Helen Mirren: "The Queen"

I understand that Elizabeth II remained silent while the British government did terrible things (over and over again). Still, I'm grateful to EII just for giving me "The Queen," which is:

*a prominent film about a woman who is not twenty-five years old. (Despite winning the Oscar, Helen Mirren has spent ensuing years as "a wife," to Anthony Hopkins or Broadbent or Christopher Plummer.)

*a film that passes the Bechdel Test. (Mirren walks with her mother, and the two discuss the monarchy; they don't discuss a male squeeze.)

*a film with an excellent script. (That script! Peter Morgan understands people. He understands how so much communication happens via indirection. When Charles praises Di's parental commitment, he is really antagonizing his own mother. When Philip sputters about his son's marital sloppiness, he is really expressing self-disgust, in an awkward way. And when EII recalls Winston Churchill's guidance, she is showing off, but she is also starting to imagine a new role for herself. She can be a Churchill to the young Tony Blair.)

This remains one of my favorite movies. I continue to feel skeptical about "The Crown"--let's subtract Helen Mirren, Stephen Frears, and Desplat, and see what happens---but still I'm looking forward to Season Five.

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