Elizabeth: A Portrait in Parts film review – an elegant tribute to the Queen
Directed by the late Roger Michell, this documentary is ‘insightful, mischievous and assembled with panache’
Made by the team behind the “excellent” Spitfire (2018), this “powerful” documentary looks at another legendary war plane: the Lancaster bomber, which first saw service in 1942. And it is surely no coincidence that it has come out in the same week as the new Top Gun film, said Matthew Bond in The Mail on Sunday: “after all, the daring dam busters raid of 1943 – carried out by 19 Lancaster bombers – was unarguably the Top Gun mission of its day”. Directors David Fairhead and Ant Palmer have got the tone “just right”; they mark “the bravery and skill of the aircrew” while acknowledging that Bomber Command’s raids on German cities remain controversial to this day.
The surviving aircrew speak openly about their struggle to reconcile “their often crucial contributions to the war effort with the human toll it took”, said Alistair Harkness in The Scotsman. After the War, “people looked at you like you were a murderer”, remembers one. I am not sure you need to see this film on a big screen, but these first-hand accounts do make it worth seeing.
With its “encyclopedic detail” and Charles Dance’s “commanding narration”, Lancaster can feel like a film for war buffs and aviation enthusiasts, said Cath Clarke in The Guardian. But there’s a universal appeal in the stories of the airmen and the risks they took: 55,573 out of 125,000 of them were killed during the War. And for Dam Busters fans, there is “extraordinary footage” of the test runs in Kent of Barnes Wallis’s bouncing bombs. Yet this is not a “jingoistic” documentary, and it also records the testimony of a German woman who witnessed the aftermath of Lancaster bombing raids on Dresden: “The dead lying around in heaps. Mountains of dead people who burned to death.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The history of Donald Trump's election conspiracy theories
The Explainer How the 2024 Republican nominee has consistently stoked baseless fears of a stolen election
By David Faris Published
-
Two ancient cities have been discovered along the Silk Road
Under the radar The discovery changed what was known about the old trade route
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
'People shouldn't have to share the road with impaired drivers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Vanessa Bell: A World of Form and Colour – an 'expansive' exhibition
The Week Recommends The 'sweeping' show features over 140 works from paintings to ceramics
By The Week UK Published
-
Kate Summerscale picks her favourite true crime books
The Week Recommends The writer shares works by Janet Malcolm, Helen Garner and Mark O'Connell
By The Week UK Published
-
The Forsyte Saga: 'faultless' production with a 'pitch-perfect' cast
The Week Recommends Theatrical adaptation of John Galsworthy's novels is a 'must-see' show
By The Week Published
-
6 exciting homes for athletes
Feature Featuring a rock-climbing wall in New York and a basketball-tennis court in Washington
By The Week Staff Published
-
Peter Ames Carlin's 6 favorite books on pop culture icons
Feature The author recommends works by James McBride, Jim Bouton, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Wild Robot: animated adventure is 'warm, funny and wise'
The Week Recommends 'Sharply written and richly detailed' adaptation of Peter Brown's best-selling book
By The Week UK Published
-
Francis Bacon: Human Presence – a 'stirring, splendid' exhibition
The Week Recommends 'Riveting' show at the National Portrait Gallery explores the artist's 'wild' portraits
By The Week UK Published
-
Robert McCrum shares his favourite books on sport
The Week Recommends Writer and editor picks works by Nick Hornby, David Goldblatt and others
By The Week UK Published