Royal Wives at War

It's been 80 years since the "Abdication Crisis" of 1936 so it's not surprising that we would be viewing a retrospective on this subject. In a nutshell, the reigning monarch of Britain, namely Edward VIII, abdicated the throne because of opposition to his proposed marriage to Wallis Warfield Simpson, an American who was twice-divorced. Two women who waged a personal "battle royale" behind the scenes are featured as we see a series of segments and monologues in which Gina McKee (The Forsyte Saga) as Wallis and Emma Davies as Elizabeth the Dutchess of York, later Queen consort and longtime Queen Mother. At the time of the episode with Wallis, Elizabeth was a popular and charming member of the Royal Family with a husband and daughter who were next in line to the throne. Elizabeth felt that Wallis was manipulating Edward and that she was totally inappropriate for the role of Queen to the reigning monarch. In a number of scenes she showed her deep dislike for Wallis who she was quick to put in her place. The TV movie uses a format where Royal biographer Andrew Morton talks to two authorities on the conflict between the two women. The transition from TV drama to round-table discussion helped to inform contemporary viewers on the dynamics of the relationship and the roots of the conflict. I thought the movie was quite successful in attempting to dissect the the personalities of the two women through the acting of Davies and McKee as well as the discussion with Andrew Morton.

This is a fascinating behind the scenes look at one of the most remarkable controversies in the 20th Century, made dim by the passage of time and by the fact that it was mostly centered on the U.K. Digging through the letters of Wallis Simpson (the Duchess of Windsor) and Queen Elizabeth (the mother of the existing Queen Elizabeth), and using newsreel footage, the producers give us a pretty good look at the rivalries that helped shape the abdication of King Edward VIII and probably shaped the nature of World War 2.

This material was covered from a completely different angle in 2012's excellent "The King's Speech" and viewers of that film will find themselves at an advantage in viewing this film.

I enjoyed the round table discussions between the biographers and I think this added a lot to the value of the production. To this day there are still many ideas and feelings about the issue.

The full truth, of course, will never be known. But the use of the newsreels and the numerous quotes from the letters helps add an aura of authenticity to the film.

Of course, since it's doubtful that anyone writing the script was "in the room," the feud between Wallis Simpson and Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, is based on a good deal of speculation. While it is captivating, the single high point for me is the historical perspective on the events leading up to and after the war. The actions of Wallis and Edward could certainly be deemed traitorous. Wallis considered herself a victim and said that the British people suffering shouldn't complain because she had put up with a great deal more. The pettiness of all of this is hard to take at times. I've always had trouble with the whole business of adulation for these spoiled brats. I have to say, however, the integration of actor portrayals and real film works pretty well.

Lady Campbell, one of the three speculating, wasn't even born until 1949, so how could she have any insight into what happened behind closed doors. She was so obviously a hater of the Queen Mother and enthralled with Wallis Simpson. She's obviously a gold digger since she was only married to Lord Campbell for a year, obviously wanting a title.