Ever since its induction in 2013, A24 has made a habit of focusing its documentary branch on the trailblazers who have redefined modern society. This has generally emphasized the creative arts, most notably with an Oscar-winning feature on Amy Winehouse. With their seventh entry in nine years, they have tackled one of their most recognizable figures yet. With Elizabeth: A Portrait in Part(s) (2022), director Roger Michell sought to find something new in Queen Elizabeth II’s storied career that, as of release, spanned 70 years. While far from the most innovative name on the list, it had the patented twist on the stuffy documentary style, which continued the studio’s fearless dedication to curiosity.
Among the more curious details regarding Elizabeth was Michell’s involvement. His career spanned three decades and often featured British dramas that ranged from Notting Hill (1999) to later prestigious titles like the Oscar-nominated Peter O’Toole drama Venus (2006), and Bill Murray film Hyde Park on Hudson (2012). He’s also directed music videos for artists like David Bowie and Ellie Goulding. If there was any evidence of a documentary career, it was found in Nothing Like A Dame (2018), centering on conversations with actresses including Judie Dench and Maggie Smith. Even so, nobody was ready for what would ultimately be his swan song.
Following his final narrative feature The Duke (2020), he teamed with frequent producer Kevin Loader, with whom he founded the company Free Range Films in 1996, to make one of his most unique projects. It was said that during the pandemic, Michell started compiling footage of the British monarch figure Queen Elizabeth II. While true of her entire life, the period was a time of increased scrutiny around her thanks to media portrayals that included the Emmy-winning series The Crown as well as the fictionalized Princess Diana drama Spencer (2021). There was also the passing of her husband, Prince Philip during 2021. With attention surrounding her, Michell’s project garnered even more relevance, especially serving as a loving tribute to a figure who, by the director’s account, was the longest-serving female head of state in history.
Whereas most documentaries would center on Elizabeth from a conventional talking heads format, Michell relied on compiled footage without additional manipulation. As the subtitle A Portrait in Part(s) suggests, the project is an effort to convey her impact through a fragmented lens, highlighting her various accomplishments through a collage technique that found chapters centered around themes. It was relatively experimental, finding an asynchronous chronology informing the pacing of the film, which, in a matter of edits, could jump from more contemporary footage to a younger queen performing similar duties. Along with a largely pop soundtrack, it was an effort to make her seem more lively, as if unable to fully classify as one thing or another.
For the first time in A24's history, this story doesn’t feature the conventional run of press. While Loader would provide initial feedback, there weren’t many reports to promote Elizabeth when it came time. This was predominantly because of a tragic piece of irony. According to the producer, Michell passed away from a heart attack in 2021, following a heart attack the day after he completed his work on the production. With many highlighting his lengthy career, it was a chance to celebrate his achievements while also highlighting that he had one more project on the horizon.
The American distribution rights would be acquired by A24 in February 2022, with plans to coincide with Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee. Few figures in history could claim to have ruled a monarchy for 70 years, which made Michell’s work especially appealing. Despite a release that coincided with public U.K. celebrations, there wasn’t a lot of promotion to help it stand out in the sea of tributes. This was even truer of the American release, of which the studio provided even less information during its March premiere. Of course, it’s hard to argue that the queen had the same cultural deviance that a figure like Amy Winehouse or Val Kilmer had, making her an odd fit for the brand even with Michell’s idiosyncratic sensibilities. It also didn’t help that a similarly designed documentary, The Princess (2022), was released about Princess Diana only five months later in the United States.
While not directly related to Elizabeth as a documentary, its timing would prove to be a bit too serendipitous. Queen Elizabeth II’s passing on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96 only helped to highlight her global accomplishments as media coverage of her platinum jubilee transitioned into memorial tributes, including that of her funeral. There is very little evidence to suggest that Michell’s work received more attention in the wake of events, though it more than likely helped to be one of the available streaming options, especially as one that was more overtly reverent than critical. Even so, it was not enough to help it overcome being the least recognized film on A24’s release schedule that year.
This was especially true for any acknowledgments that it could have acquired in the months since. According to IMDb, it would only receive a nomination from the British Independent Film Awards for Best Editing. With that said, it would have a positive reputation among critics. According to critics' aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, the film had an 88% approval rating. For an interesting contrast, the audience score would be a more critical 56% approval rating, suggesting disapproval either with the subject or approach.
John Serba of Decider led the acclaim when noting, “A highly watchable, keenly constructed documentary that’s more than just a simple love letter to its subject... even though it’s a little soft around the edges.” Nick Hasted of The Arts Desk shared the sentiment when declaring, “This is a decorous documentary, nodding to complexity, mildly irreverent, but finally sympathetic: a constant Roger Michell strength.” Alistaire Lawrence of Common Sense Media was one of the few who disagreed when suggesting, “An iconic subject can't elevate this documentary, which compiles a mishmash of royal and news footage from across the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II in a way that gets us no closer to our subject.” As its larger reputation would suggest, it wasn’t distinct enough to really stand out among the competition.
All in all, Elizabeth: A Portrait in Part(s) was always going to be an odd fit for A24. It didn’t help that its director passed away before he could do press and that the central figure would prove to have a controversial history that clouded many people’s opinions of the work. Even so, it was a decent addition to a small collection of documentaries that would only continue to balloon and expand its subject matter in the years to come. For now, the studio was getting ready to take another experimental turn by challenging the idea of what an animated film could be with the help of some familiar faces. Even with incorporations of live action technique, few works in their catalog could achieve quite so effortlessly what their next project had in store.
Coming Up Next: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2022)
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