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Movie review: Queen

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*This review includes spoilers*

My favorite romance movie? The one during which the girl dumps the guy at the end and walks off into the sunset fulfilled with the knowledge that she is enough and doesn’t need a man.

“Queen” is my favorite not-so-typical Bollywood movie. This movie shattered stereotypes and launched a new era in Hindi cinema. Of course, some of the credit for successful women-oriented Hindi films goes to my fav, Priyanka Chopra, for her iconic role in “ Fashion ” (a project of which actress Kangana Ranaut was also a part), but “Queen” was the movie that did extremely well at the box office and put Ranaut on the map. Ranaut has gone on to fearlessly call out nepotism and sexism in the industry ever since.

“Queen” tells the story of Rani, a woman whose fiancé leaves her days before their wedding. Despite her heartbreak, Rani decides to go on her honeymoon alone and ends up on a whirlwind journey of self-discovery and growth. This movie shattered stereotypes about desi women and what the trajectory of our lives should be.

“Queen” is also the least problematic Bollywood movie I’ve ever seen. This in itself is quite an accomplishment, considering the industry we’re talking about. Yet, there were still elements of this movie that bothered me — the tiny details that perpetuate stereotypes despite the fact that the director could have easily made different choices that wouldn’t be harmful.

First, there is a moment in the film when Rani is approached by a stranger who is trying to help her. Rani doesn’t know this and all she sees is a Black man standing near her and she screams in terror. It’s a rational reaction for her to be frightened in the context of the movie, but it was absolutely unnecessary for the director to choose the only Black character in the film to be the one who scares her. The image of Black men in India is permeated with the harmful stereotypes we see in U.S. media and accentuated by the fact that most Indians have never even met a Black person. Furthermore, Tim, the only Black character in the movie, has the least lines and isn’t given a backstory.

The last scenes of the movie are some of the best, especially the combination of the music and aesthetics. However, these are the only scenes of the movie where Rani’s hair is straightened. Throughout most of the film, Rani wears her hair naturally curly, and as a curly-hair girl myself, this is one of the many reasons I loved her character so much. However, the final scenes, when Rani is portrayed as her most badass and confident self, her hair is straight. This sends the subtle message that straight hair is more beautiful and somehow more closely associated with feeling empowered.

The most typical Bollywood element of this movie is the flashback showing how Rani and her fiancé Vijay fell in love — Vijay essentially stalked her until she finally agreed to have dinner with him. This is how most Bollywood movies go — women are pursued until they finally “wear down” and “agree.” In fact, sexual harassment and assault in Bollywood isn’t just limited to what we see on-screen. The industry itself is also rife with instances of well-known actors taking advantage of actresses . “Queen” was refreshing because Rani doesn’t end up with the stalker at the end.

Since I first watched it, “ Queen” has become one of my favorite Bollywood films. Though there are details that I find troubling, the beauty in seeing a main character who is strong in her convictions and unwavered by society’s expectations is hard to measure. A movie like this is rare in mainstream Bollywood, but it’s exactly the kind of high-quality cinema I want to see.

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Review: Vikas Bahl’s ‘Queen:’ A Queen Doesn’t Need a King

What happens when your fiancé leaves you a day before your wedding and you have nowhere to go? Well, you must watch “Queen” if you wish to seek an answer! “Queen,” directed by Vikas Bahl, is an exploration of a simple Indian girl, Rani, played by Kangana Ranaut. In its very opening scene, we listen to the unfiltered internal chatter of excited bride-to-be Rani, even as a quartet of elderly grannies rehearse their steps to a popular dance number while wedding preparations continue around them. Rani and her simple mithaiwala family are deliriously happy during the Mehndi (henna) ceremony, yet even before her henna can darken, the arrogant groom calls off the wedding. Her groom is Vijay, who has returned from London and feels that Rani being simple and very desi doesn’t match his standards anymore!  

Director Bahl has captured her grief and pain in such a short amount of time, from a coffee shop to her room; the scene withholds the entire journey of Rani and how her fiancé had treated her while promising her of dreams of castles on clouds which got destroyed over a coffee! The film does not stay in a gloomy mood for long and in a flash, Rani decides to continue with her honeymoon for which she had spent all her savings.  

Soon, we can see Rani in Paris, and she is exploring all the tourist sites while video calling her family who are concerned for her. Further, she meets Vijayalakshmi, played by the stunning Lisa Haydon, who uncovers a layer of Rani by taking her out to pubs and touristy places. These scenes with Lisa Haydon represent breaking a chain of repression which makes Rani realise her existence has been dictated by everyone else in her life…her father, her mother, and then her fiancé. The scene where she dances freely is an awakening of Rani.  

Kangana Ranaut as Rani in “Queen” (Viacom18 Motion Pictures, 2013).

She later moves to Amsterdam where she meets three men from France, Japan, and Russia with whom she bunks in a hostel. This is a big step for her, because, all her life she has been taught to stay away from men as if they represent the danger. This is another layer of her becoming and she learns a lot about the opposite gender.  

The hiccups in the film are that it’s often predictable and sometimes trite, especially when you learn that Rani’s new Japanese friend Taka lost his parents in the tsunami which makes her respect her family more, or when a Pakistani stripper in Amsterdam reveals that she has taken up the profession to help her Ammi and her siblings. Even a cooking challenge involving a Gol Gappa stall at a Dutch promenade comes off as contrived. Yet these are passing clouds in this sunshine film. You burst out laughing as Rani innocently buys souvenirs at a sex shop, or when she narrates Santa-Banta “dirty” jokes to foreigners. Amit Trivedi’s music lends a joyful third dimension to this narrative, but the sparkling humour comes from the dialogues, which leading lady Kangana is herself credited with co-writing . When she returns back to India, she is no longer the Rani she had left behind.  

“Queen” provides a fresh perspective in an Indian woman’s life, and the casting of the movie makes it even stronger. In the end, Rani becomes her true self and finds the purpose of her existence which is independent of any husband, any man, or anyone. Movies which inspire women to break the shackles of patriarchy are much needed in this world today!

About Author

Vishwajeet Deshmukh is a law student from Government Law College, Mumbai. He is a history and social sciences aficionado. He researches on minorities and media. His love for film stems from his interest in South Asian Bollywood and reading books about Indian culture and cinema.

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Common Sense Media Reviewers

Bollywood comedy-drama has strong female lead, adult themes.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Social obligations and norms shouldn't dictate lif

Rani is a simple and naive young woman who grows t

The main character is an Indian women who becomes

An off-screen fight takes place, the sound of glas

The film has a lot of romance, flirting, and heart

Language includes "dammit," "crazy," "f--k," "shut

Facebook is mentioned on more than one occasion.

Throughout the film, people drink a lot. In multip

Parents need to know that Queen is an uplifting and inspiring Bollywood comedy-drama with sexual themes, occasional strong language, drinking, and smoking. When Rani (Kangana Ranaut) is dumped by her self-obsessed fiancé, Vijay (Rajkummar Rao), shortly before they were due to get married, she decides to…

Positive Messages

Social obligations and norms shouldn't dictate life. Standing up for yourself is really important. Toxic relationships must be left behind.

Positive Role Models

Rani is a simple and naive young woman who grows to recognize her own worth when she bravely decides to go on her honeymoon all by herself after her fiancé calls off their wedding. Vijayalakshmi, Oleksander, Taka, and Tim are good and earnest friends who support and encourage Rani at each and every point. Rani's parents and her brother, Chintu, care for her regardless.

Diverse Representations

The main character is an Indian women who becomes a strong and independent as the story develops. The film pans across New Delhi, Paris, and Amsterdam. There are Indian, French, Russian, Dutch, and Japanese characters with most speaking their native language.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

An off-screen fight takes place, the sound of glass breaking is audible. A thief tries to steal someone's bag on the street; there is an elaborate brawl between them. Characters playfully wrestle with one another. There are intense and heated arguments between individuals. One such argument turns physical and characters aggressively push one another.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

The film has a lot of romance, flirting, and heartbreak. There are multiple explicit conversations about sex and virginity. There is one elaborate off-screen sex scene, sounds of which are clearly audible. People are seen making out. Lots of sexual innuendo and humor. A character fondles someone teasingly. Two people stare at someone's cleavage. There is an elaborate sequence in a strip club where people perform a pole dance while wearing lingerie. Characters visit a store that has sex toys. Sex workers are seen in Amsterdam's Red Light District.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language includes "dammit," "crazy," "f--k," "shut up," "bitch," "slut," "s--t," "dummy," "mad," and "dog." "God" used as an exclamation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

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Drinking, drugs & smoking.

Throughout the film, people drink a lot. In multiple scenes, a character is seen smoking. Reference to pot.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Queen is an uplifting and inspiring Bollywood comedy-drama with sexual themes, occasional strong language, drinking, and smoking. When Rani (Kangana Ranaut) is dumped by her self-obsessed fiancé, Vijay ( Rajkummar Rao ), shortly before they were due to get married, she decides to venture out to Paris and Amsterdam on her honeymoon, all by herself. Rani learns much about herself on the trip, becoming more confident in herself. There are several arguments and scuffles. A thief attempts to steal an individual's bag, which leads to them elaborately wrestling over the bag. There are numerous conversations about sex, virginity, heartbreak. Loud noises are audible during an off-screen sexual encounter. Characters flirt, make out, and engage in sexual innuendo. A character is playfully fondled by another. While in Amsterdam, characters visit a sex toy store and sex workers are seen in the windows of the city's Red Light District. There is a sensuous pole dance sequence involving strippers in lingerie. Characters are regularly seen drinking and some smoke too. There is one mention of pot. Language includes "f--k," "bitch," "s--t," and more. The film is primarily in Hindi (with English subtitles) with characters from Japan, the Netherlands, and France speaking in their native tongue. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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What's the Story?

QUEEN tells the story of Rani (Kangana Ranaut), a young and gullible woman, whose fiancé, Vijay ( Rajkummar Rao ), calls off their wedding just a few days before the ceremony. Utterly heartbroken and distraught, Rani decides to go on her honeymoon to Paris and Amsterdam all by herself in a bid to rediscover who she really is.

Is It Any Good?

This Indian comedy-drama directed by Vikas Bahl is a refreshing and heartwarming film that tells a tale that is both delightful and entertaining to the core. Queen is a rare Bollywood gem that captivates interest right from the get-go while simultaneously imparting really significant messages. Rani's layered and intricate character wins hearts in a completely unexpected capacity. Through a blend of humor, innocence, and vulnerability, she embraces each new experience, overcoming her fears to grow as a person. Ranaut's brilliant acting and deep intensity makes her performance memorable for years to come. Leaving societal norms, painful obligations, and misogyny behind, Queen creates space for self-esteem and courage. Accompanied by Amit Trivedi 's soulful tunes, the film is a must-watch emotional rollercoaster from start to finish.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Queen 's messages of recognizing one's own worth and stepping beyond societal norms. How did Rani become more confident?

Which characters displayed traits of courage , empathy , communication , compassion , and teamwork in the film? Why are these such important character strengths to have?

Talk about the film's portrayal of sex . Was it respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

Discuss the language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary, or excessive? What did it contribute to the film?

How were alcohol, smoking, and drugs depicted in this movie? Were they glamorized? Were there consequences?

Movie Details

• In theaters : March 14, 2014
• On DVD or streaming : November 20, 2016
• Cast : Kangana Ranaut , Rajkummar Rao , Lisa Haydon
• Director : Vikas Bahl
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Indian/South Asian actors
• Studio : Viacom18 Motion Pictures
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Friendship , Great Girl Role Models , Music and Sing-Along
• Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Courage , Empathy , Teamwork
• Run time : 146 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : September 19, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Queen (2013)

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Film Review: ‘Queen’

Breakout star Kangana Ranaut plays a jilted bride on a voyage of self-discovery.

By David Chute

David Chute

• Film Review: ‘Queen’ 10 years ago
• Film Review: ‘Hasee toh phasee’ 10 years ago
• Film Review: ‘Shaadi ke Side Effects’ 10 years ago

A bittersweet Bollywood comedy of self-discovery, Vikas Bahl’s “Queen” is a genuine word-of-mouth hit, a low-budget production that topped the Indian B.O. charts in its first two weeks of release. The surprisingly mild and sweet film tells the story of Rani (“queen” in Hindi), a naive young bride from Delhi who is devastated when her fiance calls things off, but decides to take her European honeymoon trip anyway, on her own. The character seems to have struck a nerve in India, and it may already have made a breakout movie star of 27-year-old Kangana Ranaut (“Krrish 3”), who has been winning awards and rave reviews in supporting roles for almost a decade.

Made for just under $2 million, “Queen” earned the equivalent of $8 million in its first two weeks. Although it opened on March 7 against the heavily promoted star vehicle “Gulaab Gang,” and on one-third the number of screens, it was the No. 1 film in India from day two onward. “Queen” went on to earn more coin in its second week of release than in its first, a sure sign of enthusiastic word of mouth, and a result that Bollywood Hungam business reporter Taran Ardash declared “unbelievable and unimaginable in today’s times.” (The film is still playing in a few locations in the U.S. but never cracked the top 50 there.)

From the point of view of a non-Indian-American, “Queen” seems an oddly modest film to have made such a big splash. It is charming and at times unexpectedly moving, especially in moments of cross-cultural bonding between Rani and the odd assorted group of expats who befriend her, as she wanders somewhat cluelessly around Paris and Amsterdam.

These scenes are the heart of the movie, and Ranaut is great in them, winningly alert and alive, and visibly open to experience. She tilts her head sideways and looks quizzically at people who are behaving oddly, struggling to understand. Rani has been so overprotected at home that she feels helpless, and her progress through the film is marked by her gradual shedding of this fearfulness, as well as a blossoming of self-confidence.

Unfortunately, the same lesson of horizon broadening is learned here again and again, in scenes with an exuberant single mother, at a rock club, at a pole-dancing club, at a sex shop, at a storefront brothel. The film could easily be a half-hour shorter; shot in a loose, handheld style that involved some improvisation, it feels unfocused and repetitive at times, to the point of aimlessness.

The clothing, the behavior and the props shown in some scenes are startling, especially for a film from Bollywood. But none of this really touches Rani, in part because she is presented as so innocent that she barely understands it. There have been several female characters in recent Bollywood films who have behaved more boldly or brazenly than Rani, who at times seems blushingly old-fashioned. At the packed screening attended, it was hard to tell if the appreciative audience was laughing with Rani or at her.

There are some cringe-inducing flaws. The casting of non-Indian supporting roles is at times disastrous, with lapses ranging from the this-a-that-a Chico Marx accent of a hunky Italian chef (Marco Canadea) to the cartoonish stereotyping of Rani’s East Asian roommate at an Amsterdam youth hostel, a Japanese student played by an Anglo-Chinese actor. (A brief shot of a group of Japanese tourists turning en masse to snap photos of Rani bent over puking belongs on the cutting-room floor.)

Much more successful, on the Western side, is Mish Boyko’s likable portrayal of a gangly Russian student, Oleksander, who snaps to Rani’s defense when she’s being pushed around by her selfish putz of an ex-fiance, Vijay (Rajkumar Rao), who has followed her to Amsterdam to try to patch things up.

It is perhaps “Queen’s” most significant failure that there is not more suspense to Rani’s relationship with Vijay. He is such an obvious self-important, spoiled jerk, and she is so consistently observant and level-headed, even with her initial fears, that the outcome is practically preordained. Viewers would have been throwing things at the screen if she had agreed to take him back.

Reviewed at Laemmle Town Center 5, Encino, Calif, March 22, 2014. Running time: 141 MIN.

• Production: (India) A Viacom18 Motion Pictures release and presentation of a Phantom production. Produced by Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane.
• Crew: Directed by Vikas Bahl. Associate director, Chaitally Parmar. Screenplay, Bahl, Parmar, Parveez Sheikh. Camera (color, widescreen), Bobby Singh; editors, Anurag Kashyap, Abhijit Kokate; music, Amit Trivedi; lyrics, Anvita Dutt; production design, Vintee Bansal, Namra Parikh; costume designers, Manoshi Nath, Rushi Sharma; sound, Sanjay Maurya, Allwin Rego; choreography, Bosco Martis, Caesar Gonsalves; casting, Parita Mandalia, Atul Mongia.
• With: Kangana Ranaut, Rajkumar Rao, Lisa Haydon, Mish Boyko, Jeffrey Chee Eng-ho, Marco Canadea, Guithob Joseph, Adri Doppenberg. (Hindi dialogue)

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MOVIE ANALYSIS OF QUEEN

BACKDROP INTO THE MOVIE 'Queen' is a film which has stayed with people, especially women for reasons more than one. It is centered on a woman who decides to take control of her life after a prolonged relationship with her fiancé. Set in a typical Punjabi family of Delhi, the movie explores Delhi and its culture of Big Fat Indian Weddings in the initial stages. Vijay (Raj Kumar Rao) leaves Rani in the middle of the wedding functions and decides to call off the marriage. Rani being the dependent one in the relationship is devastated and sees the plans she and Vijay saw together about their shared life go down the drain. For days, she doesn't come out of her room in trauma of what has

Related Papers

Dr Yashpal D Netragaonkar

This paper deals with a feminist approach to the character Rani in the Hindi film “Queen” (2014) directed by Vikas Bahl. The purpose of my study is to examine how the female protagonist Rani, a vulnerable and shy girl, finds her voice and create an identity of her on. When Rani being rejected by her fiancé, draws up all courage and decides to go for her honeymoon to Paris all by herself. Through the journey she discovers the joy of „crossing the borders‟, and living on her own terms. She gains the spirit of independence when she is exposed to the new world. Her experiences and interactions with different people in Paris shape her new attitude to her life. Unlike other stereotype female protagonists of Hindi films, Rani makes a difference. She is more of an emergent woman who finds a meaning in her life and in fact becomes „Queen‟ of her life itself. Keywords: Identity, Emergent Woman, Confidence, Freedom

Nishajyoti Sharma

waseem ahad

ABSTRACT Bollywood’s departure from its earlier constructions of women as sex objects, victims of male violence, dependent, obedient and peripheral, is partly due to global/transnational cultural and economic flows that have influence in Indian society. What needs to be charted out is how patriarchal anxieties continue to emerge in recent Bollywood movies where women otherwise appear to assume assertive screen presence and play dominant roles. This study seeks to disentangle notions of “national” and “local,” in particular, because the former does not explain India’s family or local community settings that exercise substantial control over women. Through an analysis of two films, Dangal (2016) and Queen (2014), this study shows how present-day Bollywood appropriates opposing ideals of Hinduism and liberal ideology; therefore, the stories remain rooted in contemporary social discourse. It will be seen that the somewhat masculine woman in Dangal, who is divested of erotic and reproductive attributes, bears the double-burden of subordination by a family patriarch and becoming a national symbol. Through its scrutiny of Queen, the study also demonstrates how a new Indian femininity, “assertive” and “confident,” is mediated by the dominant male cultural gaze. The films offer useful models for comparison of varying forms of femininities

SMART M O V E S J O U R N A L IJELLH

Abstract The practice of adaption is a method of re-invigorating theatre forms and inventing the new ones. In the 66 years since Independence, Indian cinema has gone through a lot of changes. It has emerged as a social leveller in our multi-layered society. As societies entered the world of modernization, the role of women changed dramatically. Media played an important role in the modernization of societies and greatly affected the image of women in today’s modern world.This paper, through two cinematic adaptation, tries to express the culture in which women is viewed with a different eye by the society. Key words: Adaptation, Cinema, Culture

isara solutions

International Res Jour Managt Socio Human

The present paper critically analyzes a new woman portrait by Vijay Tendulkar in his play Encounter in Umbugland. Vijay Tendulkar was the most influential Indian writer who primarily written his works in Marathi. Tendulkar always treated his women characters with excellent comprehension and sympathy. Women play a prominent role in his plays. Tendulkar looked at contemporary society to build women characters who are objectified and are the patriarchal society's victims. To break the conventional image of women on the Indian stage, he portrays Vijaya, a self-opined brave, and sensitive girl; who converted herself into the state's bold and successful ruler. She ruled the country as well as ruled over the heart of her country's people. Very skillfully, she made possible the odd situations into her favors, vanquished her foe, and saved the innocent tribal people of her country from the evil ministers. Through the character of Vijaya, Tendulkar breaks the old customs, thinking, and traditional dogmas of Indian society and emerges as the pioneer of New Woman. The play sows seed to revamp people's minds to change their ideology concerning women's importance. Encounter in Umbugland, the play exposes the cruelty and hypocrisy in politics and the rise of women.

The Creative Launcher

priyanka kulhari

In the late 20th and 21st century various movements took place which challenged the stereotypical notions of gender in society. #MeToo movement gave a momentum to the society where people started talking about any kind of violence, sexual assault and harassment against women. Many government policies and laws were framed and implemented to provide equal opportunities to women in every field. Vishakha Guidelines and Internal Complains Committee are made mandatory at work place and education institutions to assure a safe and healthy environment for females. Now the issues brushed under the carpet for long have been brought into light. Issues which were considered taboo even to talk about are now discussed on public forums and academia, penned down in literature and projected in media and cinema. Women and their concerns and point of views found space in popular cinema and were acclaimed too by the critics as well as spectators. Bollywood has made deviations from the stereotypical port...

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The opening shots of Stephen Frears ' "The Queen" simply show Helen Mirren's face as her character prepares for it to be seen. She is Queen Elizabeth II, and we know that at once. The resemblance is not merely physical, but embodies the very nature of the Elizabeth we have grown up with -- a private woman who takes her public role with great gravity.

Elizabeth is preparing to meet Tony Blair ( Michael Sheen ), the new Labor prime minister who has just been elected in a landslide. We see Blair preparing for the same meeting. His election was a fundamental upheaval of British political life after Thatcherism, and at that time, Britain stood on a threshold of uncertain but possibly tumultuous change.

Within months, the queen and Blair find themselves in a crisis that involves not politics but a personal tragedy that was completely unforeseen -- the death of Diana, princess of Wales, in a Paris car crash. "The Queen" tells the story of how her death with her boyfriend, the playboy department store heir Dodi Fayed , would threaten to shake the very monarchy itself.

Told in quiet scenes of proper behavior and guarded speech, "The Queen" is a spellbinding story of opposed passions -- of Elizabeth's icy resolve to keep the royal family separate and aloof from the death of the divorced Diana, who was legally no longer a royal, and of Blair's correct reading of the public mood, which demanded some sort of public expression of sympathy from the crown for "The People's Princess."

It was extraordinary, the grief that people felt after her death. I was reminded of the weeks after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Was it out of proportion to Diana's objective importance? She was a young woman almost cynically picked for her marriage, who provided the crown with its required heirs, who was a photogenic escort for Prince Charles, who found no love from her husband; it was no secret they both had affairs during their marriage. Once divorced, she made peculiar dating choices.

She died in a late-night crash while being pursued by paparazzi. Yet it was as if a saint had been taken from our midst. Yes, Diana devoted much time to doing good. Yes, I believe she was sincere. But doing good was part of her job description; she signed on for it. In death, she had the same impact as if a great national hero had died.

"The Queen" is told almost entirely in small scenes of personal conflict. It creates an uncanny sense that it knows what goes on backstage in the monarchy; in the movie, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and the Queen Mother have settled into a sterile domesticity cocooned by servants and civil servants. It shows Tony and Cherie Blair ( Helen McCrory ) in their own bourgeois domestic environment. Both households, privately, are plain-spoken to the point of bluntness, and Cherie is more left wing than her husband, less instinctively awed by the monarchy, more inclined to dump the institution.

What Tony clearly sees is that the monarchy could be gravely harmed, if not toppled, by the Queen's insistence on sticking to protocol and not issuing a statement about Diana. The press demands that Elizabeth fly the flag at half-mast as a symbolic gesture at Buckingham Palace. Elizabeth stands firm. The palace will not acknowledge the death or sponsor the funeral.

"The Queen" comes down to the story of two strong women loyal to the doctrines of their beliefs about the monarchy, and a man who is much more pragmatic. The queen is correct, technically, in not lowering the flag to half-mast -- it is not a national flag, but her own, flown only when she is in residence. But Blair is correct that the flag has become a lightning rod for public opinion. The queen is correct, indeed, by tradition and history in all she says about the affair -- but she is sadly aloof from the national mood. Well, maybe queens should be.

Certainly that's what the Queen Mum thinks. Played by Sylvia Syms , she is shown at 90-plus years, still tart and sharp-witted. At the last minute, the palace needs a protocol plan for the funeral, and time is so short that the Queen Mum's own funeral plan has to be borrowed and modified. Syms has a priceless reaction where she learns that her honor guard, all servicemen, will be replaced by celebrities -- even, gasp, Elton John .

"The Queen" could have been told as a scandal sheet story of celebrity gossip. Instead, it becomes the hypnotic tale of two views of the same event -- a classic demonstration, in high drama, of how the Establishment has been undermined by publicity. I think it possible that Thatcher, if she still had been in office, might have supported the Queen. That would be impossible to the populist Blair.

Stephen Frears, the director, has made several wonderful films about conflicts and harmonies in the British class system (" My Beautiful Laundrette ," " Dirty Pretty Things ," " Prick Up Your Ears "), and "The Queen," of course, represents the ultimate contrast. No one is more upper class than the queen, and Tony Blair is profoundly middle class.

The screenplay is intense, focused, literate, observant. The dynamic between Elizabeth and Philip ( James Cromwell ), for example, is almost entirely defined by decades of what has not been said between them -- and what need not be said. There are extraordinary, tantalizing glimpses of the "real" Elizabeth driving her own Range Rover, leading her dogs, trekking her lands at Balmoral -- the kind of woman, indeed, who seems more like Camilla Parker-Bowles than Diana.

Mirren is the key to it all in a performance sure to be nominated for an Oscar. She finds a way, even in a "behind the scenes" docudrama, to suggest that part of her character will always be behind the scenes. What a masterful performance, built on suggestion, implication and understatement. Her queen in the end authorizes the inevitable state funeral, but it is a tribute to Mirren that we have lingering doubts about whether, objectively, it was the right thing. Technically, the queen was right to consider the divorced Diana no longer deserving (by her own choice) of a royal funeral. But in terms of modern celebrity worship, Elizabeth was wrong. This may or may not represent progress.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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The Queen (2006)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

103 minutes

Helen Mirren as Elizabeth II

Michael Sheen as Tony Blair

James Cromwell as Prince Philip

Sylvia Syms as Queen Mother

Paul Barrett as Trevor Rees-Jones

Helen McCrory as Cherie Blair

Directed by

• Stephen Frears
• Peter Morgan

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Free Analysis of the Movie “The Queen” Essay Sample

The movie, The Queen , which is directed by Stephen Frears provides us with a glimpse on happenings behind the scenes in the royal palace in England following the death of Prince Diana in the year 1997. Popularly known as the People’s Princess, the death of Princess Diana (together with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed) in a car crash in Paris, comes as a completely astonishing personal tragedy for both Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) and Tony Blair (Michael Sheen), the newly elected Labor Prime Minister, and threatens to shake the very foundation of the monarchy . Her death comes as a shock to the public, and they mourn and grieve for the people’s princess.  This paper focuses on analyzing the movie, The Queen in light of the theme of mourning and rituals of death, including public and private mourning, the loss of a socially important person as we as the impact of a lack of a proper ritual.

Queen Elizabeth thinks that Princess Diana’s death should be privately mourned by her family (the Spencer’s), rather than a public or national morning because at the time of her death, she was divorced from her former husband Prince Charles (Alex Jennings), and therefore she is no longer part of the royal family. Blair foresees the possibility of the monarchy being gravely hurt if not overthrown, if the Queen insists on adhering to the protocol of the royal family and as a result fails to give a statement about the death of Princess Diana.

The extraordinary grief felt by the people following her demise shows just how much of a national and social hero and an important person she was and therefore, the greater trauma being felt by the people is justified. While the Queen opts to maintain a private mourning for Princess Diana, pressure is mounted on her by the grieving fans of Diana and the media frenzy for the flag to be flown at half- mast in honor of the Buckingham palace, and to offer her a heroic mourning and funeral. In spite of the massive outpourings for a public mourning, including Tony Blair’s request, the Queen stands her ground maintaining that Diana is not a member of the royal family, and therefore the palace cannot recognize her demise and fund her funeral. According to Gibbs the cry by a majority of the public for her to be accorded a proper mourning and burial is reiterated in the words of Tony Blair, who says, “They screwed up her life; let's hope they don't screw up her death”. Even her former husband, Prince Charles maintains that the royal family needs to join in with the public mood in mourning for Diana’s death.

Princess Diana’s death interrupts the sleep of Queen Elizabeth more than once. The casual way in which the royalty handles her death spurs anger and curiosity among the public, who seem to be so invasive, even knocking at the palace, in an attempt to know what is going on. In a short while after the body of Diana is brought back from Paris by Prince Charles, we see the Queen retreating to Balmoral, even without saying a word. This stubbornness fuels sorrow and rage among the fans of Princess Diana, who lays hundreds of thousands banquets of flowers in front of the Buckingham palace, even blocking the gate of the palace. This is a gesture of their respect, sympathy and mourning for a social figure that was truly adored and loved by many.

In the next couple of days leading to Diana’s funeral, clashes are witnessed between pragmatism versus protocol, public mourning versus private grief, as well as duty versus opportunism as the Queen is gradually persuaded by the media and Tony Blair to get out of the cocoon of the royal palace to meet the demand of the public. The royal family’s insistence on a private mourning for Diana is evident when the Queen Elizabeth’s husband is surprised at the fact that prominent public figures such as the renowned singer Elton John, is invited to attend Diana’s funeral to sing the song, Candle in the Wind , in memory of the Peoples’ Princess; Princess Diana. Philip and other members of the royal family view such an invitation as a degrading submission to the public frenzy.

In the midst of everything that is going on, the popularity of Prime minister, Tony Blair begins to rise among the public, as that of Queen Elizabeth goes down; in fact, the public demands that she abdicates her office for Blair to take over. Out of the respect and admiration that Blair has for the Queen, he advises her to regain the confidence the public have on her by attending Diana’s public funeral which was done at Westminster Abbey, as well as addressing the people on the television concerning the life and legacy of Princess Diana. Realizing that her very own position as a Queen of England was at stake, she decides to follow Blair’s advice by making a television address about Diana, describing her “as an exceptional and gifted human being”. Her efforts finally pay off; she is able to gain back her popularity. This is a show of just how failing to carry out proper death rituals for a loved one, (for instance, keeping the death of a person private) could tear apart the social fabric in the society. This is evidenced in the way people started changing their views about the Queen, and wanted her to vacate her office.

The Royal family is portrayed as one that is insensitive and callous as regards anything going on that does not concern them. The husband to the Queen, Prince Phillip (James Cromwell), occurs to me as so unfeeling and unsympathetic in the manner in which he states things that few people speak about aloud. The Queen mum (Sylvia, Syms) on the other hand, seems out of reach and clueless about what is going own. However, there is the Press Secretary to Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell and his wife, who plays the role of being the peoples voices, as they are seen showing their contempt for the pretentious and rude behavior of the royal family on how they handle the death of Princess Diana.

According to Latham, credit should be given to this sharply written screen play, by Peter Morgan, which is his second script after The last King of Scotland, both of which are fictional movies that give accounts of real events and people. Morgan brilliant job does not only end in informing the public of what might have taken place behind the scenes in the British royal palace following the death of Princess Diana; he was also includes fiction involving a stag on the castle’s ground, that took away the attention from Diana’s death to give the Queen more concern.

The performance of Helen Mirren as the Queen of England is vividly outstanding. She is able to restrain and hold back her emotions, despite the grief that has befallen the royal family. This perfectly captures the appropriate nature of how the Queen is expected to behave in real life situation. She is submerged into the Queen’s role until she is able to perfectly to carry over emotional restraint even when nobody else is around her.

On the other hand, the exemplary performance of Michael Sheen as Tony Blair can be attributed to his previous role of prime minister in the movie, The Deal , which was collaborated between him and Frears. Indeed, the whole film is well scripted and performed, from Prince Charles classily handled and touching moment as he views the body of Prince Diana while in France, to other smaller for instance, the personal secretary of the royal family (Robin Janvrin whose real name is Roger Allam), all of which add up to make the entire film better.

The movie, The Queen is a well scripted and acted fiction of the real happenings behind the closed doors of the royal palace in England following the death of Princess Diana, the People’s Princess, as she was popularly known. The shock that comes with her death, throws the country into mourning and grief, despite the Queen’s insistence that Diana’s death should be mourned privately because she was no longer part of the royal family, following her divorce from Prince Charles. The effects of refusing to conduct proper death ritual and mourning for Diana is evident when the Queen starts to loose her popularity when she constantly refuses to acknowledge her death. But later on, her popularity is regained when she follows Blair’s advice and joins others to publicly mourn Princes Diana and also addresses the nation through a television on her legacy. This is a lesson to every one that despite the differences we may have with a departed person, we should accord them proper mourning and death rituals lest we risk tearing the social fabric between us and his or her loved ones.

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