Last night we saw "The Queen". It's been praised in reviews and I was intrigued by the story. The film focuses on the queen's reactions to the untimely, tragic death of "Princess" Diana.
It's common knowledge that the queen and Diana were never chums and did not see eye to eye. It came as no surprise that the movie reflected that. What I did appreciate was the glimpse into the mindset and character of the queen, how her role as queen determined every thought. She had been groomed to respond a certain way, she had done so all her life, saw it as her duty to the people to project the image of a strong, dignified, proper, level-headed, non-emotional queen, believing that is what her people needed and wanted. Protocol was never suspended. The queen truly believed Diana's death ought be a private family matter, never anticipating the world-wide outpouring of grief and affection that occurred.
I like when films are able capture the good qualities hidden inside the bad guy, and the bad hidden inside the good guy. This film accomplishes this very thing.
The older I get, the less I view things as black and white. Sometimes it seems people act out the roles society has prepared for them.
When it's a poor child, one of many, born to a single welfare mother, growing up in the projects, getting an education on the streets where he finds the only "family" who will accept him and value him, why would we be surprised when his life turns to crime, gangs, addictions and other destructive behaviors? Does it make him a bad person because he's been conditioned for the life he's living?
And when it's a wealthy child, born to royalty, growing up separated from the rest of society, taught from day one that emotions show weakness, that expressions of heart expose vulnerability, that the future of a country rests upon her ability to be tough and powerful, why would we be surprised when she responds to a tragic loss with stiff aloofness and firm resolve. Does it make her a bad person because she's been groomed in traditions thousands of years old to respond exactly this way?
A lot of good people, born with good ingredients and all the potential in the world to do great things, end up making serious mistakes in judgement. Sometimes the course we're set upon in life is difficult to leave because it's all we know, all we can see at the time. Growth comes from thinking "outside the box"... sometimes we forget we have that luxury.
I appreciate that this film was able to show the demons and angels in every major figure in the story, Diana, the queen, Charles and prime minister Tony Blair. As outsiders we can't possibly ever know the full story, but it's nice to see a film that will open minds, stretch perceptions and perhaps prompt less judgement inside us. Better still, it manages to replace judgement with compassion.
It's common knowledge that the queen and Diana were never chums and did not see eye to eye. It came as no surprise that the movie reflected that. What I did appreciate was the glimpse into the mindset and character of the queen, how her role as queen determined every thought. She had been groomed to respond a certain way, she had done so all her life, saw it as her duty to the people to project the image of a strong, dignified, proper, level-headed, non-emotional queen, believing that is what her people needed and wanted. Protocol was never suspended. The queen truly believed Diana's death ought be a private family matter, never anticipating the world-wide outpouring of grief and affection that occurred.
I like when films are able capture the good qualities hidden inside the bad guy, and the bad hidden inside the good guy. This film accomplishes this very thing.
The older I get, the less I view things as black and white. Sometimes it seems people act out the roles society has prepared for them.
When it's a poor child, one of many, born to a single welfare mother, growing up in the projects, getting an education on the streets where he finds the only "family" who will accept him and value him, why would we be surprised when his life turns to crime, gangs, addictions and other destructive behaviors? Does it make him a bad person because he's been conditioned for the life he's living?
And when it's a wealthy child, born to royalty, growing up separated from the rest of society, taught from day one that emotions show weakness, that expressions of heart expose vulnerability, that the future of a country rests upon her ability to be tough and powerful, why would we be surprised when she responds to a tragic loss with stiff aloofness and firm resolve. Does it make her a bad person because she's been groomed in traditions thousands of years old to respond exactly this way?
A lot of good people, born with good ingredients and all the potential in the world to do great things, end up making serious mistakes in judgement. Sometimes the course we're set upon in life is difficult to leave because it's all we know, all we can see at the time. Growth comes from thinking "outside the box"... sometimes we forget we have that luxury.
I appreciate that this film was able to show the demons and angels in every major figure in the story, Diana, the queen, Charles and prime minister Tony Blair. As outsiders we can't possibly ever know the full story, but it's nice to see a film that will open minds, stretch perceptions and perhaps prompt less judgement inside us. Better still, it manages to replace judgement with compassion.
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