S2.E5

Marionettes

Episode aired Dec 8, 2017
TV-MA
1h 1m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

After Elizabeth makes a tone-deaf speech at a Jaguar factory, she and the monarchy come under public attack by an outspoken lord.After Elizabeth makes a tone-deaf speech at a Jaguar factory, she and the monarchy come under public attack by an outspoken lord.After Elizabeth makes a tone-deaf speech at a Jaguar factory, she and the monarchy come under public attack by an outspoken lord.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.9/10

5.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Trivia
"Victor Gabon" or "Baboon", (Vanessa Kirby ) the hair stylist doing The Queen's hair, was actually cutting-edge British hairdresser Vidal Sassoon, CBE. He opened his first salon in 1954 in London, and modernized women's hair styles. Sassoon created Mia Farrow's unique pixie cut for her role in Rosemary's Baby (1968).

Goofs
Although this episode begins at a point after the main events have taken place, there's still an error with the Queen's hairstyle, of which much is made - both in the styling scene itself and Prince Philip's reaction to it. It's cut into the shorter, curlier style Her Majesty has favored to this day, but as the episode progresses, the hairstyle on actress Claire Foy reverts to the original, longer style.

Quotes
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: All to open things up.
Queen Elizabeth II: Yes.
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: Bring us more in line with the real world. Democratize us. And so it goes. The stings and bites we suffer as it slips away. Bit by bit, piece by piece. Our authority, our absolutism, our divine rights.
[footsteps approaching]
Martin (footman): [footman clears throat] Ma'am?
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: The history of the monarchy in this country is a one-way street of humiliation, sacrifices and concessions in order to survive. First, the barons came for us, then the merchants, now the journalists. Small wonder we make such a fuss about curtsies, protocol and precedent. It's all we have left. The last scraps of armor as we go from ruling to reigning to...
Queen Elizabeth II: To what?
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: To being nothing at all. Marionettes.

User reviews10

Review

Featured review

10/10

History lesson

Since I started watching The Crown just out of curiosity I have been (smartphone at hand) fact checking the stories, the people, the circumstances. I have been very pleased (I am not historian, just a curious person) the series seems to keep overblown stories at bay. But this episode in particular was astonishing. I have to admit I knew nothing about Lord Altrincham but it is amazing how one person, one action can have such a profound impact in history without us knowing.

The storyline was clean, to the point, and even dramatic. The acting was superb, from the actor portraying Lord Altrincham showing someone humble but capable of sitting down and (successfully) argument his ideas in front of the Queen, to The Queen showing the duality of knowing he was right while trying to keep her dignity, to the Queen Mother who is not convinced but clearly proud of her daughter as she is delivering the Christmas message, to the always amusing Prince Phillip who just plays with Elizabeth knowing exactly what buttons to push (the whole conversation in the train about the hair style is one for a comedy show. I laughed non stop).

I would not hesitate to use this episode if I were a history teacher to illustrate my students about a critical turning point on the history of the British Monarchy.