Customer Reviews

The Queen's Sister

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

"The Queen's Sister," which had it's American debut on BBC America, tells the story of Princess Margaret. It's a fascinating, yet somewhat uneven, portrait of a royal we don't hear much about anymore. Marginalized by circumstance, she never really had a significant role to play within the framework of the Royal family. So by boredom, rebellion and/or greedy indifference--she began an unconventional lifestyle (for a Royal anyway) revolving around men and partying. Becoming a social celebrity of sorts, she sought acceptance anyway that she could get it and an acknowledgment of her status.

"The Queen's Sister" is at it's most effective when dealing with Margaret's internal struggles. Far from being a standard biopic, it is more of a psychological profile. And when depicting Margaret's search for purpose and worth, it has some nicely poignant moments. Even though she comes across unflatteringly on many occasions, there are times when we clearly see the girl beneath the title. The tone of the film, though, seesaws rather precariously between ribald comedy and quiet despair. This shifting focus does lessen the overall impact of the film, but it's never uninteresting.

The production benefits with a tremendous, vital performance by Lucy Cohu. Spanning 20 years of Margaret's life, it's a showy and robust showcase for Cohu's acting chops. The film is well presented and well done from a technical standpoint. I'm not so convinced that historical accuracy, however, was a top priority to the filmmakers. Nevertheless, I recommend the film to those interested in the Royals--it's a different perspective. And I give a big thumbs up to Cohu who holds everything together with a masterful and complicated performance. KGHarris, 11/06.

This is supposed to be a dramatization of the life of Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II. It begins just before the death of King George VI and ends sometime after her messy divorce in the 1970s (although in this film it looks more like the late 1960s). This is more of a tabloid style scandal piece than a factual documentary, but it does do a good job of depicting the Princess's madcap life in search of fun, diversion, and love. Margaret could be very elegant and dignified on occasion, but we don't see those occasions in this film. She could be manic and wanton too, and this film plays those periods up for all they are worth. And we never see her in her more tender moments. Even her children are barely mentioned.

Very little explanation is provided for Margaret's hedonism. We don't see her relationship with her father, whose favorite she was, and her mother and sister never appear on screen. We are not allowed to see how her celebrated romance with Peter Townsend began, nor do we get much of an idea about why she eventually fell into and then out of love with Anthony Armstrong-Jones, Roddy Llewellyn, and her other lovers. All these disjointed segments leave us with is a deep sense of sadness for the Princess's wasted life, and maybe that's what the producers intended.

Interestingly enough, one of the extras provided on this DVD is much superior to the main selection. A Royal Scandal is an hour long depiction of the unhappy marriage of King George IV and Queen Caroline, which was first shown back in the 1990s. It really is funny, and the narration by Ian Richardson at his driest and most sardonic best is priceless.

This movie was a pleasant surprise. It was well-acted and well-made and accurate. It traces the history of Queen Elizabeth's younger sister, whose sad private life was played out publicly on the world stage. It chronicles her behavior, the drugs, wild parties, free sex etc. that always landed Princess Margaret in the headlines and as the major source for embarassing the British Royal Family in the generation preceding Princess Diana.

The DVD has a fascinating movie about a prior Royal scandal that involved Princess Caroline of Brunswick and her unhappy union with George, one of Margaret's ancestors. This was almost even better than the Queen's Sister. Don't miss it on the DVD.

Has the BBC taken leave of its senses?

It must have, since it has subordinated an excellent full-length film, "Royal Scandal," narrated by Ian Richardson, and featuring such notable actors as Michael Kitchen, to a ghastly pseudo-biopic about Princess Margaret. "Royal Scandal" tells the true and tragic story of Princess Caroline of Brunswick, who had the misfortune to be married to the dissolute Prince Regent, who became George IV, and petitioned to divorce his wife. Thus the woman who would be Queen of England was forced to listen in person to her reputation being ruined in the House of Lords. Her husband was not even present. The film is fascinating, amusing, beautifully acted (with such a cast!) and lovely to look at. The writers, who have used the actual words from the correspondence and court transcripts have created a cinematic gem, which surely deserved to be featured as first-run on a DVD; however, the Beeb marketing geniuses doubtless thought it was not important enough to peddle to their former colonists.

Instead, they have given us a trashy film based upon the exploitative tabloid headlines of a later age than the 1950s. The story begins with a fast reference to the romance between Princess Margaret and Group Captain Peter Townsend, without dwelling upon the pressures that were put upon her and how she was forced to renounce him publicly (She was very young.). The director also had the bad judgment to have the actress read the princess's words, rather than letting Margaret's tragic voice, broadcast worldwide in 1955, speak for itself. The movie then jumps to her life in the 'fast lane' and her pursuit of Anthony Armstrong-Jones and subsequent unhappy marriage. Next we see a Margaret growing older and more dissipated as she turns to one disastrous affair after another. Ironically, as she ages, the makeup makes her look more like the actual older Princess Margaret. When we first meet her, however, she bears a strong resemblance to Mrs. Simpson! (One only has to look at the early photographs and the portraits by Cecil Beaton to see how truely lovely Princess Margaret was in her youth!)

Since the writing is so superficial and motiveless, the actors, who are more than competent, have a thankless uphill task to perform. Not even Toby Stephens as Anthony Armstrong-Jones can save this train wreck!

Buy this DVD for "Royal Scandal" and give the scandalous feature a miss!

A biographical film of the adult life of Princess Margaret, covering her doomed relationship with Group-Captain Peter Townshend through her unhappy marriage to Tony Armstrong-Jones through her late midlife affair with Roddy Llewellyn. The animating idea behind it is to show almost all the more sordid aspects of Margaret's life blown up to absurdist mythic status; at key junctures the plot is advanced by flashing tabloid headlines and by people reacting to Margaret's antics while watching television, with funny subtitles clueing us into their internal sympathies.

This doesn't work so well (it doesn't seem carried through enough), but the film still succeeds largely by dint of its superior performances. Lucy Cohu is astonishingly good as Margaret, convincing playing her not only in many moods and at many ages but at many weights: she delivers the truly bravura performance the film needs to put it over. (Her mother and sister are pointedly never shown on film, as if to suggest their godly power over her life.) Thoby Stephens is also quite fine as Margaret's commoner husband the Prince of Wales, and Simon Woods is quite sweet as the spacey, kindly Roddy Llewellyn. Also in this film's favor are its superior sets, and its very carefully executed fashions and hairstyles that reveal the full resplendant ghastliness of Margaret's era of chic (roughly 1950 through 1978). This film also comes with a sweet little BBC documentary vignette about Margaret's life before her marriage to Armstrong-Jones, and "A Royal Scandal," a very strange half-attempt at an hour-long film covering the marriage of George IV and Caroline of Brunswick, with Rupert Everett oddly cast as the Prince Regent (a part he would even more oddly play again in THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE).

Thank goodness I got this as a gift and didn't waste any of my own money. I got about 20 minutes into it before I turned it off. Sorry to cast aspersions, but Princess Margaret was a beautiful woman when she was young, and Lucy Cohu is not... IMHO...easy on the eyes. She portrayed Margaret as shrill and sleazy with no redeeming qualities. I know Margaret was no saint, but it was so over the top. It almost changed my high opinion of Toby Stephens (who played Antony Armstrong-Jones), who was so good in the BBC version of "Jane Eyre" for being involved in this train wreck. This just does not seem worthy of the BBC. Do yourself a favor, buy "Jane Eyre" instead.

Decades before Diana, Britain's royal family had another "people's princess", Queen Elizabeth's sister Margaret. When Elizabeth ascended to the throne upon her father's death, Margaret felt very much shunted aside. Her efforts to secure some attention for herself lead to a somewhat scandalous as a hard-drinking party girl, made notorious by the press and a frequent source of embarrassment to her relatives.

The Queen's Sister was produced in 2005 by the BBC for television. In the opening titles is a disclaimer of sorts: "Some of the following is based on fact. And some isn't." The video follows her during the period from the death of her father to the late 1970's. Having given up her fairy tale romance with the dashing (and divorced) war hero, Peter Townsend, in favor of maintaining her status, wealth, and luxury, Margaret moved on encounter little more than instability, disappointment and frustration. Some of her problems were self-inflicted, stemming from her own inherent haughtiness and sense of noblesse. Perhaps others were created by the demands of her social position. But it appears likely that Margaret made her own bed. We all have to live with the consequences of our choices.

Lucy Cohu plays the princess with great style, vibrancy, and yes, bawdiness. Toby Stephens as husband Antony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowden, does a nuanced job reacting to the stringent requirements of royal marriages, which are conveyed to him by Margaret's brother-in-law, the Queen's smooth enforcer, Prince Philip (finely acted by David Threlfall). The background shots capture the ambience of the 1950's, '60's, and '70's, as does the music. Far from a dispiriting docudrama, The Queen's Sister is fast paced, frequently funny (when the Archbishop tells Margaret he can't marry her to a divorced man, she retorts, "I thought that's why the Anglican church was founded."), lively, and entertaining. It is also a reminder that "there is nothing new under the sun". Perhaps Kate Middleton ought to check this one out!

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU TOOK THE WORST PERSONALITY TRAITS OF
BRITNEY SPEARS AND LINSAY LOHAN, AND MIXED THEM WITH THE
WORST PERSONALITY TRAITS OF PRINCESS MARGARET? Right -- you'd
get this BBC Production!

The late Princess Margaret comes across here as a one-dimensional,
self-centerd person who cares very little even for the men in her
life. Her attitudes to her children are hardly touched upon --
and, (incredibly!), her sister, the Queen, though spoken of, never
appears on-screen!

Perhaps this is all for the good. Were I queen, I would not want
to be associated with this production in any way -- even to having
someone portray me in this one-domenisonal pseudo-dramatisation of
my sister's life!

There is a (real!) photograph of Princess Margaret just after she had broken off with, (or is that, been forced to break up with), with Peter Townsend. She is in the back-seat of a car, and her eyes are just containing unseen tears that cannot flow. She looks like a waif in a trance. There is another incident in (the real)
Princess Margaret's, (real!), life that shows the "softer" side
of her personality as well: upon attending the ground-breaking ceremonies for a building, she is prsented with a bouquet of roses by one of the workmen. Without hesitation -- and certainly, not part of the scenduled events, the Princess, quite unexpectedly, but
very touchingly, took one of the roses, and carefully placed it on the man's bib-overalls. These incidents in the Princess's life is are not presented here.

Further, there is a Princess Margaret Hospital, today, as well. She was also a patron of Dr. Bernardo's Children's Home, a post later held by Princess Diana. Princess Margaret also acted as god-mother to the chilren of Jennifer Bevan, a former lady-in-waiting. But none of these incidents, which show the kinder side of Princess Margaret, are seen here. Nor are numberous others. Nope. In this movie, Princess Margaret comes across as basically a floozy, not caring about the English people, royal tradition, Parliament, the Commomwealth, or anything except her own desires and pleasures. And not even the REASONS behind this harsher side, (the only side presented), of Princess Margaret are shown. True, most people -- around the world -- will never characterize Princess Margaret as an example of rectitude or royal restraint -- but this movie shows her with NO decency, and NO integrity whatsoever!

The actors in this movie do NOT look like their royal counterparts.
This is especially true of LUCY COHU in the leading role. The cover of the dvd DOES show a passing resemblance -- but this is only in that scene, and maybe one or two others. And -- -- as Prince Phillip, sometimes has a simularity to Prince Charle's manner of speaking...but NOT Prince Philips.

There are, however, places in this movie where clever little "snapshots" are taken. Upon seeing people watching Princess Margaret at home on TV, pr palace servants, or notoriously anti-royalist, real-life Member of Parliament, the late WILLIE HAMILTON, the action is suddenly stopped, and we are given a witty caption as to what they are thinking. These captions are thankfully large and clear enough, and on the screen long enough, to allow the viewer to see the meanings of the captions -- often quite ironic and humourous, and much more entertaining and engrossing than the main action of the movie itself!

And FAR more entertaining and engrossing than the main film, are the "extras", included on the DVD. First and fore-most is a short summary of Princess Margaret's early life, and, (as stated on the dvd, just before it is presented), it is an excerpt taken from a BBC special on Princess Margaret, just before her wedding. It is a compilation of old, (and REAL), newsreels, and both the charm of the style of these early nini-documentaries, and the charm of the Royal Family -- especially the often "scene-stealing" charm of the REAL Princess Margaret, as shown in this delightful newsreel-type film compilation, are an historic film treasure and a true delight to behold!

A wonderful surprise is also included amongst the other "extras" of this DVD -- and that is the COMPLETE mini-movie, "A Royal Scandal", the story of George, Prince of Wales, (son of George II), and Princess Caroline of Brunswick. Narrated by in a witty, ironic style by Ian Richardson, (star of the BBC drama triology, "House of Cards"), it is beautifully photographed, wonderfully costumed, and, especially, very well-acted and very well-written! THIS mini-movie is worth the price of the DVD! And, together with the newsreel-like documentary on Princess Margaret's early life, this DVD is a positve BARGAIN! This DVD is also a mini-lesson on movie-making -- because the MAIN title, "The Queen's Sister", shows how NOT to make a movie, whilst the "extras" of "A Retrospective of Princess Margaret's Early Life", and "A Royal Scandal", show how TO make a movie -- and how to make a very GOOD movie, at that!

Other lessons in good movie-making are also included on this disc! Previews of, and advertisements for, BBC series, now available for purchase on other DVDS -- including "MI5-Season 1", "BBC-America", (which features a delightful, stop-motion puppet version of Queen Elizabeth I), "Cambridge Spies" -- which in addition to a dramatic version of the story, includes documentaries and filmed interviews with the REAL Cambridge spies, (older now, but no less -- and perhaps more -- perspicacious); BBC Drama, (including enticing scenes from BBC productions of "Wives and Daughters", "The Way We Live Now", "Daniel Duronda", and "He Knew He Was Right"; BBC Classics, with inviting previews of BBC Productions of the works of Jane Austin, ("Pride and Prejudice"), George Elliot's "Middle- march", Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre", and Charles' Dickens's "Martin Chesselworth", "Oliver Twist", and "Great Expectations"......

Great Expectations, in fact, also describes how I felt when I first put this DVD of "The Queen's Sister" into my DVD player. After watching only the first few scenes, I was thoroughly and sorely disappointed. And that disappointment continued throughout watching the entire hackneyed, stereotyped drama. SO disappointed, in fact, was I, that I first entitled this review: "BLOODY AWFUL", and gave it only one star! I am still of that opinion about the main feature, "The Queen's Sister", on this DVD. But the extras -- the delightful, (and complete!), "A Royal Scandal", and the previews of other BBC offerings, now on DVD, as described above, have changed both the title of my review, (which is now, "SOME DELIGHTFUL SURPRISES...!", and my rating of it, (from 1 star to 4!) The included historic, (and quite valuable), excerpt from the BBC documentary on the early life of Princess Margaret, done just before her wedding, also as described above, is worth 10 stars, in and of itself! How I wish that the MAIN feature, (and title!) of this DVD, "The Queen's Sister", was done even half as well as the rest of the material presented! Love her or hate her, Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth, Countess of Snowdon, deserves a far better dramatization of her life than the rude caricature presented here.
She had her good side and her bad side -- but ONLY the bad side is presented here, and it is exaggerated WAY out of proportion, like a filmed, bio-pic version of a fun-house mirror!

Buy this DVD for the extras! And for the lessons on how NOT to make a movie, (the title feature), and how TO make a movie, (everythng else!)

This movie is strictly a tabloid-level, cardboard portrayal full of innacuracies of a complex character and while it can boast a good performance by Lucy Cohu, I was disappointed throughout. Number 1: Margaret was a fashion icon in the 50's and 60's -- never a hair out of place, always elegant and sophisticated -- and the costumes in this flick are so cheap and sloppy Lucy looks like a shopgirl from the suburbs. Number 2: Margaret was known for her heavy drinking but she was not, from everything I have read, a sloppy drunk who passed out at parties. Number 3: Antony Armstrong-Jones was a much more complicated figure than the spoiled oaf as he is written; (Toby Stephens is adorable in this though!)Tony loved the limelight as much as Margaret but felt constrained by the royal lifestyle that made him famous. And to her credit, Margaret supported her husband's attempts to have his own career outside of the royal system. Number 4: Margaret never would have kissed a woman in public. I know this movie says some of this stuff is based on fact and some isn't but this seemed like a bloated attempt to shock.

Furthermore, there are silly additions to this movie that make it seem cartoonish which was dumb and unnecessary. We know that the Brits are cynical about the Monarchy now, but do they have to underline it with nonsense like flashing to the Frenchman after we see Margaret lighting a cigarette the first time and his response that she caused babies to smoke? I thought it was stupid. Smoking was something everyone did back then and I hardly think Margaret had a big impact on it. Women simply smoked in public more even though they were puffing in private.

Lucy Cohu does her best do wade through this mess and manages at times to portray Margaret as a real woman with mixed results. I got the feeling she was told to play a spoiled promiscuous harpy and that's all we get to see. Yes, Margaret's appeal was that she was sophisticated and elegant but also earthy and rebellious, but this movie focuses only on the shocking side of things. There is more to the story in other words.

I ordered "The Queen's Sister" and haven't watched the main track yet. The reason for ordering was the bonus feature called "A Royal Scandal" (late 1990s, BBC). That second selection on the DVD is about the greatest royal divorce scandal in British history: the decades-long breakup of the marriage between Prince George (later George IV) and Caroline of Brunswick. I could not locate that production on DVD, except for here, and it is well worth watching. Richard Grant clearly relishes his role as the profligate, unlikeable monarch-in-waiting. Several of the supporting cast (such as Michael Kitchen (lately of "Foyle's War") are excellent. The historical sites used for interior scenes are fun to try to identify. The film makes explicit parallels between this early 19th century marital fiasco and the late 20th century royal divorce. Although the story of Caroline and George ends on a sad note, there are moments of dry wit at the beginning of "A Royal Scandal". The tale is accurately told from this historian's perspective--especially the legal bits. Some time I will get around to watching the title track on Princess Margaret, which probably is a warts and all treatment as well. If only for the bonus feature, this is a welcome addition to the libraries of royal-watchers.