I've grown so obsessed (in a good way) with this movie. We do tend to overlook a book, play, or movie which at face value is funny and cheesy and plays off common tropes. But that is the best way to entice people to experience it, and hopefully they will continue to delve further into it. As the jester Jack Point says in Gilbert & Sullivan's Yeoman of the Guard: "For he who'd make his fellow, fellow, fellow creatures wise Should always gild the philosophic pill!"

Thank you for your obsession with RWRB and putting it under the microscope a bit, which adds richly to our enjoyment. Matthew Lopez did say in an interview that he worked on this movie for two years and searched tirelessly for his two leads, so maybe all that was indicative of the multi textured movie he planned for us. Can’t wait for Parts 2-5. Thanks!

I love your analysis!! In one of the deleted scenes, at night by the campfire, Alex asks Henry why he had told him that he shouldn't fall in love with him. Henry tells him in the form of a fairy tale about the prince who wore an armor that the king gave him for protection, and by wearing it he lost his freedom. When he met the devastatingly handsome peasant boy (Alex), he felt truly alive for the first time in his life. That peasant boy made that armor fall little by little until only the piece that covered his heart remained. The next day is when Alex tries to declare his love, that makes Henry jumps into the water, holding his hands to his chest because the last piece of that armor had finally fallen. This whole scene shows us, as you say in your analysis, how Alex's perspective towards Henry changed from resentment and hatred to deeper love, because he had the ability to see under all those layers the true nature of Henry, not the snobbish image. What he knew but something deeper, more human and sweet than he could have imagined.

One of the best - no the best, discussion of this movie I have experienced. Thank you. As a sort of intelligent well educated person, I thought I was going nuts for rewatching and enjoying so much this sometimes cheesy - in parts - film. I am an older lesbian who was shocked there was even a positive ending, and surprised about many many good things in this movie. I watch it when I want to feel less anxious about life. Weird? You helped me feel not so crazy about this. Again thanks for your intelligent thoughts.

@Historiansplaining

4 ай бұрын

No one should feel crazy for loving this movie!!

This is precisely the breakdown I have always needed for this film Thank you! I should add another layer to the story of David. A place to hide behind the choice of his name, yet impress others. Henry is Prince Henry of Wales. St David is the patron Saint of Wales (St. David's Day March 1) it could easily be assumed David's name is royal and tradition coded.

@Historiansplaining

4 ай бұрын

That is a great point! And I bet Casey had the connection in mind in writing the book, since Henry is called "Prince of Wales" in the book. That phrase didn't make it into the movie, possibly in part because it is not strictly accurate -- only one person at a given time can be called the "Prince of Wales," and that is the eldest son and heir apparent to the reigning monarch. So Henry wouldn't be called "Prince of Wales" unless something bad happened to both the current monarch and Philip. One can hope.

@Belaugh

4 ай бұрын

@@Historiansplaining There is a LOT of Britpicking that should have been done in the proof edit and wasn't (am English, don't get me started) Henry is a very deep and complex character, finessed by Galitzine, whose own background feeds subliminably: his and Lopez' take on Henry had tremendous depth, and is a major contribution to the success and dimension of the film.

I am a huge fan of this movie. I really enjoyed your analysis of the movie. It definitely got me to think about many aspects of the movie in a different way. I look forward to more of your content.

Hi! What a pleasant surprise to open youtube to keep me company while I knit, and here's Sam! Looking forward to this.

Great video! Thank you. It also got me curious about your series on European architecture. Old architecture is one of the main reasons behind my euro-travels, would be nice to learn more from such a well-informed lecturer ❤️

This is terrific! And I very much look forward to the projected sessions you identified. Thanks for this. Really eye-opening!

Looking forward to the series!

What a fun and informative video. Was hoping for exactly this depth of analysis. Looking forward to the rest of the series! Good job, Sam.

That was great. You brought up things I hadn’t thought of.

Wow, amazing video friend! KZread voodoo somehow sent your channel in my direction and I'm gobsmacked. As a genX gay, im obsessed with the new trend of lighthearted, fairly wholesome and mostly untraumatic gay media. I also have a degree in history with focus on bronze age civilization, but love almost all non American history. I will now be enjoying my new favorite channel, lots to catch up on. Thanks for all your hard work, it's appreciated out here in the world.

One very significant change from book to film is the change of the book's Queen Mary and her family name of Mountchristen-Windsor to the film's King James and his family name of Hanover-Stuart. King James I (1566-1625) was a Stuart, too, and he was famously a gay man.( Coincidentally, Henry's actor Nicholas Galitzine plays James I's lover in the Sky series "Mary & George".) King James in the film is vastly less cold and homophobic than Queen Mary is in the book, he does actually seem to care at least a bit about his grandsons wants and needs ("Henry, my boy...are you sure this is what you want?" ) whereas the Book's Queen Mary has to be threatened by her daughter/Henry's mother into conceding. Then there's the fact that the king is played by the one and only Stephen Fry, and the way Mr Fry plays him. The shot when he turns away from Henry & Co, braces himself against his desk and reconsiders the situation shows his face in an expression of anguish - is this anguish caused only by him not wishing to hurt his beloved grandson, or maybe also by the grief of a closeted gay (or bi) man over the life he never got to live? I think the filmmakers intended to imply the latter.

@Historiansplaining

3 ай бұрын

I agree, and I have it in my outline for part 1 ! One can also add the fact that the King seems to know from very early on that Henry is gay, and warns him against indulging "selfish" desires (as opposed to "unnatural" in the book) and he does not register any surprise about Henry's relationship with Alex. I wondered whether anyone else had noticed and put all these things together. Will definitely talk about it in part 1, which I am working on now! Thank you!

I must confess that at first I hesitated in watching your video, because it kind promised to be a long conference, but I am so glad that I did. It is a beautiful and high quality analysis of this movie, it does explain a lot of things that I hadn't noticed and now, well, I subscribed and can't wait to see the rest. Thanks so much!

@Historiansplaining

2 ай бұрын

Working on pt. 1, hope to have it out soon

Interesting analysis. I haven't seen many movies like this but this movie like the Swedish Netflix series (I'm Swedish by the way) 'Young Royals' are some of the few I've seen that have a 'happy ending' which is unusual when the topic is homosexuality. I am also convinced that we who live here in Scandinavia would not make a big fuss if someone in our royal house came out as gay.

Another unnoticed tidbit... Phillip is marrying his childhood sweetheart "Martha Fitzroy". Fitzroy is the traditional surname for the King's children by his mistresses, so Martha and Phillip are probably cousins.

@gozerthegozarian9500

3 ай бұрын

Well, it worked for the late Elizabeth and Philip... * shrugs *

Your video is something I’ve really been wishing for, and I’m looking forward to the later episodes. You mention Heartstopper as being cute and sappy. While I will agree that the tone is overwhelmingly positive, I think it has its darker side as well, not that much less than RWRB. If you haven’t seen the second season of HS it is much more serious and mature than season 1. The rest I agree with you, a PG high school romance is quite a different beast than an R adult movie, and does make RWRB a movie that is pretty unique.

@Historiansplaining

4 ай бұрын

Thank you! I also should update that I watched Bros, and it was pretty good. I don't love it like RWRB of course, but it's good.

Wow you gave me so many more interesting aspects to think about this movei! Excited to see the following videos!

Thank you so much for making this! I love it and I actually can’t believe I haven’t stumbled upon this video until now. I’ve loved the RWRB book since 2020 and was properly obsessed with the movie around the time it came out last year (and still love it now). I love reading and listing to other’s analysis of it too, and I love how in depth this was. I’ve already spent too much time thinking about the mirror shots in this movie 😂 I can see the next video in the series is already up, and I’m excited to consume that when I have the time 😄❤

@Historiansplaining

Ай бұрын

Thank you and I am so glad that you found it!

I missed, and can't seem to find your discussion of Its wonderful life. Is it in patreon or public feed?

@Historiansplaining

5 ай бұрын

It's in my post from Dec. 29, 2021 -- "2021 in Historical Context -- Global Crisis, Labor Unrest, and "It's A Wonderful Life""

@grandiane5569

5 ай бұрын

AH thanks! Clicking over to that now. @@Historiansplaining

Would greatly appreciate your review and commentary of the Netflix series Young Royals! If you have not seen it, you should consider it.

BTW, the book was so good, I was hesitant to watch the movie

@Bklyngurl85

3 ай бұрын

Both are great, the book is deeper & has much more context & history, but the movie works so well due to the director’s caring touch & main actors chemistry

After so many years of QAF both US and UK I felt this movie got the emotions and the art of touch in intimate moments which has been lacking for some time. However, this movie has touched parelles with what is going on in the current royal family. Some people find real life and fantasy have met.

its so hilarious to see such an erudite channel like this - who I just watched a Sabbatai effing Zevi vidoeo on do an hour on this insane topic OMG it was a very highly contrived premise you got that right i think you are freaking hilarious man - this comical that you do an hour of this -- you are doing comedy correct - like when i turn on lifetime movie net work and say in a real film critics voice "Eric Roberts you simply have to appreciate the dephth of darkness her portrays so brilliantly in stalked by my doctor"

@Historiansplaining

2 ай бұрын

I'm doing a lot more than an hour of this, because that is what the movie merits. Thanks for watching!

@RoscoeAryeh

2 ай бұрын

@@Historiansplaining youre hilarious.im I'm St Pete Beach where are you

I think *Love, Simon* is a much better example of a gay rom-com than Bros... sorry, I needed to comment on this bc not only Love, Simon is great but it showed that gay rom-coms can be successful and Bros is just awful. lol

@Historiansplaining

Ай бұрын

I watched Bros a little while after making this video and thought it was so-so. I haven't watched Love, Simon as of yet because I feel glutted with gay teen dramas but I know a lot more people like it

i watched it once it wasnt naauseating but it was tacky so tacky too tacky to be cringe you are talking about this film as if it were brokeback mountain

@Historiansplaining

2 ай бұрын

It resembles Brokeback Mountain in some respects, but it is better and more complex. Good taste is being able to say what is good without being distracted by the superficial trappings. That is the point. Thanks for watching!

love simon was good this no love victor was good this no i think you are funny as fuck i would like to hang out with you you are doing stand up rightt what a trip

Madonna's Madame X rewards repeated listens. this - well i;ll never find out rewatched among a handful of people oppenheimmer baarbie thosse r even worse than this movie why dont you watch gay coming of age movie called Get Real you'll like Get Real 20 maybe more years aago but it honestly wont feel that dated