• Home
  • Who we are
  • InnerVIVID
  • ASKaround
  • Anglican Identity
    • About the 360 Project
    • BIBLE360 workshops
    • FAITH360 workshops
    • MISSION360 workshops
    • FAQs - BIBLE360 Introduction to the Prophets
    • FAQs - BIBLE360 Exploring the Gospels
    • FAQs - FAITH360 Praying in Anglican Ways
    • FAQs - FAITH360 The Puzzle of Paul
    • FAQs - FAITH360 Faith Seeks Understanding
    • FAQs - MISSION360 Opening the Circle
    • Resources from FAITH360 Praying in Anglican Ways
    • Register your interest in hosting a 360 Project module
    • Resources
    • What the course is all about
    • Bishop Cameron launches Pilgrim
    • Register your group (or your intent to start one)
    • On-line training
    • Australian Angles on Pilgrm
    • Tips from Users of Pilgrim
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Readings for Growing Faith
    • Talking Peacefully about Religious Ideas
    • The Eucharist Explained
    • Styles of Faith
    • Enabling Lay Ministry
    • Growing a Small Group Ministry
    • Engaging Adults in Tertiary Education
    • New Skills in Teaching Faith
    • THL256 Theology and the Arts
    • Anglican Ethos
    • Roberto Next Steps
    • Clergy=Teacher?
    • Becoming More Welcoming
    • Using Facebook Live
Menu

FormEdFaith

forming/educating/faith
  • Home
  • Who we are
  • InnerVIVID
  • ASKaround
  • Anglican Identity
  • 360 Project
    • About the 360 Project
    • BIBLE360 workshops
    • FAITH360 workshops
    • MISSION360 workshops
    • FAQs - BIBLE360 Introduction to the Prophets
    • FAQs - BIBLE360 Exploring the Gospels
    • FAQs - FAITH360 Praying in Anglican Ways
    • FAQs - FAITH360 The Puzzle of Paul
    • FAQs - FAITH360 Faith Seeks Understanding
    • FAQs - MISSION360 Opening the Circle
    • Resources from FAITH360 Praying in Anglican Ways
    • Register your interest in hosting a 360 Project module
    • Resources
  • Pilgrim
    • What the course is all about
    • Bishop Cameron launches Pilgrim
    • Register your group (or your intent to start one)
    • On-line training
    • Australian Angles on Pilgrm
    • Tips from Users of Pilgrim
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Training
    • Readings for Growing Faith
    • Talking Peacefully about Religious Ideas
    • The Eucharist Explained
    • Styles of Faith
    • Enabling Lay Ministry
    • Growing a Small Group Ministry
    • Engaging Adults in Tertiary Education
    • New Skills in Teaching Faith
    • THL256 Theology and the Arts
    • Anglican Ethos
    • Roberto Next Steps
    • Clergy=Teacher?
    • Becoming More Welcoming
    • Using Facebook Live
Victoria-and-Abdul-movie-2.jpg

Victoria and Abdul - film review

September 20, 2017

Victoria and Abdul

Dir: Stephen Frears

Stephen Frears is a director who has made many films, some sublime (My Beautiful Laundrette, High Fidelity) and some decidedly less so (say, Mary Reilly).  Where does Victoria and Abdul fit on that spectrum?

Based on a true story, the film tells a story set late in Queen Victoria’s reign.  To call her grumpy and cantankerous would be an understatement.  She is subject to an incessant procession of events, dinners and ceremonial openings that whiz past without the requirement for her mental presence.  She eats oblivious to other guests.  An industry of servants, aides and bureaucrats keep this machine moving along with well-worn protocols greasing the wheels.

Into this melange comes Abdul, plucked from obscurity in India as servants.  And somehow, a friendship begins between the monarch and the lowly Indian man, to the point where she appoints him her Munshi (teacher or spiritual guide in Urdu).  As one might imagine, the elevation of Abdul is not welcomed readily by those around the Queen and conflict ensues.

It goes without saying that Judi Dench’s performance of Victoria (her second after Mrs Brown in 1997) is quite astonishing.  She carries the film. While Ali Fazal as Abdul is charismatic to an point, the relationship between the two that should be the engine room of this film seems not entirely believable.  There are some clues as to why the monarch might have been drawn to this man but the most obvious explanation the film offers (he was nice) is too superficial to support the drama.  So it is that Abdul is mostly absent for the middle part of the film in order to ramp up the conflict provided by the Queen’s staff. At this point the script provides some crackle, amongst some dubious ideas.

Those who talk about film have coined a phrase for a particular screenwriting idea in the last 10 years or so: The Magical Negro.  The use of that anachronistic (and troubling) descriptor is apt in this sense. This term refers to a concept found increasingly in narratives where a white person of some privilege is taught significant life lessons by someone from another class or ethnic grouping.  That such wisdom comes from this magical person is portrayed as unexpected.  Once you think about this idea you start to see it in more and more films and TV and it provokes an interesting question: why is it that white audiences seem to resonate with the idea that wisdom comes from elsewhere?  Stated like that, it might be seen to fit with a spiritual thought process wherein help must come from above; we as humans cannot get through this on our own.  Possibly modernist thinking has debunked our own central myths so assistance must come through other sources of wisdom.  But when it happens in film it often does so as an objectifying, separating trope which solidifies a world in which white people are in charge and others live to serve us.  Whilst this film is based on ‘real events’ it certainly plays into that thinking.  That Victoria was some kind of progressive bastion of diversity is hard to justify.

Likewise, the relationship between the Abdul and Victoria is hard to appreciate as light-hearted and heartwarming in the context of England's occupation of India.  The nature of that imperial rule receives no attention other than the monarch often mentioning her role at the very apex of that colonial system.

Beyond that, Frears delivers a sumptuous looking film that manages to spend considerable moments poking fun at the idea of monarchy or at least the human infrastructure it requires.  In that sense the film tries to have its cake and eat it too.  At its heart Victoria and Abdul is quite conservative, never questioning the often awful behaviour of this woman and the slave-like relationship with those below her.

But as a sweet confection, there are laughs from some broad comedy and a tear or two towards the end.  Maybe some time with Dame Judi in full flight is enough?

← Ministry Across the LifespanConfirmation - initiation or education? →

Latest Posts

Featured
Apr 15, 2025
Archbishop Jeremy launches innerVIVID - a gift to the diocese
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
So, what's innervivid all about?
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
introducing innervivid - the project
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
the innervivid website is yours to share
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
innerVIVID has how many themes to explore?
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
get ready for theme three its almost here
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
theme two ready to go
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
innerVIVID theme one hot off the press
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
Faith talk 101 with Tim Booth
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
Jan 25, 2024
thighten belts or loosen bonds?
Jan 25, 2024
Jan 25, 2024

Powered by Squarespace