Film review: ‘THE PRINCESS’, by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’
A quarter of a century after her death, Princess Diana remains a subject of public fascination. Following the impressive Diana biopic, Spencer, comes the documentary, The Princess. While directed by Ed Perkins, the film also bares the stamp of its producers Jonathon Chinn and in particular Simon Chinn who gave us Man on Wire and Searching For Sugar Man, two films that captured the character, nuances and contradictions of their subject as this film does.
With no narration and the film composed of news and other found footage shown in sequential order, it plays more like a linear narrative. The style is at times reminiscent of the moon landing documentary, Apollo 11 although understandably it doesn’t have that film’s real-time efficiency. There is also some attempt to forge a storyline and amp up the drama through editing and use of music.
The footage doesn’t reveal anything new about Diana but its depiction of the late Princess and her transition from shy, endearing young bride, to scandal-plagued divorcée to adored icon is still riveting.
Also, through tv audience and street vox pop commentary, the film uses public opinion as a kind of Greek chorus for the events unfolding in Diana’s life. Most of it is adoring of Diana although there are some scathing critiques of her and the monarchy including a typically acerbic dismissal of the outpouring of grief at Diana’s death from the late Christopher Hitchens. The film briefly examines the political context of the monarchy and contentiousness or perhaps political savvy of staging a lavish and expensive royal wedding in 1981 amid recession, unemployment and sectarian violence.
Through the footage and public commentary, the film also explores Diana and the House of Windsor’s complicated relationship with the press. Having courted the media in an attempt to stay relevant in the 20th century, the monarchy found it had unleashed a monster in the paparazzi. The tabloids’ level of intrusiveness, while already well-documented, is still confronting here.
This is not a revelatory documentary but it’s still a fascinating time capsule of recent history and an examination of a figure who somehow brought pop star celebrity to that least rock’n’roll of institutions, the British monarchy.
Nick’s rating: ****
Genre: Documentary.
Classification: M.
Director(s): Ed Perkins.
Release date: 11th Aug 2022.
Running time: 104 mins.
Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.