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a14 people & arts
Tuesday 1 december 2020

Fact or fiction? UK govt says 'The Crown' should be clear

By JILL LAWLESS In a 2017 discussion of "The
Associated Press Crown," Morgan said "you
LONDON (AP) — Britain's sometimes have to forsake
culture minister thinks the accuracy, but you must
Netflix TV series "The Crown" never forsake truth."
should come with a dis- Steven Fielding, a profes-
claimer: It's a work of fic- sor of political history at the
tion. University of Nottingham,
Culture Secretary Oliver said the suggestion that
Dowden weighed in amid "The Crown" carry a dis-
criticism of the historical lib- claimer was "reasonable
erties taken by the drama and yet pointless."
about the British royal fam- "It invariably doesn't have
ily. an effect," he said. "There
"It's a beautifully produced are studies that show that
work of fiction. So as with people believe fiction
other TV productions, Net- when it's presented as fact
flix should be very clear at — even if you tell them it's
the beginning it is just that," not fact."
Dowden told the Mail on Fielding said it was no sur-
Sunday newspaper. "With- prise that Charles and his
out this, I fear a generation allies were annoyed with
of viewers who did not live the heir to the throne's de-
through these events may In this file photo dated Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, a man wearing a face mask walks past a billboard piction as "a bit of an idiot."
mistake fiction for fact." advertising 'The Crown' television series about Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family, But he said making a fuss
during England's second coronavirus lockdown, in London.
Dowden is expected to Associated Press about it only amplifies the
write to Netflix this week to attention.
express his view. Netflix did Characters include Con- couple, played by Josh piction of Thatcher, played Historians are used to rail-
not immediately respond servative Prime Minister O'Connor and Emma Cor- by Gillian Anderson. Brit- ing at inaccuracies in dra-
to a request for comment Margaret Thatcher, whose rin, is a major storyline in ain's first female prime min- mas such as the Academy
from The Associated Press. 11-year tenure transformed the series. Diana's brother, ister, who died in 2013, is Award-winning "Darkest
Questions of historical fidel- and divided Britain, and the Charles Spencer, has also portrayed as clashing with Hour," which included an
ity were not a major issue late Princess Diana, whose said the show should carry Olivia Colman's Elizabeth to invented scene of Winston
during earlier seasons of death in a car crash in 1997 a notice that "this isn't true an extent that some say is Churchill meeting ordinary
the show, which debuted traumatized the nation. but it is based around some exaggerated."The Crown" Londoners on an Under-
in 2016 and traces the long Former royal press sec- real events." creator Peter Morgan, ground Tube train during
reign of Queen Elizabeth II, retary Dickie Arbiter has "I worry people do think whose work also includes World War II.
which began in 1952. called the series a "hatchet that this is gospel and that's recent-history dramas "The "Mixing historical fact and
But the current fourth sea- job" on Prince Charles, the unfair," he told broadcaster Queen" and "Frost/Nixon," fiction has been around
son is set in the 1980s, a di- heir to the British throne, ITV. has defended his work, since Shakespeare. This
visive decade that many and his first wife Diana. The Some Conservatives have saying it is thoroughly re- is not new to films, it's not
Britons remember vividly. troubled relationship of the criticized the program's de- searched and true in spirit. new to TV," said Fielding,
co-author of "The Churchill
Testing new release strategy, ‘The Croods’ opens to $14.2M Myths," which examines
Britain's wartime leader in
popular culture.
For an industry reeling from industry usually sees in "I don't recall the cul-
the pandemic, it's part of the typically busy holiday ture secretary complain-
wider changes seeping movie season. Last year, ing about the ridiculous
through the industry. "Frozen II" led all films over presentation of Winston
"The Croods: A New Age" the five-day Thanksgiv- Churchill in 'Darkest Hour,"
grossed $9.7 million Friday- ing weekend with $123.7 he said. "Because it went
Sunday, which rivals even million, while "Knives Out" with the myth, with the
the weekend start for "Te- scored $41.7 million idea of Churchill the hero,
net" in September. Warner Since "Tenet" opened, nobody complained."
This image released by DreamWorks shows a scene from the Bros. didn't break down most larger releases have "Nobody's bothered if fact
animated film "The Croods: A New Age." the three-day weekend been postponed or de-
Associated Press and fiction are all mangled
figures for "Tenet," which toured to digital, some- up, so long as it's saying
By JAKE COYLE have traditionally lasted began preview screen- times while still playing nice things," he added.q
AP Film Writer around 90 days in theaters, ings in the U.S. on a Mon- in theaters overseas. The Solution Sudoku
NEW YORK (AP) — Testing Universal has mapped out day, but said it grossed Walt Disney Co. steered
a novel release strategy, a shorted theatrical win- $20.2 million in its first week "Mulan" to a premium
Universal Pictures' animat- dow in deals with major in U.S. theaters plus its first purchase on Disney+, but
ed sequel "The Croods: A chains AMC and Cine- two weeks in Canadian opened in China and
New Age" had one of the mark that gives the studio theaters. elsewhere. Next month,
best opening weekends the option to move new While the opening for "The Warner Bros. will release
of the pandemic, grossing releases to premium vid- Croods: A New Age" was "Wonder Woman 1984" si-
$14.2 million over the five- eo-on-demand after just something Hollywood multaneously on HBO Max
day Thanksgiving holiday 17 days. "The Croods: A hadn't seen in months — a and in theaters. Disney has
weekend, according to New Age" is expected to movie that outperformed uprooted the Pixar anima-
studio estimates Sunday. shift to the home before expectations — it was still tion "Soul" to its streaming
Whereas new releases Christmas for a $20 rental. only a sliver of what the platform.q
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