Tag: Celebrities

Victoria & Abdul

The story of the unlikely friendship between an aged English Queen and her Indian servant starring Judy Dench and Ali Fazal. Based on historical fact, this friendship is especially revealing following recent discovery of the servant’s diary.

Without the diary entries and almost complete lack of written correspondence provide an opportunity for the movie to complete the story. Edward Vll’s destroying this written evidence and banishing Abdul and his family from England ensure the final tragic twist in the drama.

Abdul, employed as a young servant and later as Queen Victoria’s confidant and language teacher, holds an increasingly special role in the life of the monarch. What’s clever is the way this innocent relationship shows up the power hungry machinations of the royal court and those jostling for power. Without this dramatic ‘device’ it would conceivably take the duration of an entire feature to play out their drama.

But is Abdul Karima a conniving manipulator who worms his way into Queen Victoria’s favour? The film shows otherwise portraying his genuine intentions in contrast to those around him.

The Queen calls him her Munshi as his servant role changes to language teacher and private confidant. She seems to blossom and take on a new persona learning to speak and write a new language rather than reminiscing on her long reign and bothering with the tiresome power play surrounding her.

The strength of the film relies on Judy Dench’s consummate acting ability as she imbues depth of character into a part that could otherwise appear two dimensional. It is made more compelling since her age matches that of the late monarch and she conveys a reflective self portrait – a kind of greatness mixed with vulnerability. Ali Fazal’s Abdul is equally effective as he projects genuine charm without overly reacting against racial and cultural bias.

Highly recommended movie.

Thinking of Leonard Cohen

 

by Hazel FieldPortrait by Hazel Field

I first encountered Leonard Cohen in the ’80s during the music television experience and ‘I’m Your Man’ seemed to morph between melody and Cohen’s iconic face. But memory isn’t always reliable. Sometimes it tricks on recall and still the impression remains vivid. 

Years later an interest in poetry led to a second and more reliable encounter. My appreciation felt like a kind of binary experience where I took to the lyrics & then the changes. Or was it the melody before the words? Anyhow, it had little to do with me but rather having been drawn toward the beguiling personality as much as the verse. His career as singer, writer and his mainstream & commercial success defy conventional wisdom as he magically redefines the role of contemporary poet. What appears as a natural, almost organic public output is surely an implausible balancing act for others and his poems’ most private thoughts seem impervious to commercial exposure. Then there’s the phenomena where songs are so celebrated they take on a life of their own and become universal standards. Hallelujah’s multi verse complexity is counter balanced with its perfectly weighted hymnal changes speaking across generations. But to me it’s the private experience that’s the thing, something like finding a guitar in the back of the cupboard with a songbook in the case – and invariably it’s Dylan or..Leonard Cohen.