(From IMDb.com)
The Royals fascinate America.
No news flash here, what with the morning shows rushing over to televise the tight waves high from the balcony of Buckingham Palace every time Queen Elizabeth and her son Charles and his sons with divorced but still beloved but gone Princess Diana marry, make babies …
The human drama these folks carry on matter to many of us here in the U.S.
And so I went to the Friday matinée of A Royal Night Out in the Regal Cinemas’theater in the Syracuse mega shopping, dining and entertainment complex Destiny USA and was somewhat surprised to be the sole watcher for the retro little film written by Kevin De Silva and Trevor Hood and directed by Julian Jarrold.
The management folks knew this was a little film. They placed it in the 60-seater. I chose comfortable center seat in the second elevated row and felt like the living room in the Little Bitty in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood and flat screen had grown a bit.
Sarah Gadon and Bel Powley quite entertained me as the future Queen Elizabeth and her younger sister, Princess Margaret. Enthusiastic on Victory Europe Day in 1945, the teens convince their parents to let them out of the palace to join the celebrating masses in cognito. Well, mostly they convince their dad the King, played by Rupert Everett, and the Queen, played by Emily Watson, reluctantly goes along after two soldiers are put on guard for the decidedly always-protected girls.
Mayhem ensues as both siblings live up to their personalities, younger Maggie way enthusiastic and big sister Lizzie wiser and extremely protective. Gadon and Powley are terrific. Slapstick funny is the best trait for Powley; introspectively intelligent are the finest moments for Gadon, who’s truly the centerpiece star for these sweet 97 minutes. Elizabeth, not owning up to her status for the night, connects by accident with airman Jack, played well by Jack Reynor, who shows her the ropes of real life that she’d never see up there under the noses of the King and Queen.
In turn, she shows a surprised but increasingly appreciative Jack a thing or two about what the Royals know about their people, too.
It’s fascinating and well told, what may have really happened to these young Royals that important night in history.
Do you follow the lives of the Royals, and why or why not? Who’s your favorite Royal, and why? Would you rather be a King/Queen or President, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
As an English person living in Ireland, I have to say I think we’d be better off without the royals. They bring in a lot of tourism, but other than that I see no reason for them.
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That’s an interesting take from a true English person, Ali. Thanks for sharing from Ireland, my friend. 🙂
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Well I know the Royals are loved right across the world. I think they need to loosen their British stiff upper lips a little! 😁
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These kids seem as loose-lipped as I can imagine a Royal to be, Ali. 🙂
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LOL! Maybe you’re right! Hehe!
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This sounds interesting MBM. I don’t have a favorite royal, but I browse the news. I do like the young princes. I look forward to what they will do.
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They can do a lot. I like their parents, MBC!
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I liked their parents. Was heart broken when the Princess died. Got up at 3 am to watch her funeral. I was working in a corrections facility for juvenile felony offenders. I was the program manager. I offered to come in and watch the funeral with the boys if they wanted to get up. Quite a few of them did.
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Haven’t even seen a thing about this movie til now, Mark. Hmm.
I don’t follow the royals, although one would have to live under a rock much larger than my own in order to avoid them altogether. Who wouldn’t want to be queen? Queen sounds lovely.
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I bow to your indifference to the royals, Joey. 😉
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If you want them, you can have them, and you’re welcome to them. But why should you when you did the sensible rational thing and declared yourself a republic.
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I think that’s why we stare at your’s Roy. Because we don’t have to take them home with us. 🙂
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their stories are always quite interesting. i love to read the historical novels about the life of royalty. my current favs are the babies, all things are possible.
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Those babies have a lot ahead of them, for sure, Beth. 🙂
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Sounds like a cute movie!
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It’s pretty good for Eliazbeth, for sure, PJ. 🙂
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But not so much for Margaret?
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Margaret comes across as younger and wilder.
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She probably was since she wasn’t going to be the queen.
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I’d rather be President, Mark, because that’s the only one attainable. Thanks for this royal review.
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Yes, you are a born realist, Ann. 🙂
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Hum 😉
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These are your girls, Willow. 😉
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Yup and they cost a pretty penny, the two princes are not bad though!
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The only princesses whose lives I worry about are my own three daughters. That does sound like an entertaining movie, though.
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These two up on the screen were a handful that night, CM. I hope your three keep you just as entertained. 🙂
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