Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #721 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-03-12
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Colour, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, PAL, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English, French, German
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 97 minutes

Amazon.com
Helen Mirren reigns supreme in The Queen, a witty and ingenious look at a moment that rocked the house of Windsor: the week that followed the sudden death of Princess Diana in 1997. Diana's death came at just the same time that Prime Minister Tony Blair (played by the bright Michael Sheen) was settling into his new government--and trying to figure out the delicate relationship between 10 Downing Street and Queen Elizabeth II (Mirren). A large portion of the British population was trying to figure out the Windsors that week, as Elizabeth remained stiff-upper-lip and largely mum about the death of the beloved princess. In Peter Morgan's skillful script, we watch as Blair grows increasingly impatient with the Royals, who are sequestered in their Scottish estate while the public demands some show of grief. Prince Philip (James Cromwell, in good form) clumsily decides to take Diana's sons hunting, while a sympathetically-treated Prince Charles (Alex Jennings) displays some frustration with his mother's eerie calm.

None of this conveys how funny the film is, or how deftly it flows from one scene to the next. Director Stephen Frears (Dirty Pretty Things) deserves great credit for that, and for the performances, and for the movie's marvelous sense of well-roundedness; you could see this movie and groan at the cluelessness of the Royals and their outmoded existence, or you might just sympathise with showing reserve in a world that values gross public displays of emotion. But either way, you'll marvel at Mirren, who makes the Queen far more alert and human than one might ever have imagined. --Robert Horton

Synopsis
There was an unprecedented outpouring of grief by the British public following the death of Princess Diana in 1997. After an austere response by the Royal Family to Diana’s death, Queen Elizabeth II attempts to reconnect with the nation. THE QUEEN takes a look at an eventful period of British history. In 1997, the British monarchy was reeling from scandal and divorce. Prince Charles and Princess Diana had recently separated. In addition, Labour swept to power after 18 years of Tory rule, led by the charismatic Tony Blair. When Diana--known affectionately by the tabloids and the public as the People’s Princess--dies in a Paris tunnel while being chased by paparazzi, a shocked nation displays an unprecedented outpouring of grief and turns to its monarch for support. Instead, Queen Elizabeth II decides to stay in Balmoral Castle in order to protect her grandsons William and Harry from the display of grief. Unwilling to share the Windsors’ feelings about the death with the nation, the monarchy slides into increasing unpopularity. Following Labour’s overwhelming victory at the polls, newly elected Prime Minister Tony Blair attempts to get the Queen to take the necessary measures to win back the monarchy’s popularity. Helen Mirren (CALENDER GIRLS, ELIZABETH 1) gives an astonishing performance as the monarch. She injects a sense of vulnerability and complexity to a person who is very private about her personal life. Michael Sheen (BLOOD DIAMOND) also produces an excellent display as Tony Blair, having to use all the diplomacy he can muster. Stephen Frears’ (HIGH FIDELITY, DIRTY PRETTY THINGS) film is a superb reconstruction of what may have happened behind the scenes during a traumatic period.

Customer Reviews

A right royal success
I came to this film not expecting it to be so concerned with the death of Diana. As someone who found the whole atmosphere at the time of her death to be more than nauseatingly over the top, I found this film intelligent in its analysis of events, while also serving as a documentary piece chronicling the events objectively.
Superb performances aside by the whole cast - despite doubting the actor playing Tony Blair at first, he actually did a very good job of capturing his mannerisms without creating a cliched pastiche of a character - this is an important historical film. It covers the issue of whether we need a monarchy or not, without over-simplifying matters, as films of this ilk are wont to do.
In the same way that Oliver Stone's 'W' portrays Bush in a bad light while still making us feel for him, Stephen Frears does the same with The Queen here. She comes across as a stilted old hag, yet at the same time as an important and incredibly intelligent piece of Britain's furniture.
Politically, the film also recaptures something of the New Labour buzz of 1997, and now that Blair is gone also acts as a memorial piece for the beginning of his legacy.
Any Brit should find the time to watch this truly outstanding film.

hidden feelings in the monarchy rise to the surface
For some reason I'd be very against watching this film, maybe thats because my opinion of the Queen is rather low. I decided to take my chance and watch it anyway and I have to say, what a brilliant portrayal of the royal monarchy with a fantastic performance from Helen Mirren. For the majority of the film I carried on with my feelings of dislike for the Queen but towards the end I actually opened up to her character and began to like her. Or maybe I liked Helen Mirren's portrayal? I was particularly moved when the Queen appeared so uncaring over the shocking death of Princess Diana, and only began to understand how she felt towards the end. However I do not know if this was really how the Queen actually felt, and the whole Royal family I believe appeared most heartless at the time of the Princess's demise. Brilliant performances though.

A simple and incisive piece of filmwork
I originally had no intentions of watching this film let alone buying it, but then I got curious, so I picked it up for a couple of pounds.

I'm very pleased that I did, I think this gives a very good account of what happened or what may have happened in the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana.

There are excellent portrayals of The Queen (Dame Helen Mirren), Prince Phillip (James Cromwell) and Tony Blair (Michael Sheen), strangely enough there is very little screen time given to Prince Charles, which I found a little strange.

I was never a great fan of Princess Diana, nor for that matter Tony Blair, although it does not harp on about how "wonderful" Princess Diana was, it does grind on me a bit how much they appear to credit Blair as if everything that was handled well was down to him sticking his nose in to that was none of his business, mind you he was always very good at that, so I can quite believe that he did make a nuisance of himself toward the Royal family.

I can well believe that both The Queen and Prince Phillip were sick and tired of Blairs constant interference and pestering too.

Overall though a great effort that tends not preach, but attempts to give a good account of what was happening in the country at that time, I think they succeed in doing this very well indeed.