Review: ‘The Crown’ Evokes History In A Compelling Drama

The first season of the Netflix Original starring Claire Foy, Matt Smith and John Lithgow has been widely feted.

Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth and Matt Smith (right) as Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in a still from The Crown. (Photo courtesy: Netflix)

For someone who shares none of their enthusiasm or obsession with their royal family, I had begun watching The Crown with perhaps a faint expectation of an eulogy to English royalty. Instead, I was pulled into an intriguing story and a lesson in modern history.

The widely feted Netflix Original series traces the life of Queen Elizabeth II, the reigning queen of the United Kingdom since 1952. Season 1 revolves around her unexpected ascension to the throne at the age of 25 and consequent initiation into the cogs of power. Over 10 episodes, The Crown explores the dilemmas and burden of power and the inevitable loneliness and isolation that such a position inevitably brings.

A poster of The Crown.

It translates into a recurring top shot of the young Elizabeth, tremendously played by Claire Foy, with her head bowed, alone in a majestic room.

The Crown explores at great length the ruthless rolling of the wheels of sovereignty, and how it has no place for the “individual”, with all their conflicting emotions, ambition, marital strife or sibling rivalry. What makes Elizabeth II a successful queen who survived a complete transformation of the world as she knew it, is her decision to put duty over herself. As the last shot of the season shows - Elizabeth Regina in all her regalia at last manages to overshadow Elizabeth, the woman. And there’s an inescapable hint of ruthlessness about it.

The series is obviously made compelling by some brilliantly written characters - not only the protagonists but the tertiary ones as well - the near reptilian Tommy Lascelles (Pip Torrens), the immensely dignified Clementine Churchill (Harriet Walter), the greatly conflicted Duke of Windsor (Alex Jennings), Elizabeth’s uncle who abdicated the throne in favour of her father, King George VI.

John Lithgow as Winston Churchill in The Crown. (Photo courtesy: Netflix)

But as far as superlative performances go - and this show has many - Claire Foy as Elizabeth and John Lithgow as the 80-year-old Winston Churchill are sure to take home some awards. Lithgow combines fragility, ambition, pride, pathos and astuteness to create an unforgettable character on screen.

Much of the drama, especially in the beginning, unfolds within the royal chambers, its inhabitants small against the magnificent weight of their inheritance. The near claustrophobia hits the viewer even harder when juxtaposed to the occasional - hence compelling - flights of freedom - the effervescent, impulsive Princess Margaret galloping across the countryside or Philip soaring into the horizon during his flight lessons.

A still from The Crown.

With some very powerful visuals and subjective shots, the cinematography by Adriano Goldman and Ole Bratt Birkeland stands out in The Crown. The camera here truly acts as an aperture into the minds of the characters and many of the scenes leave an impression long after one has moved on.

What also made the The Crown primarily work for me - apart from the drool-worthy costumes, music (and silence), and the faithful recreation of the early twentieth century world - is how skilfully writer Peter Morgan blends history with imagination.

Graham Sutherland paints Churchill’s portrait. (Photo courtesy: Netflix)

From the 1952 Great London Smog to the now lost portrait of Winston Churchill painted by Graham Sutherland to the changing political landscape of the time - the show is peppered with historical nuggets about which, I daresay, most of the current generation would only have a vague idea at best. It’s as good as BBC’s Wolf Hall, but more relatable because it’s closer to our times with most of the protagonists still very much there in the picture.

Among the precious few cons of the show, the primary one is perhaps that of editing. Some crisper sluicing - Philip and Elizabeth’s marital discord for instance - could have made it even more riveting.

Princess Margaret had a passionate but fruitless affair with Captain Peter Townsend. (Photo courtesy: Netflix)

Also, while the first season has largely (and ultimately) been a family drama, it remains to be seen if the subsequent seasons (there will be five more) would refrain from becoming a royal propaganda or romanticising the darker side of things. There’s nothing but a hint of Philip’s philandering for instance, and the affair between Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend gets a rather storybook-ish treatment.

For the audience, it would also be of great interest to see what The Crown makes of Princess Diana, who captured the popular imagination like no member of the royal family.

But let’s not jump the guns. I, for one, can’t wait for the next season to air.