michael
Sheen (as Prime Minister Tony Blair), Helen McCrory (as Cherie Blair), James
Cromwell (as Prince Philip), Alex Jennings (as Prince Charles) and Sylvia Syms
(as the Queen Mother), to some of the best work of their respective careers.

        The film is both cheeky but respectful and it makes an attempt to try to
understand the people behind the public personae. There are moments that have
you laughing and moments that will bring you to tears. It's a monumental triumph
for all involved, but especially for Helen Mirren who caps off a year that saw her
play Elizabeth I in an HBO miniseries (and win an Emmy for it) before tackling
Elizabeth II. Both performances allowed this terrific and extremely gifted actress
to remind Hollywood and moviemakers that women over 35 can be viable
leads in compelling stories.

       Despite some minor imperfections (the metaphorical use of a stag feels
shoehorned in and is a bit heavy-handed, for instance) THE QUEEN is a
remarkable achievement and a worthy opener to the Festival.

                        Rated:                    A -
                        Running time:        97 mins.
                        MPAA Rating:         PG-13 for brief strong language