Bertie and Elizabeth (2002)

A chronicle of the life of George VI, who was forced to become King following the abdication of his brother Edward VIII, and his relationship with his wife, Elizabeth.

Director:

Giles Foster

Writer:

Nigel Williams

Stars:

James Wilby, Alan Bates, Eileen Atkins

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Wilby	...	Bertie
Alan Bates	...	King George V
Eileen Atkins	...	Queen Mary
Dolly Wells	...	Princess Mary
William Mickleburgh	...	James Stuart
Juliet Aubrey	...	Elizabeth
Barbara Leigh-Hunt	...	Lady Mabell Airlie
Rupert Wickham	...	Equerry
Charles Edwards	...	David
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

Storyline

The duke of York, nicknamed Bertie, was born as royal 'spare heir', younger brother to the prince of Wales, and thus expected to spend a relatively private life with his Scottish wife, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, and their daughters, in the shadow of their reigning father, George V, and next that of his elder brother, who later succeeded to the British throne as Edward VIII. However, Edward decides to put his love for a divorced American, Wallis Simpson, above dynastic duty, and ends up abdicating the throne, which falls to Bertie, who reigns as George VI. He expects to be, as constitutional monarch, little more then a figure head, but again fate has other ideas: Nazi Germany proves such a formidable war challenger to the British Empire that the desperate nation looks to the royal couple as a comforting symbol of its unbroken spirit, a part they play with great success, while hosting chased monarchs and governments from continental Europe. After victory, life returns to normal, but ...

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Plot Keywords:

queen | abdication | royal romance | victory in europe day | royal family | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

PBS [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 June 2002 (UK)

Also Known As:

Bertie e Elizabeth

Filming Locations:

Assembly Rooms, Bath, Somerset, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carlton Television,WGBH,Whitehall Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a career rarity, Robert Hardy appears in this film, but not as British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. Instead, he plays Churchill's counterpart, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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Goofs

As the Abdication Crisis is reaching a climax, there's a scene of Bertie being driven to an official meeting. At the gates, as his car passes through, ivy is in full bloom on the walls and trees in the background have green leaves on them. The Crisis reached its peak at the beginning of December 1936. The trees would have been bare at that time.

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Quotes

[Edward VIII aka David is playing his own composition on the bagpipes]
Thelma Furness: I always think it's so clever to have the bagpipes as one's show-off, because no-one has the faintest idea whether you are playing them well... or badly.

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Connections

Featured in The Story of the Costume Drama: The Stars (2008)

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Soundtracks

If You Were the Only Girl (In the World)
(uncredited)
Music by Nat Ayer (as Nat D. Ayer)
Lyrics by Clifford Grey

User Reviews

A significantly condensed version, but charming

The film is missing some of Elizabeth's most famous remarks, even though they are alluded to, such as (and these are facsimiles): "I can now look the east end in the face." and "They {the Princesses} won't leave without me. I won't leave without the King. And the King will never leave." etc.

It flies through history as a series of vignettes, arguably not necessarily the most important ones. It explains little about the psychology of the major characters, especially George VI's stutter, how instrumental his wife was helping him during his reign, her deep antipathy for Wallis, and Wallis's lack of understanding of her surroundings, England and the court. Wallis is portrayed with a complete lack of sympathy. ("Edward and Mrs. Simpson" this isn't!)

The movie seems to contain glaring inaccuracies. If a royal highness by marriage, Wallis couldn't have passed this title on to any subsequent husband and, surely, the King would know this. The title was withheld - against custom and precedent - for many other reasons which are not explored at all. This is unfortunate.

Nevertheless, the performances are wonderful, especially James Wilby as George VI; Juliet Aubrey as Elizabeth;, Alan Bates as George V; Eileen Atkins as Queen Mary; and Charles Edwards as an Edward VIII with a complete lack of appreciation that with great advantages from birth come great obligations.

For the knowledgeable viewer, it's like looking through bits of a sentimental picture book. It's comfort food: sentimental, warm, and lacking in much nutritional value. Remember, however, the subjects (George VI and Queen Elizabeth) were, and remain, tremendously popular and this view may be very much a reflection of its time. And, having no idea of what really went on behind the walls of the royal residences, it is fun to have the illusion of being able to look.