Bertie and Elizabeth
| Bertie and Elizabeth | |
|---|---|
 US DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Giles Foster |
| Written by | Nigel Williams |
| Starring |
James Wilby Juliet Aubrey Alan Bates Eileen Atkins Charles Edwards David Ryall Denis Lill |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 98 minutes[1] |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Bertie & Elizabeth is a 2002 television film produced by Carlton Television. The film explores the relationship between King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from their very first meeting to the King's death in the winter of 1952. Bertie & Elizabeth was commissioned especially for the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II and was first broadcast on ITV1 on 4 June 2002, only two months after the death of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Cast
King George VI is played by James Wilby, and Queen Elizabeth by Juliet Aubrey. There are also appearances from Sir Alan Bates and Dame Eileen Atkins, who play King George V and Queen Mary respectively. Two of George's Prime Ministers, Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee, are portrayed by David Ryall and Denis Lill respectively.
Plot
The film begins with the initial meeting between the then Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and then moves on through their courtship, marriage, succession to the throne after the abdication of Edward VIII, and World War II.
The film portrays King George VI's struggle to overcome his stammer, the fear he felt towards his father, and the punishing stress the King was placed under during the abdication crisis of 1936 (see Edward VIII abdication crisis).
See also
- The King's Speech, critically acclaimed film similarly addressing George VI's stammer.
References
- ↑ Amazon UK: Bertie and Elizabeth DVD, running time Retrieved 2012-06-24