196. Elizabeth: A Portrait In Parts; movie review

 

ELIZABETH - A PORTRAIT IN PARTS

Cert 12A

90 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language

To those of us who have lived for the majority of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, it seems inconceivable that some day soon she will not be head of state.

Sure, people around her might be making noises about how healthy she is but time catches up with all of us.

This year she has become only the fourth monarch of a sovereign state in history to reach a platinum jubilee.

If she can make it for another two years she will reach Louis XIV's record.

For the record, Sobhuza II, was a Paramount Chief for 82 years and 254 days - the longest verifiable reign - but he led Swaziland which was a dependency and not a sovereign state.

I digress.

Directed by the late Roger Michell, this film documents The Queen's life in different sections and shows her as playful and affectionate but serious about her inherited duty.

It takes the viewer up and down the decades of her reign, presents personal impressions of her from those who have met her and even those who haven't.

And it shows the changes in the country that she governs, her family and herself.

At its heart is a celebration of a woman who is universally loved.

So we see clips from her rewarding people for honours, hosting state visits but also indulging in her passion of horse-racing.

Meanwhile, the Second World War, The Coronation and the various woes and tragedies involving her children and their partners also feature.

It is documentary which could have lasted all day but has been kept to a pithy 90 minutes.

It is a fine legacy to The Queen and the director who has done a sterling job.

Reasons to watch: Thorough biopic/celebration

Reasons to avoid: Lots of great images but not that many words

Laughs: Two

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know?  As Queen, she has been served by 14 UK Prime Ministers including Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and more recently, Boris Johnson.

The final word. Roger Michell: "It’s almost unbelievable that one woman can have experienced so much change in one lifetime... that is, OUR lifetimes, our change, our lives, our social history, but here crystallised and concentrated and distilled through the prism of HMQ."

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