Customer Reviews

Charles & Camilla - Whatever Love Means

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's 1971, and Camilla Shand is tired of waiting for Andrew Parker-Bowles to propose, so she goes after his friend, Prince Charles, to make Andrew jealous. Charles is awkward, pompous, and a royal bore, but Camilla is determined; she tells Charles that her ancestor was his ancestor's mistress *wink wink* and before he knows what hit him, they're having an affair. Parker-Bowles marries Camilla, but the liaison continues, passionately and not always discretely. To satisfy the royal demands that Charles settle down, Camilla sets about picking a suitable wife (one that won't interfere with their relationship), and the young Diana Spencer is chosen, even though Charles loathes her.

I liked this made-for-TV movie a lot. Although I'm sure it was supposed to show Charles and Camilla as sympathetic lovers who overcame many obstacles, I found them self-absorbed and cruel. Dialogue that has been verified in the media popped up often enough to lend credence to the script, which begins with the couple's meeting and ends on the day of Charles' marriage to Diane - his supreme sacrifice to satisfy his parents - while staying firmly devoted to "the only woman he ever loved" - Camilla.

While the actors don't look much like their characters, they were all good and the movie seemed spot-on to me. Whether you were a fan of the late Diana or a Charles/Camilla supporter, you're sure to enjoy this movie; as the box says, it's "gossipy and fun."

This movie was a delight from the opening credits onward. Starting with what my husband called "tampon package colors" in the opening credit sequence to their first (historically inaccurate) meeting involving the lusty Camilla Shand throwing herself at the virginal-acing Prince of Wales, this made-for-TV movie is sheer entertainment. It continues through "Gladys and Fred's" ongoing affair, Charles' string of possible future Queens (including a nude model ogled by one of his brothers--presumably Randy Andy) and the introduction of a painfully shy, wide-eyed Lady Diana Spencer, ending with a glum Charles suiting up for his (first) wedding.

The movie is the first treatment I've ever seen that is actually sympathetic to Camilla Parker-Bowles, although part of that has to do with the actress playing her being better-looking than CPB. The actor who played Charles was dead-on (albeit slightly better-looking as well), down to the voice--he's worlds above the actor who played Charles in the recent Helen Mirren biopic "The Queen." The actors who played Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were completely unrecognizable for their roles, and the Diana character held little of the charm of the real Diana, although I imagine the look of terror/innocence in the actress' eyes accurately conveyed the real emotional state of the actual Princess.

This movie has excellent production values for a made-for-TV movie, and yet never for a moment do you forget where it comes from. Historically inaccurate in parts (pointed out by a disclaimer at the beginning), campy in others, it is surprisingly touching and altogether superior to other "so bad it's good" films. It truly has something for everyone.

It gives an objective perspective of the "other side of the story" - as each and every real-life drama has. We are used to see Diana's saga from her perspective - this film gives you a background of Charles'pains, tribulations, and his own unfulfilled love.