Bertie and Elizabeth (2002) (TV)

Director:

Giles Foster

Writer:

Nigel Williams (writer)

Release Date:

2 April 2002 (New Zealand)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The duke of York, nicknamed Bertie, was born as royal 'spare heir', younger brother to the prince of Wales...

Plot Keywords:

Resignation | Great Britain | London England | Queen | Royal Family

Cast

James Wilby	...	King George VI, aka 'Bertie'
Alan Bates	...	King George V
Eileen Atkins	...	Queen Mary
Dolly Wells	...	Princess Mary
William Mickleburgh	...	James Stuart
Juliet Aubrey	...	Queen Elizabeth
Barbara Leigh-Hunt	...	Lady Mabel Airlie
Rupert Wickham	...	Equerry
Charles Edwards	...	David - Edward VIII
Alexandra Staden	...	Young Woman
Nicholas Pritchard	...	J.C. Davidson
Oliver Ford Davies	...	Archbishop Lang
Geoffrey Beevers	...	Earl of Strathmore
Deborah Cornelius	...	Thelma Furness
Michael Elwyn	...	Lionel Logue

Runtime:

USA:120 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Bath Abbey, Bath, Somerset, England, UK

Company:

Carlton Television

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Montgomery comes to the palace after the Battle of Alamein, Princess Elizabeth is wearing ATS uniform. Alamein was in 1942. Elizabeth didn't join the Army until 1945 (she was only 16 in 1942).

Movie Connections:

Follows "Edward & Mrs. Simpson" (1978)

Charming, historically inaccurate romance

If you want historical accuracy, look elsewhere. Fact, distortion, omission, and plain fiction are so interwoven in this picture that I almost wanted to see a disclaimer at the start of the film.

However! If you can chuck all that aside and just focus on the film itself, it's a charming, sweet, no-brainer movie with uplifting moments tossed in.

The portrayal of the struggles between David and Bertie, who'd always been close, after the arrival of Wallis, is the most "poison pill" version I've seen. David is portrayed as a flat-out cad, while Wallis is a scheming, grasping "rhymes-with-'itch.'" The devastation of Bertie and the poise of Elizabeth are in sharp contrast to the "bad couple."

This is just one example of how the writers used elements to highlight the tremendous tension between public and private royal life in the 20th century, and how personal feelings *must* be sacrificed to duty. Obviously, this dynamic still plays out in the 21st century.

What shines through above all in this picture is the love between Bertie and Elizabeth. As such, it is a charming romance film with some lovely costumes and sets, and some moving historical references thrown in. The steadfastness of B & E's relationship, and how it allowed both of them to survive some of the most crushing episodes of their lives, is inspiring to watch.

And then one wants to grab a book to find out what *really* happened. :-)