You’d be hard-pressed to really pinpoint the monarch or member of royalty that gave the royals a bad name. The obvious choice is Henry VIII, a supposed fruit-lover who purportedly had a thing for cherries, although going by the sheer width of the man, it sounds like dear old Henry was lying to his personal trainer. Or was it his daughter, Mary I, a.k.a Bloody Mary, with not so much a fervor for stoned fruit, or for divorcing and beheading her spouse, but for her mass executions of those disloyal to the crown. Perhaps it was Prince Andrew, and his dubious friendship with Jeffrey Epstein… actually, we won’t go there. While the monarchy in the UK certainly splits opinion and has become somewhat of a contentious topic over recent years, Queen Elizabeth II has played her part in restoring some faith in the House of Windsor and in the British Royal Family.
At the grand old age of 96, the 2nd June will mark 70-years since her coronation when she acceded the throne from her father, George VI. As of 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-serving British monarch, and on Sunday the 5th of June (marked by two bank holidays), the UK will pay homage to her majesty on her Platinum Jubilee. We thought it would be sagacious to name some of the best films about the British monarchy…
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
5 The King’s Speech
Momentum Pictures
Queen Elizabeth’s predecessor was of course her father, George VI. Dubbed the “reluctant King,” King George was averse to succeeding his father, but his hand was somewhat forced when the heir apparent, his older brother Edward VIII decided to abdicate. Starring Colin Firth, The King’s Speech documents George VI’s succession and his well-publicized struggle with his speech impediment as he prepared for a daunting radio broadcast, one that would subsequently announce the commencement of WWII and the war with Germany. The heart-warming story details King George’s verbal afflictions and his relationship with a speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffery Rush).
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
4 The Queen
Pathé
After doing so well playing Queen Elizabeth I in a miniseries, Dame Helen Mirren rather aptly took on the role of the current Queen Elizabeth II, in 2006’s The Queen. The screenplay explores the days, weeks, and months following the death of Princess Diana, as the Queen, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, and the rest of the Royal family deal with the aftermath of a death that shook the world.
The picture provides a glaring insight into the struggles of the royal family during that time in 1997, as an emphasis on tradition, rather than emotion, risks alienating a bereft nation. While the film is in part, fictionalized, elements of truth are portrayed throughout. Helen Mirren’s performance as the steadfast Elizabeth earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress at the 2007 Oscars.
3 The Favourite
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Olivia Colman is as far removed from the stereotypical ‘queenly queen’ one can get in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite. She is incredible as a depressed, overweight, gout-ridden Queen Anne, who loves nothing more than wallowing in self-pity and over-indulging in decadent for-one banquets while lying in her royal bedchamber amongst a sea of rabbits. That, and spending time with her two mistresses, Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz) and Abigail (Emma Stone).
From the outlandish pre-Georgian costumes, the extravagant set design, to the cut-throat wit-filled script, there are no half-measures in the movie’s production, and that includes Olivia Colman’s performance as Queen Anne. Excess certainly isn’t used sparingly, and Colman’s delivery of an overzealous, highly-strung Queen is ardently commanding, and at times all-consuming, in a breathtaking display that rightly won her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2019. A notable mention must also go to Nicholas Hoult for his spellbinding and wonderfully theatrical rendition as Harley, leader of the Conservative party.
2 Spencer
Neon/Topic Studios
As with most young actors who star in film series and franchises, it can be an arduous task shaking off the character associations they continue to be labeled with thereafter. Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan in Twilight is arguably a prime example of falling victim to such affiliation. However, with time the tendency is that these associations begin to be diluted by the respective actor’s filmography, and this certainly rings true with Stewart, who in her role as Princess Diana in Spencer, delivers a beautifully constructed, touching portrayal.
Over a period of a few days, Spencer offers a dramatic depiction of a Diana at the height of her fame, attempting to navigate bulimia, a loveless marriage, and a fractious relationship with her in-laws (including the Queen), while remaining a devoted mother, and maintaining her reputation as the nation’s sweetheart.
1 The Young Victoria
Featuring Emily Blunt as, yep, you guessed it, a young Queen Victoria, director Jean-Marc-Valée’s period drama The Young Victoria concerns the woman’s stringent upbringing, Prince Albert’s courtship, and the early months of their blossoming romance. Blunt demonstrates her command of regality in an elegant, delicate, yet authoritative manner. Victoria is portrayed in an emotionally mature, compassionate, and sensitive light, providing a refreshing perspective on the monarchy, which one would not typically associate with being emotionally attuned.
