QUEEN MARIE

Romania, 2019, 115 minutes, Colour.

Roxana Lupu, Daniel Plier, Richard Elfyn, Patrick Drury, Ronald Chenery, Adrian Titieni, Anghel Damian, Karen Westwood, Nicholas Boulton.

Directed by Alexis Cahill.

For some distribution, the “of Romania” is attached to Queen Marie.

This is a Romanian story, World War I, the aftermath, 1919 and the Versailles conference and its decisions about the unification of Romania. This is a film very much for Romanian citizens to look at their past, for people in Europe. In many ways, it is a curiosity item for audiences outside Europe, events of 100 years earlier.

Marie is a strong character, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, giving up her home and family to go to Romania, marrying the king, having five children, something of a brittle relationship, culminating in the war experience, a treaty with the Germans which was not ratified by the King but held against Romania by the Versailles conference.

There is enough about Marie’s personality, strength of character, relationship with the King, attracted to a Prince, clash and hostility with her oldest son, intervening in his life to dismiss his mistress if he was to be king, favouring her younger son but his turning against her at the end because of his education in England and wanting to stay there.

However, the focus of the film is very much on Romania itself and the Queen’s commitment, the difficulties of the Prime Minister being ignored at Versailles, her decision to go, mixed reactions from the cabinet, the King permitting, her son spurning her. She goes by train to Paris, applauded by the people in Romania, welcomed in Paris, press conferences and questions, an emphasis on what was criticised as a holiday, the comfortable hotels, the meals, a visit to England to meet King George and Queen Mary, her son.

However, the film shows her strength of character, forcing a meeting with the French Clemenceau who is eventually being charmed, the rude behaviour of Lloyd George and her challenging him, it is Wilson, Woodrow Wilson’s wife, organising a meal and the very strong opinions and domination of Woodrow Wilson, yet her challenging him.

Marie returns home, her son publicly spurning her, the king seeming  not to support her, her withdrawing with her daughters to a country estate – and the king finally coming, declaring his love for her his way, a reconciliation, then revealing the news that she had been successful.

There is contemporary film footage at the opening of the film, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the war, and footage at the end with the coronation of Ferdinand and Marie as king and queen of a unified Romania.

1. Audience knowledge of World War I, the place of Romania, German occupation, treaties, Versailles conference? Decisions?
2. Impact for a Romanian audience, European audience, outside Europe?
3. The introduction, the contemporary footage, the outbreak of war, the Austro-Hungarian empire, the place of Romania? The contemporary footage at the end, the decisions for Romania, the coronation of Ferdinand and Marie?
4. The settings, costumes and decor for the period? Locations, palaces and mansions, interiors? The Paris settings, the streets, the buildings, the hotels, lavish accommodation? The musical score?
5. The portrait of Queen Marie, Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, the marriage to Ferdinand, politics, the influence of Queen Victoria’s descendants in Europe? The Kaiser and the war? George V and Queen Mary? The marriage to Ferdinand, brittle, the five children? Their care and nannies? Marie and her age, experience, manner of the Queen, with the servants, with her husband, the attachment to the visiting Prince, the hostility of Carlos, the daughters at home, marriages, Nick in England and his wanting to stay, spurning Romania?
6. The war situation, the Versailles Conference, the emerging of the League of Nations, Lloyd George representing the UK, Woodrow Wilson and the US, Clemeneau and France? The picture of the meetings, the speech of the Romanian Prime Minister, people walking out, distracted and talking over him? His fears presentation of his point of view? The reactions in Romania? The Queen suggesting she should go, the king and his support, Carlos and his fears antipathy, the military antipathy, the various meetings, the decision that she should go? The crowds greeting her and the entourage, the train to France, the welcome in France?
7. Marie and diplomacy, the danger of her spontaneity, her response to the international press, their questions, the tourism aspects, clothes, her wanting more serious questions? The hotel, the accommodation, the gift of the dresses and the reaction of the daughters? The discussion with the Prime Minister? Her various contacts in Paris, their trying to help?
8. The meeting with Clemenceau, not available, her challenging him, his response, charm, the influence, coming to meet her on her departure?
9. Lloyd George, the dinner, her speaking up strongly, his turning away from her, her continual challenge? The later meeting, her setting the place for the meeting, speaking strongly to him? Her visit to England, the meeting with Queen Mary, the discussions with King George, the influence?
10. The tip about Edith Wilson, Maria going to meet her, Mrs Wilson’s support, the photos, going to the dinner, Wilson and his preoccupations, tough negotiations, hard decisions, Marie challenging him?
11. The ultimate success of her interventions?
12. Her personal relationship with the king, his staying at home, the phone calls, her urging him to intervene with Carlos and his mistress? Carlos and his hostility, his mocking her on her return? The encounter with Nick in England, his not wanting to return to Romania? Education for her daughter in England?
13. The return, her being hurt, withdrawing, her daughters, her ruminating, her sadness? The king’s arrival, his declaration of love, then the news about her success?
14. An interesting film for those not familiar with these aspects of World War I and the consequences?