The late Roger Michell’s film portrait of the Queen combines archive footage with a welcome sense of mischief‘Informality and intimacy’: Elizabeth: A Portrait in Part.Last modified on Sun 29 May 2022 11.01 BSThere is unlikely to be a shortage of craven, forelock-tugging tributes to HM in the coming weeks, but for a fresh perspective on the Queen, this peppy, playful archival assemblage by the late Roger Michell will be the one to see.
While not quite treasonous in its editing choices, there is a certain degree of affectionate mischief at play. The “parts” of the title are breezily captioned chapters, through which Michell explores the continuity in the role of Britain’s monarch, and the ways in which it has drastically changed. Although it may not bring revelations, there’s an informality and intimacy to this portrait that is unexpectedly pleasing.