A ROYAL AFFAIR is inspired by a true story
and based on a novel by Bodil Steensen-Leth called Prinsesse af Blodet. The
story centers on the love triangle between Danish King Christian VII, royal physician Johann Struensee (Mads Mikkelsen), and
Queen Caroline Mathilda (Alicia Vikander). It is the middle of the 18th
century in a backwards country called Denmark
which is still stuck by ideas from the Middle Ages and suspicion of others. New
ideas collectively known as Enlightment have been sweeping across Europe and Johann Struensee has been
writing about those ideas anonymously. He takes up with the King as his
friend and soon as the Queen’s lover. Queen Caroline convinces Struensee
to influence the King to change Denmark for the better. The affair and the sweep of change could bring about a new age and maybe even
their undoing.
A ROYAL AFFAIR is a sweeping romance which
also provides plenty of ideas and political intrigue. It shows the conflicts
with the characters as Christian wants to be just a normal man and not a King while Queen Caroline is stuck in a marriage
to a man she doesn’t love and can’t openly be with the man she does (Struensee).
The movie thoroughly paints a portrait of the times as the rich controlled society while the poor suffered. Struenssee
tried to change that even though the truth of his forbidden romance with the Queen could destroy all the work he and Christian
were trying to do for the better of the common people. It is a very vivid
and well acted drama from the romance to the ideas to how the movie is shot, but the forbidden romance and political intrigue
set it above your usual historical romances and costume dramas. The story plays
with your expectations as it has a few surprises up its sleeve if you don’t know the story of what happened.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Interviews (from the Berlin Film Festival)
with actor Mads Mikkelsen, director Nikolaj Arcel, and actress Alicia Vikander
Portraits and biographies of Danish King
Christian VII, royal physician Johann Struensee, and Queen Caroline Mathilda
Then there is the royal family Tree if
you want to trace the blood lines between the British royals and the Danish royals.
Rounding out the extras are the theatrical
trailer and previews for other releases from Magnolia Pictures.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A ROYAL AFFAIR is an epic historical romance that combines romance, political intrigue, and philosophy
in nice equal parts. The movie is a great cocktail of elements that entertains
and makes you think. I wish the film had more extras which aren’t enough
as I would love to know more about the making of the film and the time period.
This review is (c)3-22-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com
