After the death of Princess Diana, HM Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) struggles with her reaction to a sequence of events nobody could have predicted. (imdb.com)

I love the BBC and I love Masterpiece Theater. Love most things British (except for Monty Python). And I liked The Queen, but not as a motion picture. I’d rather have seen it on BBC America or PBS. I suppose watching The Queen with a bunch of old folks who probably went to see it because they wanted to see Mirren and Cromwell (who played Phillip) in a small theater made me realize how little I cared for Princess Diana. The Queen is about Queen Elizabeth II and Tony Blair clash over how to deal with Princess Diana’s death and the politics surrounding it. I forgot how millions of people mourned her and thousands of flowers were left at Buckingham Palace. But I do remember Mother Theresa died about the same time back in 1997 and the world seemed less concerned. The People’s Princess Tony Blair called her. Indeed. But the people are idiots. Sheep following shiny objects. A little disturbing.

Nonetheless, the film wasn’t as interesting as I thought it might have been. I thought the events surrounding Princess Diana’s death would take a back seat to more interesting conflicts between Blair and the Queen, but the movie was just about that one conflict. The Queen (who is rumored to have hated Diana) wanted her family to mourn Diana privately because she didn’t care much for the paparazzi and publicity of it all. While Blair and his cabinet thought since she was the “People’s Princess” they should get to share in the mourning and that the funeral should be public. In the end Blair and his cabinet, and the people win out. It was interesting to be reminded how ridiculous people can become over a “celebrity” who they think they know. People sobbing uncontrollably as if they’d lost a family member. Not sure if this is such a bad thing, but I know it’s not reall a good thing to worship someone so much. Even someone you know shouldn’t be worshipped. But, hey, that’s just my opinion.

Helen Mirren was wonderful, as always. I loved her in Gosford Park and of course the BBC series Prime Suspect. Season 7 airs this year (in England). The whole cast was great including Michael Sheen as Tony Blair. You might remember Sheen from the Underworld films as Lucian. He’ll also be co-starring with DiCaprio and Hounsou in Blood Diamond due out later this year. Anyway, I’d say The Queen’s a good rental, and maybe worth a matinee. But, don’t need to rush to the theaters. Though I am quite certain Mirren will be nominated for an Academy Award and/or Golden Globe…again. And perhaps rightfully so.

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