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The Crown (Netflix Original)
Was wondering if anyone has caught this yet. A very lavish look at the opening years of the reign of Bond's Big Boss, Queen Elizabeth II. It is an extraordinary piece of TV, which depicts not just the royals, but the political scene of 1950s Britain.
I was shocked by an episode which focused on the Great Smog of 1952, with Churchill struggling to recognise the gravity of the crisis. I had no idea that some 4000 Londoners died because of it.
Claire Foy is superb as the steady young Queen. Matt Smith surprisingly strong as Prince Philip. John Lithgow excellent as Churchill (although it took me until the Smog episode for him to emerge as Churchill - my mind was still full of the magnificent versions by Robert Hardy, Michael Gambon and Albert Finney) and perhaps the best of all, Jared Harris, as the dying King George VI. I smell an Emmy on its way.
1950s London is brought vividly (and sometimes grimily) to life. Top stuff.
Although, five episodes in, it has given me a somewhat visceral hatred of Anthony Eden. Not a sentence I thought I would ever write.
I was shocked by an episode which focused on the Great Smog of 1952, with Churchill struggling to recognise the gravity of the crisis. I had no idea that some 4000 Londoners died because of it.
Claire Foy is superb as the steady young Queen. Matt Smith surprisingly strong as Prince Philip. John Lithgow excellent as Churchill (although it took me until the Smog episode for him to emerge as Churchill - my mind was still full of the magnificent versions by Robert Hardy, Michael Gambon and Albert Finney) and perhaps the best of all, Jared Harris, as the dying King George VI. I smell an Emmy on its way.
1950s London is brought vividly (and sometimes grimily) to life. Top stuff.
Although, five episodes in, it has given me a somewhat visceral hatred of Anthony Eden. Not a sentence I thought I would ever write.
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Comments
Matt Smith was surprisingly good as Prince Philip. Not sure about other Doctors who have played historical characters - I think Tom Baker played Rasputin once.
The politics involved are the twilight years of Winston Churchill's power (which is very touching) and Sir Anthony Eden's succession to Number 10, after a long wait. It's also interesting to see the young queen get to grips with her new position.
The period is presented magnificently. An era and a London that Ian Fleming knew intimately, of course.
I agree with the casting of Claire Foy as the young and beautiful Queen. I felt that Lithgow did a good job as Winston Churchill and a lot of the pomp and ceremony as well as the conflicts was very compelling. The guy playing her Personal Secretary, whom they called "Tommy" , I thought was a domineering and a real screen presence. He transcended every scene he is in.
The show basically covers the years 1947 (her marriage to Lt Phillip Montbatten) to 1955. I knew he was born in Greece but had no idea that he had to give up his titles and claim to the Greek and the Danish thrones prior to marrying her.
The show left me wanting more.
Philip's sacrifice (and for such a proud man, it really was a sacrifice) of his career and even his family name is sometimes forgotten. As is the story of Princess Margaret. What an extraordinarily vivid personality she was in her younger days. The relationship between the sisters is compelling. "BUT Margaret is my joy.."
Oh, PropertyOfALady if you are on episode 2, that means Christmas at Sandringham, with the King and Princess Margaret around the piano. That brought a lump to my throat.
Townsend was overly arrogant and he must have felt he was invulnerable. He should have been happy they were not sending him to some desert outpost or the artic. How cheeky!
I think the UK and the Commonwealth dodged a bullet when King Edward VIII abdicated. Give me George VI, Lilibet and Margaret, any day of the week over him.
Also...
He was and is and will remain so. A shame on the British Royal Family. In Hitler, he backed the wrong horse and lived out his days in exile in France.
Already seen a few photographs of the filming of the second series. It's Supermac time.
I meant to ask you earlier but why does Eden come across so badly?
Recently ITV produced a feature length drama called Churchill's Secret which starred Sir Michael Gambon as Winston; this also focuses on the ailing Churchill, the cover-up of his strokes, and the political shenanigans of Anthony Eden (as well as touching on poor little Marigold). It's worth a watch.
A beautiful and lavish production. Very good performances and a fascinating look at that era.
Just makes me pine for a series that faithfully adapts the Fleming novels with this kind of production values.
Come on EON!!
Another Crown/Bond link. Sir Anthony Eden stayed at Goldeneye in Jamaica for a month to recuperate in 1956. This did no harm at all to Ian Fleming's public profile.
The show has left me wanting more, I can hardly wait until the second series. How many years will it cover ? the first was 1947-1955 will the next series go up to 1960's following the births of Elizabeth and Phillips younger sons?
Also I agree the Duke of Windsor was an asshole Royale. He outlived his younger brother by twenty years. Both men were heavy smokers and this led to both their demises.
Makes one wonder: with Margaret dying at the age of 72, the Queen Mother at 101 and with Phillip now 95 and HRH now 90...how much longer will Charles have to wait and how long will this jolly chap live? Only time will tell...
I think we'll also see more on Philip's role as a father. We've already seen hints that he sees Charles as a slight disappointment in the masculine stakes. Charles, of course, is today the longest serving heir apparent in British history. He has waited for the throne for longer than anyone else, beating Edward VII's long wait to replace Queen Victoria. The BBC are currently producing a TV adaptation of the very successful 'what if?' play, King Charles III, which imagines what happens when Elizabeth II dies. As far as The Crown goes, we'll hopefully see Charles grow up (if it goes the full 6 series) and it will give people a greater understanding of an often complicated and conflicted individual.
That's just speculation on my part, but one thing is certain, it will be quite a ride. The attention to detail is extraordinary. Articles in the press at the moment about the 'true stars' of this series being those who researched and created some 20,000 costumes.
Fired by this production, I've just recently read a biography of the Duke of Windsor and entirely agree with your analysis of the man @OHMSS69. I must say I am looking forward to the dramatisation of the final meeting between the Queen and her uncle, though.
Yes, a DVD release would be nice for those of us who want to see this series but who don't stream on the internet.
Phillip's uncle Louis Montbatten (called "Dickey" by family members was Phillip's mother youngest brother) was pushing for the royal house to adopt that name over Windsor but consider that Phillip himself took his mother's maiden (Montbatten) name over his father's name.
I understand that Charles was closer to his "Uncle Dickey" than to his father.
Charles certainly was extremely close to his great-uncle 'Dickey', Lord Louis Mountbatten. So much so, that there are rumours that when Elizabeth II dies that King Charles might rename the royal house, Mountbatten-Windsor. That would be in tribute to his father, Prince Philip, but I suspect, as @OHMSS69 rightly points out, it would be a more fitting nod to Dickey Mountbatten.
Speaking of uncles, did ANYONE warm to the Queen's uncle David, the Duke of Windsor (formerly King Edward VIII)? He appears to have become the pantomime villain of series 1.
He got caught up in "the lost generation" flapper society of the 1920's and was part of the globe hopping "jet set". Where he met Wallis Simpson.
During his visits to Germany in the 1930's I doubt he was actually a Nazi but he did have an ill advised admiration of Hitler and his associates.
He was a proud man and must have always been furious at his sister-in-law for banning his wife from the coronation.
We all agree that he was some kinda asshole and the scene where he was playing those bagpipes with tears in his eyes was kinda touching. I kinda felt sorry for the chap. Perhaps watching his niece's coronation left a void in his feelings as it reminded him of all he had given up for love...
Mustn't be greedy, but I'm a little disappointed that Jared Harris didn't just squeak on the list for his George VI.