Queen

This is the mini series version of Alex Haley's paternal side to his family (ROOTS covered the maternal side). The trials and tribulations this woman goes through are cringe inducing - racism from both her blood lines, sexism from practically every male with a pulse. Not an easy sit through - it is long and tedious and the leading lady's performance and horrible makeup really tried my nerves.

I tried to sit through this, really it did - but Berry's performance left much to be desired. Jasmine Guy was better than anticipated and well, it's Danny Glover who is consistently strong in every performance. The big question I have is this: why didn't they get Jennifer Beals for this? Queen was supposed to be so fair complected and Caucasian featured that she passed for white - what the heck is Halle Berry doing here? It is ridiculous to see her normally beautiful complexion covered in Kabuki like make-up and everyone walking around like this is normal and the cast really look strained trying to act like Halle Berry looks like a believable white woman. This leaves the credibility of the production in serious question.

I give it marks for trying, most of the stars are for Danny Glover, but overall - see it only if you have to for school but I recommend reading the book

There are two sides to every story the saying goes. For Alex Haley one side was roots the towering chronicle tracing Severn generations of his mother's family. The other side comes to the screen in Alex Haley's Queen the remarkable history of a paternal side of the author's family. David L. Wolper (Roots The Thorn Birds) is the executive producer of this acclaimed adaption of the story Haley was working on when he died. Halle Berry plays Queen daughter of a slave (Jasmine Guy) and a plantation owner (Tim Daly). During the turbulent decades of the antebellum South the Civil war Reconstruction and beyond she searches for a home in the two cultures of her heritage - and at times is shunned by both. Rejection and hate are no match for her unconquerable will however. Ann-Margret Danny Glover and Ossie Davis are among the many stars of this poignant uplifting final chapter of the Haley legacy.

The miniseries was good but Berry's performance was not one of a disadvantaged poor black slave, but rather like a slave that is slow, or mentally retarded. It would have did her well to read the Slave Narratives in preparation for her role. Yes slaves weren't educated and couldn't speak the white man's English well but they were smart, clever and intelligent. It was painful watching Halle Berry in this role and it took away from what could have been an excellent story. The other actors made up for this, but I kept wondering if the character of Queen was supposed to retarded. Great performances by Jasmine Guy who played the role with authenticity and Danny Glover was great, as was the actor playing Abner.

The rule of thumb about sequels is that they're never as good as the original; Queen is no exception. This 3-part miniseries follows the other half of Alex Haley's family tree, but it's not nearly as entertaining, emotional, or well made as Roots. And while quite a few stars made up the supporting cast, the main fault lies in the title character played by Halle Berry. In her first leading role, it's clear she's no actress. She came from a background of beauty pageants, not acting training, and it shows. I actually felt sorry for the veteran actors beside her. Just as I'm sure they were excited to be cast in the sequel to Roots, no doubt they were embarrassed to be seen in the final production.

If you can get past the leading character with an enormous lack of talent who puts no motivation behind her character and struggles talking with an uneducated slave dialect, you'll learn about the other side of Alex Haley's lineage. It starts in the 1850s. A white landowner's son is engaged to a proper white lady in town, but he's also having an affair with one of his slaves. When a daughter is born, she's very light-skinned and is moved to the big house as a companion to his pure white daughter. Martin Sheen and Ann-Margret are the grandparents, Tim Daly and Jasmine Guy are the parents, and Patricia Clarkson is Tim's wife who knows the truth but is powerless to banish the illegitimate daughter from the house. As the years progress and war threatens their way of life, Queen learns the difference between white and black worlds. Eventually, when the war is over, she leaves the plantation to head north. Her life path takes turns of sorrow as she meets up with various characters: Ossie Davis, Dennis Haysbert, Lonette McKee, Elizabeth Wilson, Victor Garber, Richard Jenkins, Jake Krakowski, Madge Sinclair, Lorraine Toussaint, Paul Winfield, and Danny Glover.

Parts of the miniseries seem uneventful, and some of them are horrifically upsetting. Just be prepared when you watch this: it's not Roots. You won't form a bond with any of the characters, and you probably won't insist your friends watch it. It could have been a lot better with one little casting choice: the woman who played Queen.

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to racial language and graphic racial violence, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

There are two sides to every story, the saying goes. For Alex Haley, one side was ROOTS, the towering chronicle tracing seven generations of his mother's family. The other side comes to the screen in QUEEN, the remarkable history of the paternal side of the author's family. David L. Wolper is executive producer of this acclaimed adaptation of the story Haley was working on when he died. Halle Berry plays Queen, daughter of a slave and a plantation owner. During the turbulent decades of the antebellum South, the Civil war, Reconstruction and beyond, she searches for a home in the two cultures of her heritage-and at times is shunned by both. Rejection and hate are no match for her unconquerable will, however.