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The Queen
The Queen is an intimate behind the scenes glimpse at the interaction between HM Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair during their struggle, following the death of Diana, to reach a compromise between what was a private tragedy for the Royal family and the public's demand for an overt display of mourning.
2006 · Directed by Stephen Frears · 103 min · Drama · History · Screenplay in the scene database · 16 frames
Tagline
Our Leaders. Ourselves.
Plot
The 1997 United Kingdom 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, what 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 public outcry of the royal family's inaction.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Written by: Peter Morgan
- Cinematography: Affonso Beato
- Edited by: Lucia Zucchetti
- Music: Alexandre Desplat
- Production design: Alan MacDonald
- Produced by: Andy Harries, Christine Langan, Tracey Seaward
Cast
- Helen Mirren as The Queen
- Michael Sheen as Tony Blair
- James Cromwell as Prince Philip
- Helen McCrory as Cherie Blair
- Alex Jennings as Prince Charles
- Roger Allam as Robin Janvrin
- Sylvia Syms as Queen Mother
- Paul Barrett as Trevor Rees-Jones
- Tim McMullan as Stephen Lamport
- Douglas Reith as Lord Airlie
Production
- Country: France, Italy, United Kingdom
- Language: German, English, French
- Studios: Granada Productions, Pathé Renn Productions, BiM Distribuzione
- Budget: $15,000,000
- Box office: $123,384,128
- Themes: dying and death, great britain, upper class, loss of loved one, sadness, queen, paparazzi, headline, monarchy, palace
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