The Queen (2006 film)

Last updated

The Queen
The Queen movie.jpg
British theatrical release poster
Directed by Stephen Frears
Written by Peter Morgan
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Affonso Beato
Edited by Lucia Zucchetti
Music by Alexandre Desplat
Production
companies
Distributed byPathé Distribution (United Kingdom, France and Switzerland)
BIM Distribuzione (Italy) [1]
Release dates
  • 2 September 2006 (2006-09-02)(Venice)
  • 15 September 2006 (2006-09-15)(United Kingdom)
  • 18 October 2006 (2006-10-18)(France)
Running time
103 minutes [2]
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • France
  • Italy
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million
Box office$123.5 million [1]

The Queen is a 2006 drama film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Peter Morgan. The film depicts the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. The Royal Family regards Diana's death as a private affair and thus not to be treated as an official royal death, in contrast with the views of Prime Minister Tony Blair and Diana's ex-husband, Prince Charles, who favour the general public's desire for an official expression of grief. Matters are further complicated by the media, royal protocol regarding Diana's official status, and wider issues about republicanism.

Contents

The film's development coincided with a revival of favourable public sentiment in respect to the British monarchy, a downturn in fortunes for Blair, and the inquest into the death of Diana, Operation Paget. Michael Sheen reprised his role as Blair from The Deal and he did so again in The Special Relationship .

The Queen garnered widespread critical and popular acclaim for Helen Mirren playing the title role of Queen Elizabeth II. [3] Mirren was praised by the Queen herself and was invited to dinner at Buckingham Palace. [4] However, Mirren declined to attend due to filming commitments in Hollywood. [5]

Plot

The 1997 general election has Tony Blair and the Labour Party elected on a manifesto of reform and modernisation. Less than four months later, Diana, Princess of Wales is killed in a car crash at the Alma Bridge tunnel in Paris.

Immediately, her death presents problems for her former husband, Prince Charles, and the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to accord the mother of a future king who is no longer a member of the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II wonders if Blair will turn his modernisation pledge on to the royal family since he attempts to have her reconsider her views on the funeral plans. Diana's family, the Spencers, calls for the funeral to be private.

Following a speech in which Blair describes Diana as the "People's Princess" and the adoption of the title by the press, an outpouring of grief by the general public begins in broadcasts and displays of floral tributes so numerous at Buckingham and Kensington Palaces that the main entrances onto the complexes have to be rerouted. The royal family's senior members make no effort to acknowledge Diana's significance to society as the Queen feels that she must comfort and shield her grandsons following the death of their mother, and so remains on holiday at Balmoral. The royal family's popularity plummets, while Blair's approval rises as he responds to the royal family's public outcry of inaction.

Blair's attempts to guide the royal family through the controversy are met with resistance: the Queen describes them as a surrender to public hysteria. Despite the Queen and Prince Philip's indignation toward any sympathy toward Diana or acknowledgment of the country's mourning, he is encouraged by the private secretaries of both the Prince of Wales and the Queen to continue with his attempts to change the attitude of the royal family. As Britain continues its outpouring of grief, Blair attempts to defend the royal family publicly, but his attempts are futile. Blair's compassion earns him overwhelming praise and adoration, while the royal family's indifference earns them fiery condemnation from the people.

As Britain's outrage hits a critical mass, Blair cannot placate the Queen's refusal to acknowledge Diana and the public any longer, revealing to her that 70% of the country believes her actions are damaging to the monarchy, and "1 in 4" people are in favour of abolishing the monarchy altogether. Blair adamantly insists that the royal family fly the flag at Buckingham Palace at half-mast, that the Queen pay her respects to Diana, and give a public address consoling the country.

Although she is demoralised by the country's reaction and the Prime Minister's suggestions, the Queen comes to realise that the world has changed during her reign. She and Prince Philip return to London despite their disagreement. The Queen finally pays public tribute on live television to Diana's significance to the nation and society and can somewhat quell Britain's agony. The royal family attends the public funeral for Diana at Westminster Abbey.

At Blair's next meeting with the Queen, they exchange views about what has happened since their last meeting, including the controversy surrounding Diana's death and the actions that followed. Then she cautions the prime minister that, just as public opinion has changed about how the royal family should react to a new Britain, so must he as he may very well find himself in the same position of changing public opinion.

Cast

The film uses archival footage of Diana, Princess of Wales, Camilla Parker Bowles, Nicholas Owen, Julia Somerville, Martyn Lewis, Trevor McDonald and John Suchet.

Production

Filming

The screenplay was written by Peter Morgan. [6] It was produced by Pathé Pictures and Granada Productions (ITV Productions). Stephen Frears had a clause in his contract from The Deal that allowed him to direct any follow-ups or sequels, and he was officially announced as director in September 2003. [7] The film was shot on location in the United Kingdom, in England in London, Halton House and Waddesdon Manor, in Buckinghamshire, Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire and in Scotland at Balmoral Castle,[ citation needed ] Castle Fraser [8] and Cluny Castle [9] in Aberdeenshire, and Blairquhan Castle and Culzean Castle in South Ayrshire.

Set design

The sets were designed by Alan MacDonald, which won him Best Art Direction in a Contemporary Film from the Art Directors Guild and Best Technical Achievement at the British Independent Film Awards. [10]

Portraying the Queen

Mirren says transforming herself into the Queen came almost naturally after the wig and glasses, since she shares a default facial expression—a slightly downturned mouth—with the monarch. [11] She regularly reviewed film and video footage of Elizabeth and kept photographs in her trailer during production. [12] She also undertook extensive voice coaching, faithfully reproducing the Queen's delivery of her televised speech to the world. Morgan has said that her performance was so convincing that, by the end of production, crew members who had been accustomed to slouching or relaxing when they addressed her were standing straight up and respectfully folding their hands behind their backs. [11] Mirren arranged to spend time off-camera with the supporting cast playing other members of the Royal Family, including James Cromwell, Alex Jennings and Sylvia Syms so they would be as comfortable with each other as a real family. [12]

To enhance the contrast of their different worlds, shots involving the Queen were taken in 35mm film and those of Tony Blair in 16mm film. [13]

Television viewership and home media

ITV's role in the production of the film allowed them an option for its television premiere and it was broadcast on 2 September 2007 (coinciding that weekend with a memorial service to Diana) to an average audience of 7.9 million, winning its timeslot. [14] [15] The DVD was released in the UK on 12 March 2007. Special features include a making-of featurette and an audio commentary by Stephen Frears, writer Peter Morgan and Robert Lacey, biographer of Queen Elizabeth II. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD in the USA on 24 April 2007 and, as of 2013, US DVD sales had exceeded $29 million. [16]

Historical accuracy

Some aspects of the characters are known to be true to their real-life counterparts. According to Morgan, "cabbage" is an actual term of endearment Philip used for his wife (mon chou – "my cabbage" – is a standard affectionate nickname in French). [11]

Other elements represent characteristics associated with people depicted. The electric guitar seen behind Blair in his personal office is a reference to his past membership in the band Ugly Rumours while a student. The Newcastle United football jersey he wears to a family breakfast is a reference to his support of that team. The film also shows Alastair Campbell coining the term "The People's Princess", but in 2007 he revealed that it was Tony Blair who came up with it. [17]

A notable inaccuracy is that Robin Janvrin is represented as the Queen's private secretary during the aftermath of Diana's death. In fact, that position was then occupied by Janvrin's predecessor, Sir Robert Fellowes; Janvrin was the deputy private secretary until 1999. However, the film is accurate in depicting Janvrin as the person who delivered the news of Diana's accident to the Queen at Balmoral during the night. [18] The change may have been made to avoid confusing the audience by depicting the complicated family relationships involved[ citation needed ] Fellowes was, in fact, also Diana's brother-in-law (by his marriage to her sister, Lady Jane Spencer) and is a first cousin of Sarah, Duchess of York.

Reception

Box office

The film exceeded box-office expectations; with a budget of $15 million the film earned $56.4 million in the United States and Canada. [19]

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 97%, based on 203 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Full of wit, humour and pathos, Stephen Frears' moving portrait looks at life of the British royals during the period after Princess Diana's death." [20] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 91 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [21]

Before the film was released, critics praised both Stephen Frears and Peter Morgan, who later received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay. Michael Sheen's performance as Tony Blair earned him particular acclaim. Helen Mirren's portrayal, which garnered her acclaim from critics around the world, made her a favourite for the Academy Award for Best Actress well before the film was released in cinemas. After its showing at the Venice Film Festival, Mirren received a five-minute-long standing ovation. [22] Roger Ebert came out of recovery from surgery to give the film a review, in which he called it "spellbinding" and gave it four out of four stars. [23]

Amongst the few negative reviews, Slant Magazine 's Nick Schager criticised the insider portraiture of the film as "somewhat less than revelatory, in part because Morgan's script succumbs to cutie-pie jokiness [...] and broad caricature", mentioning particularly "James Cromwell's Prince Philip, who envisions the crowned heads as exiled victims and the gathering crowds as encroaching 'Zulus'". [24]

Accolades

Mirren won in the leading actress category at the Academy Awards, the British Academy Film Awards, the Critics' Choice Movie Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Mirren also won awards from the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the National Board of Review, the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association, and many other awards of which are listed below except she was nominated for at least three more. In most of her acceptance speeches, she expressed her admiration for the real Queen, and dedicated both her Golden Globe and her Oscar to Elizabeth II.

As of 2022, Mirren from The Queen and Forest Whitaker from The Last King of Scotland are the only two lead performances for portraying real-life leaders, and they are the only lead performers to ever sweep the rarest achievements known as "The Big Four" critics awards ( LAFCA , NBR , NYFCC , NSFC ) as well as win the Oscar, BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, and SAG awards in the same year.

AwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards Best Movie for Grownups Nominated [25]
Best Director Stephen Frears Nominated
Best Actress Helen Mirren Won
Academy Awards Best Picture Andy Harries, Christine Langan, and Tracey Seaward Nominated [26]
Best Director Stephen FrearsNominated
Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
Best Original Screenplay Peter Morgan Nominated
Best Costume Design Consolata Boyle Nominated
Best Original Score Alexandre Desplat Nominated
African-American Film Critics Association Awards Best ActressHelen MirrenWon
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards Best Picture Stephen FrearsWon [27]
Best Drama by or About WomenNominated
Best Actress in a Dramatic PerformanceHelen MirrenWon
American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic Lucia Zucchetti Nominated
Art Directors Guild Awards Excellence in Production Design for a Contemporary Film Alan MacDonald, Peter Wenham, Ben Smith,
Katie Buckley, Tim Monroe, and Franck Schwartz
Nominated [28]
Austin Film Critics Association Awards Top Ten Films7th Place [29]
Awards Circuit Community AwardsBest Actress in a Leading RoleHelen MirrenWon
Best Original ScreenplayPeter MorganNominated
BMI Film & TV Awards Film Music AwardAlexandre DesplatWon
Bodil Awards Best Non-American Film Stephen FrearsNominated [30]
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards Best Actress Helen MirrenWon [31]
Best Supporting Actor Michael Sheen Runner-up
Best Screenplay Peter MorganRunner-up
British Academy Film Awards Best Film Andy Harries, Christine Langan, and Tracey SeawardWon [32]
Outstanding British Film Andy Harries, Christine Langan, Tracey Seaward,
Stephen Frears, and Peter Morgan
Nominated
Best Direction Stephen FrearsNominated
Best Actress in a Leading Role Helen MirrenWon
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Michael SheenNominated
Best Original Screenplay Peter MorganNominated
Best Costume Design Consolata BoyleNominated
Best Editing Lucia ZucchettiNominated
Best Makeup and Hair Daniel Phillips Nominated
Best Original Music Alexandre DesplatNominated
British Independent Film Awards Best British Independent Film Nominated [33]
Best Director Stephen FrearsNominated
Best Actress Helen MirrenNominated
Best Screenplay Peter MorganWon
Best Technical AchievementAlan MacDonald (for production design)Nominated
Daniel Phillips (for makeup)Nominated
Camerimage Golden Frog (Main Competition) Affonso Beato Nominated
Central Ohio Film Critics Association AwardsBest ActressHelen MirrenWon [34]
César Awards Best Foreign Film Stephen FrearsNominated [35]
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Nominated [36]
Best Director Stephen FrearsNominated
Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
Best Supporting Actor Michael SheenNominated
Best Original Screenplay Peter MorganWon
Best Original Score Alexandre DesplatNominated
Chicago International Film Festival Audience Choice AwardStephen FrearsWon
Costume Designers Guild Awards Excellence in Contemporary Film Consolata BoyleWon [37]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Picture Nominated [38]
Best Director Stephen FrearsNominated
Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
Best Writer Peter MorganNominated
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards Top 10 Films 4th Place [39]
Best Film Nominated
Best Director Stephen FrearsNominated
Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
Best Supporting Actor Michael SheenNominated
David di Donatello Awards Best European Film Stephen FrearsNominated
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures Nominated [40]
Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards Best ActressHelen MirrenNominated [41]
Empire Awards Best British Film Nominated [42]
Best Actress Helen MirrenNominated
European Film Awards European Film Nominated [43]
European Director Stephen FrearsNominated
European Actress Helen MirrenWon
European Screenwriter Peter MorganNominated
European Composer Alexandre DesplatWon
Prix d'ExcellenceLucia Zucchetti (for editing)Nominated
People's Choice AwardNominated
Evening Standard British Film Awards Best ScreenplayPeter Morgan (also for The Last King of Scotland )Won
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Actress Helen MirrenWon [44]
Gold Derby Film Awards Best Lead ActressWon [45]
Best Supporting ActorMichael SheenWon
Best Original ScreenplayPeter MorganNominated
Best Costume DesignConsolata BoyleNominated
Best Makeup/HairDaniel PhillipsNominated
Best Original MusicAlexandre DesplatNominated
Golden Eagle Awards Best Foreign Language Film Stephen FrearsWon [46]
Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture – Drama Nominated [47]
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Helen MirrenWon
Best Director – Motion Picture Stephen FrearsNominated
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture Peter MorganWon
Golden Schmoes Awards Actress of the YearHelen MirrenNominated [48]
Goya Awards Best European Film Stephen FrearsWon [49]
IndieWire Critics Poll Best Lead PerformanceHelen MirrenWon [50]
Best Supporting PerformanceMichael Sheen9th Place
Best ScreenplayPeter MorganWon
International Cinephile Society Awards Best Picture5th Place [51]
Best ActressHelen MirrenWon
Best Supporting ActorMichael SheenWon
Best Original ScreenplayPeter MorganWon
Best Original ScoreAlexandre Desplat (also for The Painted Veil )Won
International Film Music Critics Association Awards Best Original Score for a Drama Film Alexandre DesplatNominated [52]
International Online Cinema AwardsBest ActressHelen MirrenWon
Best Supporting ActorMichael SheenNominated
Best Original ScreenplayPeter MorganWon
Best Original ScoreAlexandre DesplatNominated
International Online Film Critics' Poll Best Actress of the DecadeHelen MirrenNominated
Iowa Film Critics AwardsBest ActressWon
Irish Film & Television Awards Best Costume DesignConsolata BoyleWon [53]
Best International Actress (People's Choice Award)Helen MirrenWon
Italian Online Movie AwardsBest ActressWon
Best Original ScreenplayPeter MorganNominated
Kansas City Film Critics Circle AwardsBest ActressHelen MirrenWon [54]
Best Supporting ActorMichael SheenWon
Las Vegas Film Critics Society AwardsBest Picture9th Place [55]
Best ActressHelen MirrenWon
London Film Critics Circle Awards Film of the Year Nominated [56]
British Film of the Year Won
British Director of the YearStephen FrearsWon
Actress of the Year Helen MirrenNominated
British Actress of the Year Won
British Supporting Actress of the Year Helen McCrory Nominated
Screenwriter of the Year Peter MorganWon
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Runner-up [57]
Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
Best Supporting Actor Michael SheenWon
Best Screenplay Peter MorganWon
Best Music Alexandre Desplat (also for The Painted Veil )Won
Movieguide Awards Best Movie for Mature AudiencesWon [58]
Nastro d'Argento Best European DirectorStephen FrearsNominated
National Board of Review Awards Best Actress Helen MirrenWon [59]
National Society of Film Critics Awards Best Actress Won [60]
Best Screenplay Peter MorganWon
New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Film Runner-up [61]
Best Director Stephen FrearsRunner-up
Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
Best Screenplay Peter MorganWon
New York Film Critics Online Awards Top 10 FilmsWon [62]
Best FilmWon
Best Director Stephen FrearsWon
Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
Best Supporting Actor Michael SheenWon
Best ScreenplayPeter MorganWon
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle AwardsTop Ten FilmsWon
Best ActressHelen MirrenWon
Online Film & Television Association AwardsBest PictureNominated [63]
Best DirectorStephen FrearsNominated
Best ActressHelen MirrenWon
Best Supporting ActorMichael SheenNominated
Best Breakthrough Performance: MaleWon
Best Original ScreenplayPeter MorganWon
Best EnsembleNominated
Best CastingNominated
Best Costume DesignNominated
Best Makeup and HairstylingNominated
Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Actress Helen MirrenWon [64]
Best Original Screenplay Peter MorganNominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society AwardsBest Actress in a Leading RoleHelen MirrenWon [65]
Polish Film Awards Best European Film Stephen FrearsNominated [66]
Political Film Society Awards Democracy Nominated
Exposé Nominated
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures Andy Harries, Christine Langan, and Tracey SeawardNominated
Robert Awards Best Non-American Film Stephen FrearsNominated [67]
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards Best Actress Won
Santa Barbara International Film Festival Outstanding Performer of the Year AwardWon [68]
Satellite Awards Best Motion Picture – Drama Nominated [69]
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Helen MirrenWon
Best Director Stephen FrearsNominated
Best Original Screenplay Peter MorganWon
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Helen MirrenWon [70]
Southeastern Film Critics Association AwardsBest Picture3rd Place [71]
Best ActressHelen MirrenWon
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Nominated [72]
Best Director Stephen FrearsNominated
Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
Best Screenplay Peter MorganWon
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Won [73]
Best Director Stephen FrearsWon
Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
Best Supporting Actor Michael SheenWon
Best Screenplay Peter MorganWon
Utah Film Critics Association AwardsBest ActressHelen MirrenWon [74]
Best Supporting ActorMichael SheenWon
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards Best Actress Helen MirrenWon [75]
Venice Film Festival Golden Lion Stephen FrearsNominated [76]
[77]
FIPRESCI Award Won
Best Actress Helen MirrenWon
Golden Osella Peter MorganWon
Village Voice Film Poll Best Film4th Place [78]
Best ActressHelen MirrenWon
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards Best Actress Won [79]
Women Film Critics Circle Awards Best Picture About a WomanWon [lower-alpha 1] [80]
Best ActressHelen MirrenWon
Women's Image Network Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Feature FilmWon
World Soundtrack Awards Soundtrack Composer of the Year Alexandre Desplat (also for The Painted Veil )Won [81]
Writers Guild of America Awards Best Original Screenplay Peter MorganNominated [82]

Top ten lists

The film appeared on many US critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2006. [83]

Soundtrack

The Queen
The Queen soundtrack.jpg
Soundtrack album by
Released26 September 2006
Recorded2006
Genre Soundtrack
Length44:27
Label Milan
Alexandre Desplat chronology
The Singer
(2006)
The Queen
(2006)
The Painted Veil
(2006)

The soundtrack album was released on the Milan label on 26 September 2006. The original score and songs were composed by Alexandre Desplat and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. The album was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score. It was also nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music (it lost to the score of Babel ).

No.TitleLength
1."The Queen"2:10
2."Hills of Scotland"2:25
3."People's Princess I"4:08
4."A New Prime Minister"1:55
5."H.R.H."2:22
6."The Stag"1:50
7."Mourning"3:50
8."Elizabeth & Tony"2:04
9."River of Sorrow"1:59
10."The Flowers of Buckingham"2:28
11."The Queen Drives"1:48
12."Night in Balmoral"1:09
13."Tony & Elizabeth"2:06
14."People's Princess II"4:08
15."Queen of Hearts"3:33
16."Libera Me (Verdi)"6:27
Total length:44:27

Notes

  1. Tied with Volver .

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The sixth and final season of The Crown, which follows the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, was released by Netflix in two volumes. The first volume of four episodes was released on 16 November 2023, and the second, consisting of six episodes, was released on 14 December. The season began production shortly before the death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022.

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Spencer is a 2021 historical psychological drama film directed by Pablo Larraín from a screenplay by Steven Knight. The film is about Princess Diana's existential crisis during the Christmas of 1991, as she considers divorcing Prince Charles and leaving the British royal family. Kristen Stewart and Jack Farthing star as Diana and Charles respectively, Freddie Spry and Jack Neilen as Prince Harry and Prince William. Also starring Timothy Spall, Sean Harris, and Sally Hawkins.

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