CHARLES AND DIANA: A LOVE STORY

US, 1983, 100 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Lee, Margaret Tyczak, Rod Taylor, Mona Washbourne.
Directed by James Goldstone.

This is one of two telemovies made about the romance of Prince Charles with Lady Diana Spencer and their marriage. Both films were made quickly, employed a strong cast of cinema and television stars. However, they both had the impact of popular women's magazine or Mills and Boone stories. Perhaps, it was impossible to do a proper documentary style or even depth style telemovie of current events especially when the romance had caught the imagination of the world, of popular magazines and papers and photographers. The film is a kind of telemovie souvenir of the events.

This film was directed by veteran James Goldstone who gives it the lavish touch. The leads are meant to be charming and were chosen for their resemblance to Charles and Diana. The film has a supporting cast which does and does not resemble the real characters represented. Christopher Lee is not exactly the Duke of Edinburgh. Margaret Tyczak is better as the Queen. Mona Washbourne has only to wear the Queen Mother's clothes and mimic her for her few scenes. Rod Taylor has some moments as an aide to Prince Charles.

The film sketches in the kind of royal family life that audiences are familiar with. Prince Charles is very princely and somewhat unbending until he meets Diana. His association with many eligible girls is stressed. However, the film is more interesting in its presentation of Diana. She is situated in her family background, is presented as a vivacious young girl, is shown to have some experience in her work as a teacher and in flatting. Her scenes with Charles have an atmosphere of romantic naturalness about them. One can see something of the possibility of their falling in love - and the difficulties of her friendly nature adapting to the demands of royal protocol. For its insight into Diana, the film has some value over and above the pictorial pageantry which culminates in the royal wedding. Of charm and popular television entertainment in the years of the wedding, one wonders whether the film will have more impact in the future when the events are forgotten or whether it will be seen as a curio telemovie.

History has now revealed a different side of the events.