Pynchon

"The Queen".



Let's put my cards on the table.

I am not a monarchist. I think that the idea of an un-elected Head of State in a modern, 21st century country is ridiculous. I think that the British Royal Family is a medieval concept and should be phased out as soon as logistically possible. I support the idea of a British Republic and an elected President. How the mechanics of such a system would work, I don't know. There are some clever people about. They can worry about that, and anyway, it will probably not happen in my lifetime.

Let's be sensible about this. I don't want the Royal Family lined up against the palace of Westminster and shot. I don't want the Royal Family put into the Tower of London and left to rot. I would not condone sticking the Royal Family onto the back of a horse drawn cart, having them paraded through the streets of London, and the public allowed to pelt them with rotten fruit. They have never done anything to me and I have a grudging affection for some of them. It is the concept that I do not like, not the individuals. (Although Prince Edward could do with a smack. Anyone disagree?) Perhaps Canada or Australia would like them?

"The Queen" really is an astonishingly good film. Most of the reviews have concentrated on the great performance of Helen Mirren as QE2. I wouldn't disagree with that. Helen Mirren is very good and I fully expect her to get an Oscar nomination come January 2007. But, praise where praise is due to Michael Sheen as Tony Blair. He is Blair, down to the mannerisms, voice, posture, everything. It is as good a performance as the one he gave playing Blair in the Channel 4 drama "The Deal" in 2003. Just brilliant.

Of course the film is nearly total speculation. Nobody really knows what was going through QE2's mind during the first week of September 1997. Were the Royal Family really that arrogant, insensitive and isolated to really believe that remaining silent during that week was the best course of action, when a great many of the British people wanted to hear words of comfort from their Monarch? I don't know, but they come across that way. Did Blair really have to tell them that in a poll taken that week 1 in 4 of the people would vote to scrap the Monarchy? Did QE2 really think about abdicating? I don't know. Maybe not.

I think that the the filmmakers wanted us to have sympathy with QE2. I didn't. Watching "The Queen" I remembered exactly why I voted New Labour in 1997. Back then Tony Blair was the man. He really was what we wanted. (Well, what I wanted.) He had his finger on the pulse and knew exactly what to say and what to do. Shame it all turned to shit, isn't it?

Princess Diana? Pain in the arse, but was she asking for it? No. Who asks to be killed in a car crash? The car crash was an accident. Diana was a media tart (her people would tip off the press as to her whereabouts all of the time, a la Victoria Beckham), but she was also a focus for a lot of good with all of the charities that she supported. A lot of people were very upset that week. I wasn't particularly, but it was surreal. The news broke on my Birthday (31st August.) At least Wet Wet Wet didn't cancel their gig at the NEC that night. Lorraine and I went to see them. They were brilliant.

No post tomorrow. Lorraine and I are going to see Johnny Mathis at the Birmingham NEC. Back Friday.