Mrs Brown

Dame Judi Dench is "Mrs. Brown" - that is, Queen Victoria, and Billy Connolly is John Brown in this 1997 film, based on fact, of Queen Victoria's relationship with a Scottsman, John Brown, who becomes her servant. The excellent script is by Jeremy Brock and the director is John Maddon, who does a wonderful job.

The widowed, deeply grieving Queen Victoria has basically retired from public life when John Brown, who served her late husband, appears on the scene to help draw her out. Each day, he stands outside with her horse, even though she refuses to ride. Eventually she rides again, and also takes walks. Attracted to his lack of formality, the Queen becomes extremely fond of Brown, making him the object of jealousy at court.

Both the stars are magnificent in their roles, and the atmosphere and costumes are perfect. Dame Judi Dench is a queen who is deeply aware of her position and protocol, but also is a vulnerable, sad woman, guilty that her newfound friendship is betraying her husband's memory. One can see her being drawn out slowly by John Brown, and finally enjoying the deep friendship. Connolly is great - tough, uncompromising, and fiercely protective of his Queen, though he realizes after a point that she needs to return to public life.

In history, John Brown and Queen Victoria were suspected of being more than friends, thus the name "Mrs. Brown," and in a diary was found the report of a deathbed claim by Rev. Norman Macleod, that he presided over Queen Victoria's marriage to John Brown. This really hasn't been proved, but the Queen was buried with a lock of Brown's hair, his photo, and his mother's wedding ring, as well as Prince Albert's robe. Most historians feel it was only a friendship and point out that after Brown's death, she became close to an Indian servant in much the same way. She obviously needed a confidant after her husband died.

The cinematography is breathtaking. A truly beautiful film, highly recommended.

This is a phenomenal movie, but I am rather peeved at the way it has been marketed. When I rented the movie, the blurb on the box luridly touted the "forbidden passion between a rugged Scotsman and the most powerful woman in the world." Other marketing of the film is similar. That's not what the movie is about at all!! It is a very sad commentary on our society if a moving drama about terrible grief being assuaged through loyal friendship cannot be accepted for what it is. Is the American public really that shallow? I don't know whether to blame movie execs for dumbing down the presentation of their product to titillate the lowest common denominator, or the American public for maybe actually being that way.

Diatribes aside, Dench and Connolly are phenomenal. Victoria and Brown are complex characters with conflicting emotions, and one almost feels able to look upon their souls in this portrayal. Antony Sher was delightful as the orator/politician Benjamin Disraeli, at the same time both wise and gently pompous. The makeup job was so good that I actually recognized him as Disraeli before his name was mentioned.

If you are disappointed because this is not a puerile romance, shame on you. These are real people with real emotions. This moving story of grief and friendship is definitely one of the best of the year.

If you are expecting this film to be a romance than skip it. It is about the extraordinary man with the ordinary name of John Brown who brought a Queen out of mourning. Not that a whole lot of gossip about Queen Victoria and her Scot's highland servant Brown wasn't bandied about in their day. That's the way it is in court politics, then and now.

Judi Dench is the Queen who when this story begins was getting the unflattering nickname of the widow of Windsor. By the merest of chance in these royal arranged marriages it was arranged she should marry a cousin, Albert of Saxe-Coburg Gotha. She and Prince Albert had a good score of married years with several children. They were so happy that when Prince Albert died of typhoid fever in late 1861, Victoria went into a really lengthy mourning period beyond all normal parameters. The woman would have needed grief counseling had it been available back in her day. She shut herself up in Balmoral Castle in Scotland and made no public appearances. Nor would she allow any of her children to substitute for her, particularly the Prince of Wales. With that kind of mentality operating, a whole lot of people questioned the need even for a monarchy.

Into her life comes John Brown, brother one of the household help already at Balmoral and hired to tend the Queen's horses. Billy Connolly plays the rough spoken Brown who somehow even through his tough highland talk, endears himself to his Queen with his common sense and total concern for her well being.

Gaining the position he does in the Victorian household, Brown makes many enemies who try to bring him down. The period of the film covers when he arrives in the Queen service in 1866 until his death in 1883. Connolly makes a fine Brown though if the film had been made 25 years earlier, the part was made for Sean Connery.

Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown gained to Oscar nominations for Judi Dench for Best Actress and for Best Makeup. Shooting on location in the royal palaces and grounds which are nicely preserved from Victoria's time, the film does have the look and feel of Victorian Great Britain and the troubled monarch who reigned over the Empire.

Were she and Brown ever physical? I doubt that very much, the very practical Brown was not a stupid man and would never have pushed his luck that much. But he was a tower of strength for the woman whom he brought out of mourning to take her place which was a large one in the world.

Mrs Brown is an enthralling piece of work wonderfully crafted by Judy Dench and Billy Connolly. The story is about queen Victoria and the relationship with Mr Brown after the death of her husband. Connolly is superb and maybe should think about sticking to straight acting more often instead of comedy. Although the film tends to tail of a little in the last half hour it is still worth seeing. 7 out of 10

Superb and thoroughly convincing portrayals by all, but especially Judi Dench as Queen Victoria and Billy Connolly as John Brown. Brown is dogged in his devotion to the Queen.

While she is appreciative of and at a point demands that he remains with her, he is a very unpopular choice with her children, advisors, prime minister(s), etc.

Even through ridicule and other hardships Brown remains ever vigilant. A haunting film, that is well worth more then one viewing.

The attention to detail will please even the most demanding viewer.