Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone face off as rivals for the queen’s favor, in the hilarious dark historic comedy THE FAVOURITE. This satiric romp mixes bedroom farce, biting satiric wit and history with a touch of the tragic for a very entertaining excursion into rapier wit. Of the two historical films released this week, this is the fun one, while the other is drama. Still, this fact-based story has its serious and tragic undertones. Set in early 18th century Britain in the reign of Queen Anne, THE FAVOURITE is a wild ride, a battle of wits and ambition at court mixing history and comedy in a way that brings to mind Jane Austen crossed with Stanley Kubrick’s BARRY LYNDON with a dash of Moliere.
Watching these three terrific actresses in a battle of wits is just great fun. Weisz, Colman, and Stone fill the air with sparks and verbal zingers, as they maneuver for position.
THE FAVOURITE sometimes plays fast and loose with facts, but has more history than you might expect. This is the first period film for Greek-born director Yorgos Lanthimos, whose past works include the satiric sci-fi fantasy THE LOBSTER, and the first from a script he didn’t write. Deborah Davis’s script combines historical fact with generous dashes of bedroom farce and palace intrigue. Despite the historic setting, there is plenty in this tale of ambition and power that resonates with the contemporary.
Britain’s Queen Anne is an often-forgotten figure although she was the last Stuart monarch and queen when England and Scotland were joined as Great Britain. Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) is overweight, suffers from gout and other ailments, is moody, and has little energy for ruling the country. The queen’s shyness and lack of decisiveness about political matters opens opportunity for her long-time friend and adviser Lady Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz), Duchess of Marlborough, to influence the direction of the country. At the moment the story opens, Lady Sarah is urging the queen to continue the war with France, with Sarah’s husband Lord Marlborough (the always wonderful Mark Gatiss) serving as general leading the troops in France with dreams of conquest and glory. Even though Britain is a war with France, the court is consumed with other pursuits and amusements such as duck races, while the Tories and Whigs battled for control of Parliament.
But then someone new arrives at the palace. The new arrival, young Abigail Hill (Emma Stone), is a distant cousin of Lady Sarah but from a branch of the family fallen on hard times.
Abigail has come to appeal to her influential cousin for a position at court, with hopes of regaining the life in the aristocracy she has lost. Instead, she finds herself sent to work in the kitchen. Nonetheless, pretty Abigail manages to catch the Queen’s eye and even charm her, setting her on a path to fulfilling her ambition and more, maybe even vying for the spot of new favorite.
When Abigail first charms the Queen, Sarah seems to take the young girl under her wing, although it may be to better keep an eye on her. But sweet Abigail is not as innocent and unaware as she might seem, and with the help of scheming Tories and Whigs and others at court, the game is on.
Rounding out the supporting cast with Gatiss are James Smith as politician Lord Godolphin, Nicholas Hoult as political opponent Lord Harley, and Joe Alwyn as handsome Lord Masham, who all add their flavor to the particular mayhem of this cinematic romp.
Although THE FAVOURITE is a color film, director Yorgos Lanthimos makes extensive use a lush, gorgeous black-and-white palette for the sets and costumes, a visual contrast to this tale of moral gray areas. The effect of the lavish monochrome costumes and sets is all the more striking against the green of the grounds around the palace – and sometimes the overblown make-up of the era, on both men and women. Apart from the decor, nothing and no one in this story is as simple as black and white.
An illusion to writer Jonathan Swift tips us off that we often will find ourselves in tongue-in-cheek territory, further confirmed by the strange hobbies indulged by members of the court, duck races being the least of these. The comic intrigue and fine acting, more than history, are the reason to see this highly entertaining film. Olivia Colman’s Queen Anne is both absurd and pitiable. Her foibles, quirks and tantrums are softened by the tragic revelation that the queen gave birth to 17 babies, all of whom eventually died. Although Weisz’ Sarah has political ambitions, her affection for Anne seems genuine. Stone’s Abigail is the character who goes through the greatest transformation, from an innocent-seeming soul with a simple goal to someone caught up in her own game.
THE FAVOURITE is great fun, with a dash of tragedy and the caution to be careful what you wish for. It opens Friday, December 14, at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinema.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
