The only difference is that Anne loves the rabbits and would never hurt them. With Abigail, she becomes frozen and vengeful. She means to crush Abigail in the same way Abigail did to her rabbit.
monokhem - “Hard wood floors” means she doesn’t love the rabbits? It’s her bedroom where she also walks around on “hard wood floors.” It’s better than keeping them in cages or letting them roam about the palace. And, of course they are locked in there. She’s the queen so her room stays locked for security reasons.
I don't think Anne was getting any pleasure from the sex at at the end, empty or otherwise. Seemed more like a power thing, reminding Abigail of her place and deliberately humiliating her. She understood Abigail's character completely when she saw her crushing the rabbit, that moment broke whatever remained of the affection she had felt for her.
spot on. it was a power thing def. but i like this chap's interpretation about the rabbits, didn't really see how they fit in at the end. also saw both women got what they wanted eventually and were both miserable because of it.
@@simoneschwanitz1273 "Annes only real love in her life were her rabbits." So are yours. It seems my former assessment of you was spot on. Btw, the *real* queen Anne had no rabbits.
Abigail almost crushing the rabbit shows that she never really cared for Anne and how she's actually cruel, whereas Sarah didn't entertain Anne being morbid with the rabbits but also wasn't cruel to them bc she actually cared for Anne, just like she is the only one that can be honest with her. Sarah is the only one who actually cares for Anne.
this is what makes me so sad about the ending, sarah really loved the queen and took care of her since they were children, but both of their prides (and abigail) drove a wedge between them. i think if they were regular people, without the stress of running the country on both of their shoulders, they could have been happy together. even though sarah was cruel and manipulative sometimes, she was always honest, and probably would have been a much kinder lover to anne if anne wasn’t under such constant scrutiny and requiring so much management
Sarah, like many powerful & rich people who are used to getting their own way. Sometimes go too far and forget people's feelings. She's also a practical woman who thinks that flattery is b.s.
Ironically, Abigail did initially appear to be very healthy for the queen. It was Abigail who found and administered the herbal medicine that reduced the inflammation on Queen Anne's legs.
Sarah cared for Anne’s heath, while Abigail indulged Anne with no care for the consequences. Eg: the scene with the hot chocolate. Sarah looks like a controlling dictator not letting Anne have the hot chocolate. But she knows it will make her sick. In scene with Abigail, they eat cake and sweets. Abigail wants the short term pleasure to curry favour, even though cake makes Anne vomit. When Sarah leaves Anne health deteriorates rapidly because no one is attending to her health concerns anymore. If you look in the background of scenes, when Sarah is in favour there is fruit and nuts on the side tables. When Abigail is in favour, there are cakes and sweets and general junk food. It reflects how the women really feel about Anne. Sarah genuinely loves her and cares for her wellbeing. Abigail doesn’t care about her health and exploits the food as a tool to curry favour.
@@jrblunt and the Queen gains strength under her care and is able to start giving orders in court again. Sarah kept her sickly and easier to control... very complicated relationship where she does like her, but abuses her and tries to control her constantly.
yes, after everything the three go through, all the manipulation and competition, no one truly wins (That is.. in so far as is presented at the end of the film at least. In reality, Sarah went on to do incredibly well for herself, persisting as a hugely powerful woman of the era)
Abigail is the real winner for me because she is the reason to the end of this war with France. Ok she is not in good terms with Anne, but who care about it. She is a repulsive narcissistic sad pretentious skotey queen.
Mr. Shlock He Knew exactly what he was talking about and so did over 400 others including myself. Just because something goes over your head, doesn’t mean that the rest of the world doesn’t get it. I understand why you said what you said though. How could a black person understand a perspective that alludes you, right? Gain some wisdom, then maybe you’ll understand that somethings don’t need to be said, to be understood.
I felt like the letter Sarah wrote at the end was to Abigail after all, since she could probably guess Abigail would be screening the Queen's letters, and it probably said something along the lines of "you don't know it yet, but I win".
Oh this is interesting. When they came to banish them, Sarah knew, so indeed she probably wrote the letter knowing Abigail would read it. She may have focused on her and the Queen's inside jokes. She probably focused on their long friendship. Interesting that Abigail never had an inside joke with the Queen, it showed how shallow their relationship was.
I believe you are correct. Another clue would be when Sarah was writing the letter, she addressed it using "cunt" twice, which she only called Abigail. Great catch!
Yes absolutely but no, the letter said something heartfelt that would make the queen want her back but at the same time push Abigail to do something drastic to get rid of her once and for all which is why when the guards are riding up Sarah tells her husband if he’s tired of being there and maybe they should move because she knows what’s to come. Abigail would get rid of her while digging her own hole deeper it was reverse psychology and manipulation at its finest. Sarah was smarter than all of them.
My impression was that Sarah was absolutley the winner in the end and it was the win she played for. She asks Abigail if she actually think she's won after becoming the new favourite and implies that they where playing different games. Being the queens favourite was not a good thing, it was a prison. I do not belive Sarah loved Anne but since Anne loved her she was trapped. She wanted out but could not leave. She needed Anne to reject her without anger her. The rabbits are also prisoners of Anne trapped in her room as hostages to her self pitty. The favourite has the same role. In the begining we see Sarah reject the rabbits symbolising that she rejecs the role forced upon here. Abigail embraces the rabbits, fooloishly since she aspires to ecentilly become like them without realising it. At the end both Sarah and Abigail have won the goal they strived for but Abigail got played. Abigail realises to late that the role as the favourite wasn't something to aspire to while Sarah goes free.
@@user-yd4tm3gl8s I agree with you and that was the first thing that came to my mind when I read this comment. Sarah did agree to send letters to Anne and she tried over and over, which she wouldn't have done if she was certain that the letter would never reach Anne
Great explanation of a great movie. In real life, an interesting little fact is that while Anne’s line died out, all future Kings and Queens from William onwards will be direct descendants of Sarah (through Diana). So really, Sarah does have the last laugh in the end.
Anne's line actually didn't die out (she had a half-brother named James Stuart) but because only Protestants could inherit the throne (there were relatives closer to the inheritance than George 1) her closest Protestant relative was chosen to be king of England. George the 1 of Hanover was Anne's second cousin and all kings and queens after him are directly related. All of the kings and queens of England after Anne (1702-1714) are related not to the Marlboroughs (i.e. descendants of Sarah) but to Anne's grandfather's (Charles 1) sister's line.
@@Zveebo Yes, I realize that Anne had no descendants, but the Marlborough's were not related to the Hanover's. Not sure which William is being referred to here. George 1 was king after Anne, and all of HIS descendants make up the rest of the Hanover and Windsor royal lineage. The late Dina Spencer is related to Sarah Jennings, yes, but the Hanover line does not cross in bloodlines to that family.
Abigail let's Anne to indulge, hence the bath scene about drowning and chocolate, while Sarah is strict but is also loving. In the end Abigail became like the rabbits (pets) for Anne (Queen) as her pet, so she became nothing more but her indulgent for pleasure, and for the empty love that Sarah has left her with. Sarah wins in the end.
Yeah, and also don't forget the bunny scene. Anne sees Abigail being mean with one of the bunnies, putting her foot on top of it. Anne finally sees Abigail's true self, and decides to treat her accordingly, as a tool.
@@PoisonedApathy A very similar situation arises in "All About Eve", the dynamics are quite similar (an ambitious, double-faced ingénue vs. the world weary, brutally honest veteran) in the end Eve, the newcomer, was able to take everything away from the veteran's hands but it takes very little time for her to realize that she isn't anything like her older rival, Margot. Margot, now happily married and still a respected figure, is now free from the pressures of showmanship that for so long denied her the chance to love a man, form a family or enjoy her life and in the end is content knowing that she didn't have to lower to Eve's level, therefore keeping her dignity. Eve, on the other hand is revealed to have sad life up until the moment she met Margot, her prized award turns to ashes in her hands the moment her past catches up with her and realizes that her one true talent is now useless, you can manipulate your way to the top but for a heartless and dishonest person, there is no way to actually find love or fulfilment, for true love is built on trust and in the end, knows she doesn't deserve the place she had to steal from somebody else. To add salt to injury, it's made clear that whatever success she's achieved will one day be taken from her by someone hungrier and more conniving.
Abigail almost crushing the rabbit symbolises her misconception that she has now risen to the status of hunt-animal. Seeing this, the queen harshly reprimands Abigail, reminding her that she still belongs to the servant (ie prey-animal) class. Then she demands a sexual favour, reminding her that, though her surroundings are now more luxurious than when she was the German’s whore, her role remains essentially unchanged. The multiplying rabbits in the final shot emphasise this idea. Rabbits are the ultimate prey-animal and rely solely on prolific breeding to ensure their survival. Just as Abigail relies solely on her sexual desirability/subservience.
That's what I've understood with this video. By the end of the movie her real position in the world is unchanged, she will never be the queen's equal in the way Sarah was, letting alone that she's now doomed to be the companion of someone she doesn't love, her true goal of taking Sarah's place in the world will remain unfulfilled. Sarah has been able to keep her dignity and knows she did the right thing by not lowering herself to Abigail's level and is free from the co-dependant relationship that had been her life up until that point.
What I got from the final shot: Abigail had been repeatedly used and traumatized throughout her life by men because of her low station. Her father had literally sold her as chattel, and therefore she had no rights. She was desperate to escape it, and therefore with this opportunity, would do anything to maintain her favorite status. Lady Churchill was of a higher station, and therefore her motivations were different, and probably less primal. The irony is that instead of escaping the domination, power abuse, humiliation and sexual exploitation visited upon her almost all of her life, She now experiences, in a most intense way, being humiliated and degraded by the queen herself. Her Majesty pulls her hair down and towards her. The queen is furious with her and with her life and everyone. And this is what she has left. I thought the final seconds and last shot represented Abigail in a dissociative state as a way to cope with the abuse that she was experiencing in that moment. The director slows the camera down and her eyes are glazed and not focused as if she has checked out completely as to what she is experiencing in that moment.
The impression I got from the ending was that Queen Anne keeping the rabbits seemed like a sweet symbolic representation of her dead children. Just as she initially considered Abigail to be sweet, with innocent motives. Yet, when you have 17 rabbits, inevitably over time they multiply and become very problematic, and are no longer the sweet and fluffy playthings they once were- instead you have an infestation. As with Abigail, over time, her perceived sweet and caring nature is overshadowed by her malicious, manipulative qualities that have infested the Queen's life. Living with rabbits as symbols for the children she has lost, will never placate the pain and loss that she has endured. Abigail is a replacement for Sarah, and although a more flattering and initially more gratifying companion, is ultimately a hollow, fake surrogate that leaves the Queen more empty, lonely and unwell. This idea is also reflected throughout the film by the eating of cake (and dairy) in the film. It's delicious and the Queen enjoy's it, but for the one moment of pleasure that it brings, she will suffer and become sicker. Sarah knows it makes her sick and stops her from consuming it, but Abigail encourages her to enjoy it, leading her to become more and more unwell.
That's an excellent interpretation of the ending and one that I hadn't considered. The multiplication of the rabbits at the end and the sound of their teeth made it seem all the more like an infestation.
Also having Abigail let het indulge in all of her worst tendencies (rage, glutonny, self-pity) is the same as letting the bunnies be a surrogate to placate grief. It's a sure way to become insane but it's more comfortable than having someone confront her with reality.
Excellent theory! Also notice how you see the rabbits free to wander outside their cages much more as the end approaches than in the beginning, when they were at least restricted to their cages at times. The cages are like Sarah's strict yet lucrative hold on Anne, while the rabbits roaming free to multiply and infest are Abigail's permissiveness of Anne to indulge herself, never truly caring for her health in the end. Cages may seem cruel but they're a necessary evil that will help in the long run.
@F Santo it's different because her ambitions were greater, she strived for the recognition of the court, to be a player in the grand scale of things and to bring great honor to the dukedom that had began with her and her husband. Abigial merely strived to get rid of her so she wouldn't have to sell her arsehole to syphilitic soldiers. On top of that she actually loved Anne, so it wasn't all scheming and cold calculations. Her feelings were on the line.
I did enjoy the ambiguous ending, at first I was a little confused at the scene going on for so long, but the more you studied their facial expressions, the more it made sense. I just wish, for those who didn't know the historical story, that maybe a little post-credit scene or some small tidbit had been offered. Anne's failing health and eventual death, which leads to Abigail leaving court quietly never to return. Also the the Duke and Duchess' exile to Europe takes them to Hanover, where they are entertained by the Elector George (aka, George I, Anne's successor), resulting in them returning to favour after Anne's death. I guess that ending is a bit too drawn out and literal, but maybe just a little confirmation that really the Duchess was the winner in the end.
Great analysis! I agree, in the final scene it shows that Abigail has become a symbolic rabbit for the Queen. Caged and only allowed out when the Queen commands it. In a way, no different than when her father sold her to the old German man. Like Sarah told Abigail when she was leaving the Castle "we were playing different games".
"The art department were incredible. I didn't realized but when one of them said: When Sarah's looking after the Queen all the snacks in the room are very healthy there's nuts & dried fruit & things. And when Abigail's looking after her there's cake & sugar things & hot chocolate. Little sort of anyone who's a film nerd will notice which one is the right one to be looking after the queen." - Olivia Colman (on The Favourite) ruclips.net/video/u9CT-dLPTkY/видео.html @12:35
Be careful what you wish for because one cannot always accurately predict what victory will actually look like. And lest we oversimplify Abigail, when she burns Sarah’s letter, instead of laughing and dancing, she sheds a tear.
i feel that she only shed a tear because of how mad she was, she was mad that she could never live up to what sarah was to anne, and she was mad that sarah tried to get back in touch with the queen
Maybe. But I doubt Abigail genuinely aspired to Sarah's kind of relationship. And Sarah's letter was no surprise, as Abigail screened Anne's mail in anticipation and dealt with it effortlessly. Nevertheless, it's good to see people thinking about these things.@@badkarmagoodkarma330
>imagine thinking that a character who only has to make the queen cum for a living and in return is rich as hell and gets to sit around all day being a pompous ass is a depressing ending Abigail is a greedy moron. Boohoo I have to cater to the queen who I'm also friends with half of the day and spend the other half bathing in riches and getting drunk at royal parties. The ending had zero impact, there was almost zero consequence for anyone besides Anne who is dying slowly and painfully from disease.. Rest of the film was near 10/10 tbh
@@MrCholoPants3415 honestly, to Abigail, being sold at a gambling game to a German man who looks like a balloon as she described, who raped her until she got away. And because she expressed her fear of having to sell her a$$ in the streets and said she was doing all what opposes her morality just for the sake of not having to. I suppose being - after all the effort- placed as the queen's pleasure thing is just miserable for her. Especially after she grabbed her hair, reminding her that she will forever be forced to perform sexual acts - and not for her satisfaction- to be able to live.
I loved this film, and your analysis is great. People I've talked to haven't understood the ending, at all. IMO, Sarah is most definitely the woman who comes out on top, all around.
Lincoln Whisler well she only enjoys the association with the queen for 4 years since Anne dies soon after the events take place. She also wasn’t nearly as wealthy or powerful following her leave from court as lady Churchill was so she kind of did lose in the grand scheme of things.
I definitely agree. I don’t feel though as if Abigail never truly cared for the queen. I feel like she did have some real affection when she first healed Anne’s leg, crying with Anne when she learns the personal significance of the rabbits in relation to Anne’s miscarriages, and then later on spending time with the queen in Sarah’s abcense to keep herself in good standing with Sarah as her maid. After all Sarah did have a well-meaning Abigail whipped for making her way into Anne’s chamber for the salve out of jealousy and suspicion. I think Sarah’s jealousy at Abigail eventually sleeping with the queen pushed Abigail into survival mode so that all she can care about is securing her position at all costs vis a vis using the queen’s favor to save her, allying herself with Harely to undermine Sarah, etc. While I feel Sarah was a bit much in insisting that Anne banish Abigail and give in to her other demands, I don’t think it ever occurred to Sarah that her status as a favorite could ever be endangered. While ruthless and blunt, I feel Sarah was better suited in handling the power given to her although she did push her limits too far with blackmail. Abigail only wants security and never cared truly for the power she gained as the new favorite, it was only the prestige she took a liking to which I think got her too comfortable and conceited. Ultimately I feel like there is no winner as no woman is left with what they truly want ergo the Phyrric victory. Anne no longer has Sarah to be real and genuine with her, Abigail is indebted forever to Anne’s beck and call for her supposedly autonomy, and Sarah is banished from all the queen and country she has devoted herself to with her own hubris to carry with her. Definitely agree with the juxtaposition of the imagery and the last scene was definitely haunting and an image I’ll always remember. Sucker for period dramas and this definitely one of the best of this decade
I actually disagree. This might be kinda a dumb example, but in the movie frozen one of the things people complained about is that there’s real affection in the beginning, but ultimately the guy becomes a villain in the end. For the same reason as Abigale, maybe they did seek something in the beginning but once they realized that they could gain power from manipulating royalty, they switched courses. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Abigale only pursued Queen Anne sexually after seeing Sarah with her, because she misinterpreted the situation - she thought if she kept Anne’s bed warm at night she would automatically have her power back. And it worked, at least, until she showed her true colors.
yeah, i think abigail didn’t want the power that came with being the queen’s favourite. sarah used that power to shape the whole country to her liking, but abigail was only on her own side, and only used that power to secure her own position and that of her allies, and just became a party girl at court. she was sick of being raped and used, she wanted to gain control of her life, but in the end she just put herself in a position where she would be unfulfilled and sexually exploited again and again. no one got what they wanted - anne and sarah loved each other, but they alienated each other because of their selfishness and pride. sarah “lost”, but she arguably came out the best, fleeing the country with her disgustingly wealthy husband. still, she would never see her lover and life-long best friend again - meanwhile anne and abigail are trapped in a hell of their own making, utterly miserable. like sarah said, they were playing VERY different games. abigail’s father burned down his home with him inside it. no one could say why he did it, even abigail herself. but in the end, abigail ended up following in his footsteps, and burning herself down. christ, what a great movie!!
@@AntiSuccess Wow what a great breakdown of the movie! After seeing Sarah together with Anne, Abigail realizes the power of being the favourite. She wanted to become the favourite always for selfish reasons and to manipulate the queen, whereas Sarah wanted power because she wanted what was best for England (What SHE thought was best for England, but still) FIRST, and personal gain second. YES, the similarities of Abigail and her father are very interesting! He sells his daughter for personal gain, and Abigail sells herself for personal gain. In the end they both destroy themselves. We have a glimpse that her husband is upset/distrusting of her because he realizes he was used, Anne is too proud to admit mistakes but she also understands Abigail doesn't actually love her so Abigail is trapped in this purgatory basically.
Thank you all for your kind comments. I definitely loved reading your individual takes on the film and characters. I’m glad you guys brought up Abigail’s father and I think it’s a cruel irony for Abigail to repeat her father’s sin of self-preservation at the cost of one’s dignity. Overall the women of this film are hopelessly flawed women but I think that’s why we love them and relate to them so much
I feel that you can notice Abigail change from a dominant force to a measly servant in the last shot. Her facial expression is almost shocked and guilty as Anne says that she needs to hold onto something, grabbing her head. Abigail then seems to realize that, as she was crushing the rabbit, her actions were forming into a version of the abuse that plagued her life for so long. She had power over a weak being and she exerted it without a second thought. It only takes her a few moments to realize it. She realizes that she's destined to be a servant for the rest of her life because, when she gets a hold of power, she abuses it until others put her "in check" (like Anne in the last shot). She then starts at the bottom all over again and has to gain other people's trust (until, based on her actions, she can no longer gain any trust at all).
Still a bit silly. She has to give the Queen some cummies every once in awhile, and in return, is rich as fuck and gets to sit around all day. Boohoo. The ending is lame tbh, I didn't feel sympathy or depression for any of them besides Anne. Sarah leaves England rich as fuck, Abigail gets to do what I stated above, and poor queen Anne is slowly dying from gout. The ending had zero impact tbh other than feeling sorry for Anne; but I loved the rest of it.
Dennis Reynolds I don’t think the goal was for us to feel sorry for them at all. I think something greater was being portrayed here a lesson perhaps ? This isn’t a Disney movie where you choose teams and there are clear and clean cut lines. So I would have to disagree with you, the ending was not lame at all it was perfect for the story it was trying to tell.
@@foxeye2012 if you're amazed by the motifs of "be careful what you wish for" and "dont judge a book by its cover" and "tough love is important" then you're the one who should be watching Disney movies, mate. The ending was not deep in the slightest. The film is about the characters and the rest is just a side dish. Also, the OP and many others here are saying how they "feel bad" for the characters, and if you knew how to read, you would have understood my comment. Good day.
Dennis Reynolds Mr Reynolds accusing me of not knowing how to read is a bit much eh ? It’s okay for people to have a different viewpoint than you, it’s not a jab at you as a person . How would you have had it end since you consider it a lame ending ?
I fell in love with the costumes, sets, filming style. Love seeing the old English castle lit up with only candles as it would have been. I really appreciate your analysis too. SPOT ON!
I saw the rabbits as an image of Abigail “realizing” that she has just been turned into another one of queen Anne’s pets, a fate she brought on herself. Her manipulations and conniving has allowed her to “win” but at the cost of making all parties involved miserable. I think you got it right in the video
Really appreciate your points on the rabbits. One thing I would have added is that the clip of Sarah at the end showed her missing the queen, who she truly did love, but also content with being with her husband, who she truly loved. The queen also offered her a castle which she thought was too much. She had a lot, but appreciated what she had, the other characters did not.
Rabbits represent fertility, the freshness of spring and the promise of wonderful things to come. At the end of the film this is subverted and ironically distorted. The once beloved, cute rabbits have multiplied to overabundant pests. This can be likened to the now parasitic, toxic relationship and overindulgent excessive lifestyle of Abigail and the Queen. Rabbits also love to chew, and their teeth never stop growing. We can hear the gnawing of the rabbits at the films close. Symbolically, chewing implies repetition, contemplation. The Queen and Abigail are living their own personal hells doomed to a hollow life of repetition, regret and empty pleasure.
I believe the ending was somewhat foreshadowed when upon being banished from the castle Sarah said to Abigail something to the effect of you actually think you've won. She knew that Abigail would be not get out from under Queen Anne's thumb.
I don't fully agree with Abigail being this awful uncaring person. I think she starts as a nice person but as time goes on she becomes more focused on just surviving and her own traumas take over her ability to be kind, things naturally just fall into place with her and she becomes a monster through learning that she can charm and use it to be manipulative. I agree with the ending it's an awful reminder that all she will ever be is subservient to the queen.
Sarah is not the all loving care giver either. It was calculated control that kept her at the tiller of the kingdom. Yes, she enjoyed her affair with the queen, just like the others she maintained.
Lincoln Whisler if anything I sympathise more with Abigail because you know she's doing it to just survive. Sarah has a rich husband and status. Sarah treats her like a child and that infantilisation only keeps the queen under her control.
@@rainbowkiss100 she is not. Abigail is well versed in court politics and manipulates her way to the very top. Her character arch is not one of moral decline. Instead, we gradually get to see more of her true nature and are struck with the realization that she's been following her own personal agenda from the start. It's not about survival. It's about cravings. She craves luxury, influence and power. It's really obvious if you just watch the story unfold. Holding on to her innocence just shows that you're as easily manipulated as the people Abigail mowed over in her court climb.
As the rabbits are a poor and inadequate substitute for children (and absurdly cruel as rabbits are the considered a symbol of rampant fertility ("They breed like rabbits") as well as being historically sacrificed for predicting pregnancy in humans: "did the rabbit die?") so is Abgail a failed and sterile substitute for Sara. Also, notable is the increasing infirmity of Anne (stroke??) demonstrating (this time concretely) how each death of a child (or relationship i.e. with Sara) causes her to die a little more or takes away another part of her.
I didn't think the ending was that deep. Perhaps that's just me. Several times, I replayed the part where Abigail puts pressure down on the rabbit until it squeals. Queen Ann lay in the bed, half conscious. She slowly awakens when she hears the rabbit and looks around. Then, she focuses toward where Abigail sits. There is a cut to Abigail and then back to the queen. Then the queen falls out of bed and the film progresses. I took this to mean that Queen Ann saw the cruelty of Abigail with her own eyes and realized that Sara was right and the one who truly loved her. The rest of the explanation in this video is right on, that both Abigail and Queen Ann realize that they've not received what they desired and no better off than the caged rabbits.
She did not see that. She was nearly blind by the end of the film. But you're right the end wasn't deep in the slightest. The final shot is just pretentious and trying to feign complexity through ambiguity. I still love the film but idk why people seem to think it has some sort of deep message... It's literally just a character study of 3 people.
I saw as the film progressed the queen to become more and more a sympathetic character....a person seeking love....as for the ending with the rabbits-it was a symbol for her children whom she loved and in return the "rabbits" (her children) loved her....the only "ones" who wanted nothing from the queen
I thought the fade to the rabbits at the end before cutting to FAVOURITE could be saying that ultimately, the rabbits (ie her children, or the idea of them) are the favourite. Anne seeks empty pleasure through Sarah and Abigail to try and fill the void left by her real favourites, who come up time and time again throughtout the film and are shown to affect her far more deeply than the perceived favourites. I love all the different interpretations, though - a mark of a good film!
Definitely reinstated her power by insisting on standing and not lying down for the leg rub. She wanted to tower over her dominantly and also by telling her "you will not speak unless spoken to". Seems like Abigail realised in that moment she was just a play thing like the same rabbit she was trying to crush.
You are absolutely spot on! The ending was indeed weird as hell, and the only thing I got from it was the symbolism of the rabbits being the children Anne lost. But this analysis makes SO much sense. Thanks!
My boyfriend, my sister, and I had a consensus that the ending scene symbolized the following: 1. Abigail crushing the rabbit signifies that Abigail believes that she has truly won the power war, to the point that she believes that she can get away with anything she does, as she believes that Sarah has the same dynamic. I agree that it could also mean that Abigail is saying that she is now the head "bitch", and she's got so much power, she can really do anything she wants. 2. When the rabbit squealed, the queen woke up. We interpreted this, and the succeeding "rubbing", as Anne putting Abigail in her place. In the scene where Abigail finds about about the lesbian relationship, we can see that Anne gets her kicks whether Sarah is ready for it or not. Leading to the ending, we see Anne being more "in charge". We interpreted the ending as Anne showing Abigail that she is, still, her bitch, and she cannot do anything about it when Anne wants her legs rubbed. 3. Lastly, it all ties down to Abigail thinking that she won the war, but she then finds out that she has buried herself in deeper shit. She does not have the same mobility as Sarah, so while she may be the favourite, she isn't exactly the "favored". Anne is ltting Abigail know that it's all about her, and Abigail is just a servant with a title. Abigail tried to run away from where she came from, only to go back to being that exact thing she was before she came to the palace.
I noticed something in Life : when you look at a couple and one of them is in a bad fysical state, I mean not being looked after well, bad teeth, hair in a mess, not well kept clothing... you have to look at their environment : there is a lack of love somewhere. In a loving environment people make the best of Each other, They support one another in a positive, uplifting way. And it shows...
I loved this movie and your interpretation is fantastic! I must also say that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading many of the comments here! A lot of you really have some great input!!
Having seen the movie twice in the last week, I think your interpretation of the ending is excellent. I knew that Abigail was more or less a sexual play thing for the Queen during that last shot, but I never thought of the connection between that relationship and Anne's relationship with her rabbits. Your interpretation helped me to see another layer to that ending. Thanks!
The ending was an explanation for Anne's madness... the death of her many children caused her mental breakdown and dependence on love and affection from others. The rabbits multiplying as more children die, more madness and misery and ill health grows inside her. Everyone in the end is miserable. Sarah is banished and ruined, Abigail has turned cruel and realizes that for all her power, she's still just a pawn and a whore brought low by the queen, who is even more sickly and miserable without Sarah.
This is a very good analysis. I thought the same myself. I thought the final scene suggested that they were in the end both stuck in a loveless and frustrating power relationship with no way back (personified by the last images) because materially Abigail had achieved the position she wanted but it was a hollow victory without any real power. Stepping back from it would be equally unsatisfactory. Sarah Churchill was perhaps the only one who had real feelings for the Queen and maybe Anne realised it too late, but Sarah had also manipulated the Queen for her own ends and was now out of the picture. Abigail, to get to the top, had feigned feelings and attitudes that were not real, and was stuck having to endlessly feign them or reveal her true indifferent nature. The Queen probably sensed this, but it would be too humiliating to admit her mistake and anyway, she had no one else by then. They show a level of underlying dislike or contempt for each other - Abigail in the way she treated Anne's rabbit, which was supposed to represent one of her dead children, and Anne in the way she exploited Abigail sexually without signs of love.
The ending of the Favourite reminded me of the ending of The Graduate, where people get what they wanted but in the end realize the horrible mistake they made
Abigail.....she did seem more ruthless than her pragmatic cousin but it’s easy to forget that Abigail was in constant survival mode. She didn’t have the luxury to consider anything other than that of her own security. Sarah had the luxury of feeling secure enough in her life
'Based' on a true story being key. In defence of the true Queen Anne against the films caricature. She was not nasty, stupid or unfit to rule, she was well mannered, not petulant. And she didn't leave governing to her favourites. While objectively not the cleverest monarch, Queen Anne was sensible, she took her duties seriously - attended cabinet more than any other British monarch. The depiction of her health is accurate enough. It's a pitty they dropped her husband George from the film. The two went through must tragedy together, and were a devoted couple and she was heartbroken when he died. Sarah was not honest, she was two faced and manipulative. Trying to blackmail her after their falling out is about as low as you can go. Anne being a Tory, while Sarah was more Whigish meant Anne didn't really consult her regarding politics as queen, resulting in pretty abusive behaviour from Sarah.
TLDR: the ending signifies that no one really won because none of the ladies were happy. Maybe Sarah got off better because she was the only one to accept her situation and move on.
Really nicely stated! Agreed! I saw this during the NY Film Festival and loved it. So funny and yet so dark at times. I didnt find the end perplexing at all. Your explanation is exactly how I felt at the end. Trapped...no real feelings at all. I actually felt bad for Anne: ill, now with no one who truly cares for her or will assist her as Sarah did; and ultimately knowing she picked the wrong one as you said. Sarah, losing her power and status, losing someone she also loved. Banished, she still has her husband and will have some modicum of a life. She was the real favorite (or winner as u said) but its sad. Anne realized this all too late. Neither Anne or Abigail gain in the end. Abigail, ultimately demeaned; trapped by the very situation she created. No better than stuck with the man her father gambled her away to. In that scene, both of them had expressions of tedium and banality. Trapped. I loved the superimpositions! Also - tremendous actors!
Both Abigail and Sarah do manipulate the queen, I never really saw neither of their affection as genuine. By the end Abigail has won the the Queen and security, but Sarah has won her dignity and freedom from the toxic court.
That was a terrific description of the end of the movie. It is amazing how much can be said with silence and images. The life that Abigale truly tried to aspire to she would never have. She would always be the Queens plaything as long as the Queen was alive. The blend of images were great, I agree she was a pet as were the rabbits and although she was a cunning, devious person she was in essence just as frail as little rabbits. The acting and the movie were definitely Oscar worthy. It was masterful artistry.
I found the final scene haunting & profoundly sad. Abigail clearly thought she was the winner, but was still a servant & obsessed with The Game of being first in the Queen's affections. Her tears when reading Sarah's letters surprised me, also that she actually read them. That made her burning them so much more cruel, & Queen Anne's treatment of her a punishment she almost seemed to deserve. Sad all around.
Hi! My interpretation of the ending was along the lines of yours...that after all she had done, and fought for, she had made literally no success of herself and she was STILL the young girl having to service an obese old German man sexually (Queen Anne), whom owned her. I REALLY loved this movie, and I thought each woman played their part so brilliantly, especially Rachel Weisz. Its so great to see her in such a strong role again.
I love how even tho the period represented in The Favourite is known for having more colorful gowns, Anne, Sarah and Abigail are all wearing black and white, representing chess pieces.
Thanks! I agree 100% The movie showcases the truth about human beings trapped in the most sophisticated hell with the trappings of false finery. So sad & sickly.
Towards the end, Sarah says to Abigail "We are playing two very different games" (or close to this) and then Sarah was so happy in the end. When the Queen's men were at her house ready to kick them out of the country, she was giddy! I think Sarah wanted out of that situation all along. And that miserable end shot supports that.
Thank you for clearing some things up, I didn’t really catch the full importance of the rabbits the first time so I didn’t understand the finale scene perfectly.
I felt as if Sarah was happy in the end to finally be free from the queen. It's almost as if she planned it since she mentions that she was playing "a different game" to that of Abigail.
BRAVO! 👏🏽, awesome! I loved the interpretation and appreciated the heads up by guiding me to the exact location where the point drives in. Well said, well explained. I am in awe of this movie. Thank you.
That was a very helpful and insightful explanation. Thanks so much! I hate ambiguous movie endings and right at the beginning of the final scene I leaned over to tell my friend as much. Sure enough that's the type of ending it was. So thanks for putting together this piece for people! Now our minds can rest :)
The point of the rabbits at the end it that they represent loss - she says "everyone leaves me - or dies" just after we learn the rabbits represent the 17 children she lost. It's a tragedy because she would have had someone who never left her (or prematurely died) but she sent her away
Sarah was victim to her own cruelty and insensitivity, she failed to recognize which limits she should not have passed. Like pretending she did not know about the rabbits, even though she knew this would hurt Anne severly. That was not necessary, but she could not help herself giving in to her primal desire to be brutal about weakness. She did not love Anne the way you love a partner, or an equal, she loved Anne the way you love a sister. She did not respect her in places where she should have, that is what cost her to be kicked out of the pallace. Who can blame Sarah though, Anne was a horrifying creature, tragic, broken, borderline, weak. The opposite of Anne in character strength, but equally susceptive and caring for a strong connection and bond. I could just look at her and taste the sadness and pain, it was mindnumbing I could hardly sleep because of it. I love this film, loved it. Will watch it again tonight
Remember what Abigail said earlier? "My life is like a maze that I continually think I've gotten out of only to find another corner right in front of me." And Sarah' quote? "You think you have won. You and I fighting different battles." Abigail thought she finally got what she wanted and she won, but now she realizes she just trapped herself in another corner, the most difficult one to get out of.
“Fly away Skyline Pigeon, fly. Towards the dreams you left so very far behind”. I couldn’t imagine a better song for the credits. It was poignant and apropos. It reminded me so much of what happened not only to Abigail, but also Anne and Sarah.
Really love your take on this film. I saw it last night and when that last super imposed image pops up, the first thought that came to mind for me was infestation. But I really haven't had the time yet to dissect that thought.
Queen Anne had such a tragic life. Having 14 children with none surviving past 9 yrs old. It's also interesting how during Queen Anne's rule parliament assumed more power. Common law was increasing and the role of monarchery dimisnhing. It's actually Queen Anne's inability to govern and last of interest that contributed to parliament limiting the crowns power.
The thing you have to remember is where Abigail starts off, her face in the mud. It's all up from there. Being the queen's pleasure slave is a far more comfortable way of being miserable. When you think of the world they actually lived in, rising out of that mud was an incredible feat. If she hadn't managed it she was looking at an even more demeaning, and very short life.
I agree with all the comments, but for me , is the battle between three women for surviving in own ways. I read the book The Queen Favourites by Jean Plady wich I recomend for a deep knowledge of this singular relationship. Sara Churchill was an ancestor of Wiston Churchill and Diana Spencer.
I saw it as blind ambition having her bite more than she could chew. Often times, people dream of being something without realizing what it is exactly what that entails. Day to day. In the monomyth or hero's journey, the meeting with the goddess (superficial success) is followed by Atonement with the Father (unforeseen negative consequences)
The women could not beat destiny no matter how hard they tried. Sarah wanted to be politically dominate but being a women, Queen Anne was the only way to gain the power she craved. Queen Anne wanted unconditional love, that which she may have found in a child and hence the rabbits. Abigail wanted to spend the life she was born to live, that of a frivolous socialite, as seen at the party when she flirted in front of her husband, but ended up a servant to Queen Anne all the same. They were born to never achieve what they seek in life and will always be left wanting. Sometimes life has different plans for us.
I want to think that when Abigail manage to put Sarah in the lost side, Sarah knows that she can be mean but she always looked for the best, she was the real love, she always took care of Anne, so what happened when she left and the queen was convinced she would never comeback? The half of her body stop working, just as if she had lost half of her heart. PS: sorry if i wrote it wrong, english its not my first language.
Enjoyed the film very much. I do think Sarah as portrayed in the film cared for the Queen and the country as well. Sarah knew she was better suited to politics than Anne. Sarah's affection for the queen was evident when she apologized for putting on the "dancing display" in front of Anne (causing her jealousy) as well as the fact that she destroyed the personal letters rather than make them public. Up until now the only film I had seen that touched on the friendship between Sarah and Anne is the BBC Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of The First Churchills another great watch IMO. The falling out between the two women is portrayed differently, but then no one knows what happened behind closed doors, and history has shown that there were rumors of a lesbian love affair, whether true or not.
I mean... yeah? I figured that was what the narrative was saying as explicitly as it could without words, but I feel like the film is inseparable from its subtext which is extremely more interesting and what I would love to see analyzed. MY INTERPRETATION: The film really clicked with me when Sarah says to the Queen “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my country. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” I saw the Queen symbolically as a nation, with Abigail and Sarah as avatars of the political left and right, respectively. At the beginning, the right threatens to burn the country down with war (demonstrated by the Queen’s RIGHT leg burning up). By the end of the film the political left has won, and the pleasures it has brought with it has numbed the nation (displayed with the Queen’s LEFT side becoming paralyzed), with the political right completely exorcised from the nation, both the left and the nation it has “won” are now doomed to a cycle of numbing pleasure. I thought the film was a rather brilliant commentary on partisan extremism, and the advent of a two-party system performing checks and balances.
As much as Sarah's love is honest, you wouldn't say it's the kind of love you would instantly feel loved and supported. Actually, it's the kind of love you would recognized "love" when you experienced something lower. I guess at the end of the day, there's a crucial balance of honesty and tenderness for a better communication of one's love.
I also felt that in the final scene , they are both adjusting to the reality of the miserable position they each now ultimately find themselves in, but I hadn't really formed a clear idea of what the rabbits represented when merged with the images of their faces. What you said is brilliant though, I'm sure you've got it.
I liked the last shot but it certainly looked like more than 17 rabbits. It looked like they were taking over the world, maybe a metaphor for the queens subjects with Abigail being the only one in the shot that could please the queen at that moment. I loved the music in the final scene too. I loved this film.
think you nailed it. . SARAH at least is with someone-- her husband both appear to care for each other even love, and they understand each other. if there is a winner its SARAH . everyone else is very unhappy and understand why and nothing will ever change for them
Your analysis is spot on. I actually didn’t find the ending that perplexing; it was a perfect illustration of where each of the characters are, i.e., miserable.
to me as a regular person, this movie is about excesses and people who finds opportunity from mishap of others. everyone from this movie is a self-centered ahole.
When I first saw the ending, I thought the rabbits superimposed on the Abigail symbolized that she was now like one of Queen Ann's dead children. But I think I like your interpretation better.
In the end Abigail has become the Queen's 18th rabbit. This time representing the loss of the Queen's true friend Sarah.
monokhem - She was a childhood friend who, at one point, was genuine. But as they grew older and Anne gained power, things changed.
The only difference is that Anne loves the rabbits and would never hurt them. With Abigail, she becomes frozen and vengeful. She means to crush Abigail in the same way Abigail did to her rabbit.
monokhem - “Hard wood floors” means she doesn’t love the rabbits? It’s her bedroom where she also walks around on “hard wood floors.” It’s better than keeping them in cages or letting them roam about the palace.
And, of course they are locked in there. She’s the queen so her room stays locked for security reasons.
monokhem yes what was with her need to continue a losing and unpopular war?
@Gimp Man - Your explaination was better than the entire video
I don't think Anne was getting any pleasure from the sex at at the end, empty or otherwise. Seemed more like a power thing, reminding Abigail of her place and deliberately humiliating her. She understood Abigail's character completely when she saw her crushing the rabbit, that moment broke whatever remained of the affection she had felt for her.
spot on. it was a power thing def. but i like this chap's interpretation about the rabbits, didn't really see how they fit in at the end.
also saw both women got what they wanted eventually and were both miserable because of it.
Annes only real love in her life were her rabbits.
Jam Dev Abigail wasn’t the first person to bang the boss.
Jam Dev true that
@@simoneschwanitz1273 "Annes only real love in her life were her rabbits." So are yours. It seems my former assessment of you was spot on. Btw, the *real* queen Anne had no rabbits.
Abigail almost crushing the rabbit shows that she never really cared for Anne and how she's actually cruel, whereas Sarah didn't entertain Anne being morbid with the rabbits but also wasn't cruel to them bc she actually cared for Anne, just like she is the only one that can be honest with her. Sarah is the only one who actually cares for Anne.
this is what makes me so sad about the ending, sarah really loved the queen and took care of her since they were children, but both of their prides (and abigail) drove a wedge between them. i think if they were regular people, without the stress of running the country on both of their shoulders, they could have been happy together. even though sarah was cruel and manipulative sometimes, she was always honest, and probably would have been a much kinder lover to anne if anne wasn’t under such constant scrutiny and requiring so much management
Sarah, like many powerful & rich people who are used to getting their own way. Sometimes go too far and forget people's feelings. She's also a practical woman who thinks that flattery is b.s.
I saw Sarah as doing all this on purpose - she wanted out. She wanted away from the Queen.
Exactly
@@vittoriacolona flattery is bullshit.
I saw Abigail as literally a disease. You can see this by the queen looking more and more sickly as the film progresses.
@Mr. Shlock nice theory. I only thought what I did for the sole reason that she only started getting sick when Abigail arrives.
Mr. Shlock is there a good video on the historical context of this film? I know nothing about Queen Anne or the war
Ironically, Abigail did initially appear to be very healthy for the queen. It was Abigail who found and administered the herbal medicine that reduced the inflammation on Queen Anne's legs.
Sarah cared for Anne’s heath, while Abigail indulged Anne with no care for the consequences. Eg: the scene with the hot chocolate. Sarah looks like a controlling dictator not letting Anne have the hot chocolate. But she knows it will make her sick.
In scene with Abigail, they eat cake and sweets. Abigail wants the short term pleasure to curry favour, even though cake makes Anne vomit.
When Sarah leaves Anne health deteriorates rapidly because no one is attending to her health concerns anymore.
If you look in the background of scenes, when Sarah is in favour there is fruit and nuts on the side tables. When Abigail is in favour, there are cakes and sweets and general junk food.
It reflects how the women really feel about Anne. Sarah genuinely loves her and cares for her wellbeing. Abigail doesn’t care about her health and exploits the food as a tool to curry favour.
@@jrblunt and the Queen gains strength under her care and is able to start giving orders in court again. Sarah kept her sickly and easier to control... very complicated relationship where she does like her, but abuses her and tries to control her constantly.
And I also feel like there's no winner at the end of this movie.
I agree
yes, after everything the three go through, all the manipulation and competition, no one truly wins (That is.. in so far as is presented at the end of the film at least. In reality, Sarah went on to do incredibly well for herself, persisting as a hugely powerful woman of the era)
The winner was the audience as we could finally go home.
In the end, we could say that Sarah is more winner than Abigail
Abigail is the real winner for me because she is the reason to the end of this war with France. Ok she is not in good terms with Anne, but who care about it. She is a repulsive narcissistic sad pretentious skotey queen.
“I will not lie,
That is love.”
That line actually made me cry😪💔.
😭😔❤️
That ending....wow. utterly shocked at how much was said with no words
@Mr. Shlock Abigail basically bit off more than she could chew
Awesome.
Mr. Shlock He Knew exactly what he was talking about and so did over 400 others including myself. Just because something goes over your head, doesn’t mean that the rest of the world doesn’t get it.
I understand why you said what you said though. How could a black person understand a perspective that alludes you, right?
Gain some wisdom, then maybe you’ll understand that somethings don’t need to be said, to be understood.
Mr. Shlock Know what? Forget it; you probably don’t understand what I said either. Don’t worry about it.
no the ending was empty nothing new was added
I felt like the letter Sarah wrote at the end was to Abigail after all, since she could probably guess Abigail would be screening the Queen's letters, and it probably said something along the lines of "you don't know it yet, but I win".
Oh this is interesting. When they came to banish them, Sarah knew, so indeed she probably wrote the letter knowing Abigail would read it. She may have focused on her and the Queen's inside jokes. She probably focused on their long friendship. Interesting that Abigail never had an inside joke with the Queen, it showed how shallow their relationship was.
I suspected this as soon as i saw the letter was sent with a wax sealed crest
punos909 I agree. Sarah was never stupid, and to believe that she wouldn’t know Abigail is screening the post would have been a lazy mistake.
I believe you are correct. Another clue would be when Sarah was writing the letter, she addressed it using "cunt" twice, which she only called Abigail. Great catch!
Yes absolutely but no, the letter said something heartfelt that would make the queen want her back but at the same time push Abigail to do something drastic to get rid of her once and for all which is why when the guards are riding up Sarah tells her husband if he’s tired of being there and maybe they should move because she knows what’s to come. Abigail would get rid of her while digging her own hole deeper it was reverse psychology and manipulation at its finest. Sarah was smarter than all of them.
I fell in love with this movie. I felt so bad for Anne, a tragic character and Sarah, the one person who truly loved her.
Other than her husband, of course...
@@alexander9703 uh.
This is the Sarah who inherited Blenheim from Anne you mean?
VoidedMirror The movie is fiction. Queen Anne was not as depicted in this film.
How do you feel bad for Anne? Shes a mega pice od shit.
My impression was that Sarah was absolutley the winner in the end and it was the win she played for. She asks Abigail if she actually think she's won after becoming the new favourite and implies that they where playing different games. Being the queens favourite was not a good thing, it was a prison. I do not belive Sarah loved Anne but since Anne loved her she was trapped. She wanted out but could not leave. She needed Anne to reject her without anger her.
The rabbits are also prisoners of Anne trapped in her room as hostages to her self pitty. The favourite has the same role. In the begining we see Sarah reject the rabbits symbolising that she rejecs the role forced upon here. Abigail embraces the rabbits, fooloishly since she aspires to ecentilly become like them without realising it. At the end both Sarah and Abigail have won the goal they strived for but Abigail got played. Abigail realises to late that the role as the favourite wasn't something to aspire to while Sarah goes free.
'Hostages to her self pity'.. Beautifully said!
We are definitely on the same page of perception of this film! ;-)~!
What an interesting point!!!
Totally disagree that Sarah didnt love Anne. She absolutely did.
@@user-yd4tm3gl8s I agree with you and that was the first thing that came to my mind when I read this comment. Sarah did agree to send letters to Anne and she tried over and over, which she wouldn't have done if she was certain that the letter would never reach Anne
Great explanation of a great movie. In real life, an interesting little fact is that while Anne’s line died out, all future Kings and Queens from William onwards will be direct descendants of Sarah (through Diana).
So really, Sarah does have the last laugh in the end.
Anne's line actually didn't die out (she had a half-brother named James Stuart) but because only Protestants could inherit the throne (there were relatives closer to the inheritance than George 1) her closest Protestant relative was chosen to be king of England. George the 1 of Hanover was Anne's second cousin and all kings and queens after him are directly related. All of the kings and queens of England after Anne (1702-1714) are related not to the Marlboroughs (i.e. descendants of Sarah) but to Anne's grandfather's (Charles 1) sister's line.
Garland5 None of them are descendants of Anne. All UK kings and queens from William onwards will be direct descendants of Sarah.
@@Zveebo Yes, I realize that Anne had no descendants, but the Marlborough's were not related to the Hanover's. Not sure which William is being referred to here. George 1 was king after Anne, and all of HIS descendants make up the rest of the Hanover and Windsor royal lineage. The late Dina Spencer is related to Sarah Jennings, yes, but the Hanover line does not cross in bloodlines to that family.
@@Garland67 Prince William, future king of the UK.
@@Zveebo ?
Abigail let's Anne to indulge, hence the bath scene about drowning and chocolate, while Sarah is strict but is also loving. In the end Abigail became like the rabbits (pets) for Anne (Queen) as her pet, so she became nothing more but her indulgent for pleasure, and for the empty love that Sarah has left her with.
Sarah wins in the end.
@Blablabla She still has her husband who she also loves
I agree. I love the line when Sarah says to Abigail "We're playing very different games". That explains everything.
Yeah, and also don't forget the bunny scene. Anne sees Abigail being mean with one of the bunnies, putting her foot on top of it. Anne finally sees Abigail's true self, and decides to treat her accordingly, as a tool.
@@PoisonedApathy A very similar situation arises in "All About Eve", the dynamics are quite similar (an ambitious, double-faced ingénue vs. the world weary, brutally honest veteran) in the end Eve, the newcomer, was able to take everything away from the veteran's hands but it takes very little time for her to realize that she isn't anything like her older rival, Margot.
Margot, now happily married and still a respected figure, is now free from the pressures of showmanship that for so long denied her the chance to love a man, form a family or enjoy her life and in the end is content knowing that she didn't have to lower to Eve's level, therefore keeping her dignity. Eve, on the other hand is revealed to have sad life up until the moment she met Margot, her prized award turns to ashes in her hands the moment her past catches up with her and realizes that her one true talent is now useless, you can manipulate your way to the top but for a heartless and dishonest person, there is no way to actually find love or fulfilment, for true love is built on trust and in the end, knows she doesn't deserve the place she had to steal from somebody else. To add salt to injury, it's made clear that whatever success she's achieved will one day be taken from her by someone hungrier and more conniving.
Abigail is somewhat "becareful what you wish for you just might get it"
Abigail almost crushing the rabbit symbolises her misconception that she has now risen to the status of hunt-animal. Seeing this, the queen harshly reprimands Abigail, reminding her that she still belongs to the servant (ie prey-animal) class. Then she demands a sexual favour, reminding her that, though her surroundings are now more luxurious than when she was the German’s whore, her role remains essentially unchanged.
The multiplying rabbits in the final shot emphasise this idea. Rabbits are the ultimate prey-animal and rely solely on prolific breeding to ensure their survival. Just as Abigail relies solely on her sexual desirability/subservience.
Very well put
That's what I've understood with this video. By the end of the movie her real position in the world is unchanged, she will never be the queen's equal in the way Sarah was, letting alone that she's now doomed to be the companion of someone she doesn't love, her true goal of taking Sarah's place in the world will remain unfulfilled. Sarah has been able to keep her dignity and knows she did the right thing by not lowering herself to Abigail's level and is free from the co-dependant relationship that had been her life up until that point.
Wow, that's exactly it. Clapping!
Same thoughts here!
i got this impression but also that the rabbits, symbolic of her children, will always be "the favourite"
What I got from the final shot: Abigail had been repeatedly used and traumatized throughout her life by men because of her low station. Her father had literally sold her as chattel, and therefore she had no rights. She was desperate to escape it, and therefore with this opportunity, would do anything to maintain her favorite status. Lady Churchill was of a higher station, and therefore her motivations were different, and probably less primal. The irony is that instead of escaping the domination, power abuse, humiliation and sexual exploitation visited upon her almost all of her life, She now experiences, in a most intense way, being humiliated and degraded by the queen herself. Her Majesty pulls her hair down and towards her. The queen is furious with her and with her life and everyone. And this is what she has left. I thought the final seconds and last shot represented Abigail in a dissociative state as a way to cope with the abuse that she was experiencing in that moment. The director slows the camera down and her eyes are glazed and not focused as if she has checked out completely as to what she is experiencing in that moment.
The impression I got from the ending was that Queen Anne keeping the rabbits seemed like a sweet symbolic representation of her dead children. Just as she initially considered Abigail to be sweet, with innocent motives. Yet, when you have 17 rabbits, inevitably over time they multiply and become very problematic, and are no longer the sweet and fluffy playthings they once were- instead you have an infestation. As with Abigail, over time, her perceived sweet and caring nature is overshadowed by her malicious, manipulative qualities that have infested the Queen's life. Living with rabbits as symbols for the children she has lost, will never placate the pain and loss that she has endured. Abigail is a replacement for Sarah, and although a more flattering and initially more gratifying companion, is ultimately a hollow, fake surrogate that leaves the Queen more empty, lonely and unwell.
This idea is also reflected throughout the film by the eating of cake (and dairy) in the film. It's delicious and the Queen enjoy's it, but for the one moment of pleasure that it brings, she will suffer and become sicker. Sarah knows it makes her sick and stops her from consuming it, but Abigail encourages her to enjoy it, leading her to become more and more unwell.
That's an excellent interpretation of the ending and one that I hadn't considered. The multiplication of the rabbits at the end and the sound of their teeth made it seem all the more like an infestation.
Also having Abigail let het indulge in all of her worst tendencies (rage, glutonny, self-pity) is the same as letting the bunnies be a surrogate to placate grief. It's a sure way to become insane but it's more comfortable than having someone confront her with reality.
Excellent theory! Also notice how you see the rabbits free to wander outside their cages much more as the end approaches than in the beginning, when they were at least restricted to their cages at times. The cages are like Sarah's strict yet lucrative hold on Anne, while the rabbits roaming free to multiply and infest are Abigail's permissiveness of Anne to indulge herself, never truly caring for her health in the end. Cages may seem cruel but they're a necessary evil that will help in the long run.
@F Santo it's different because her ambitions were greater, she strived for the recognition of the court, to be a player in the grand scale of things and to bring great honor to the dukedom that had began with her and her husband. Abigial merely strived to get rid of her so she wouldn't have to sell her arsehole to syphilitic soldiers. On top of that she actually loved Anne, so it wasn't all scheming and cold calculations. Her feelings were on the line.
Very intelligent interpretation & makes complete sense. Ima guna go with this 1.
Great analysis! All relationships in this film are horrifically toxic, but it is true that the one between Anne and Sarah is far more genuine.
All transactional relationships with manipulation at their heart cannot be genuine. The are convenient.
I did enjoy the ambiguous ending, at first I was a little confused at the scene going on for so long, but the more you studied their facial expressions, the more it made sense. I just wish, for those who didn't know the historical story, that maybe a little post-credit scene or some small tidbit had been offered. Anne's failing health and eventual death, which leads to Abigail leaving court quietly never to return. Also the the Duke and Duchess' exile to Europe takes them to Hanover, where they are entertained by the Elector George (aka, George I, Anne's successor), resulting in them returning to favour after Anne's death. I guess that ending is a bit too drawn out and literal, but maybe just a little confirmation that really the Duchess was the winner in the end.
That's what I wanted to know, thanks!
Yoohoo 'Tis Me this explains the “mail call” scene at Sarah & her husband’s home house. She made mention of it being time to move. Thanks!
Great comment :) I did not know that, Thanks!
Until she wasn't. She got too sassy in the next king's household & got the sack there, too. Politics.
Great analysis! I agree, in the final scene it shows that Abigail has become a symbolic rabbit for the Queen. Caged and only allowed out when the Queen commands it. In a way, no different than when her father sold her to the old German man. Like Sarah told Abigail when she was leaving the Castle "we were playing different games".
"The art department were incredible. I didn't realized but when one of them said: When Sarah's looking after the Queen all the snacks in the room are very healthy there's nuts & dried fruit & things. And when Abigail's looking after her there's cake & sugar things & hot chocolate. Little sort of anyone who's a film nerd will notice which one is the right one to be looking after the queen." - Olivia Colman (on The Favourite) ruclips.net/video/u9CT-dLPTkY/видео.html @12:35
Be careful what you wish for because one cannot always accurately predict what victory will actually look like. And lest we oversimplify Abigail, when she burns Sarah’s letter, instead of laughing and dancing, she sheds a tear.
i feel that she only shed a tear because of how mad she was, she was mad that she could never live up to what sarah was to anne, and she was mad that sarah tried to get back in touch with the queen
Maybe. But I doubt Abigail genuinely aspired to Sarah's kind of relationship. And Sarah's letter was no surprise, as Abigail screened Anne's mail in anticipation and dealt with it effortlessly. Nevertheless, it's good to see people thinking about these things.@@badkarmagoodkarma330
I agree with Sarah that she and Abigail "were playing very different games."
>imagine thinking that a character who only has to make the queen cum for a living and in return is rich as hell and gets to sit around all day being a pompous ass is a depressing ending
Abigail is a greedy moron. Boohoo I have to cater to the queen who I'm also friends with half of the day and spend the other half bathing in riches and getting drunk at royal parties. The ending had zero impact, there was almost zero consequence for anyone besides Anne who is dying slowly and painfully from disease.. Rest of the film was near 10/10 tbh
@@MrCholoPants3415 honestly, to Abigail, being sold at a gambling game to a German man who looks like a balloon as she described, who raped her until she got away. And because she expressed her fear of having to sell her a$$ in the streets and said she was doing all what opposes her morality just for the sake of not having to. I suppose being - after all the effort- placed as the queen's pleasure thing is just miserable for her. Especially after she grabbed her hair, reminding her that she will forever be forced to perform sexual acts - and not for her satisfaction- to be able to live.
I loved this film, and your analysis is great. People I've talked to haven't understood the ending, at all. IMO, Sarah is most definitely the woman who comes out on top, all around.
especially if you know history.
@@MimiMadness94 - Exactly. She ends up living a very long life, and one in which she thrived. Good for her.
Although, Abigale does manage to rise from street wretch to the queens toy and a married lady with a monthly allowance. So, she didn't exactly loose.
Lincoln Whisler well she only enjoys the association with the queen for 4 years since Anne dies soon after the events take place. She also wasn’t nearly as wealthy or powerful following her leave from court as lady Churchill was so she kind of did lose in the grand scheme of things.
@@MimiMadness94 I guess if you want to blend historical information with this fictional account. I was commenting on the films story only.
I definitely agree. I don’t feel though as if Abigail never truly cared for the queen. I feel like she did have some real affection when she first healed Anne’s leg, crying with Anne when she learns the personal significance of the rabbits in relation to Anne’s miscarriages, and then later on spending time with the queen in Sarah’s abcense to keep herself in good standing with Sarah as her maid. After all Sarah did have a well-meaning Abigail whipped for making her way into Anne’s chamber for the salve out of jealousy and suspicion. I think Sarah’s jealousy at Abigail eventually sleeping with the queen pushed Abigail into survival mode so that all she can care about is securing her position at all costs vis a vis using the queen’s favor to save her, allying herself with Harely to undermine Sarah, etc. While I feel Sarah was a bit much in insisting that Anne banish Abigail and give in to her other demands, I don’t think it ever occurred to Sarah that her status as a favorite could ever be endangered. While ruthless and blunt, I feel Sarah was better suited in handling the power given to her although she did push her limits too far with blackmail. Abigail only wants security and never cared truly for the power she gained as the new favorite, it was only the prestige she took a liking to which I think got her too comfortable and conceited. Ultimately I feel like there is no winner as no woman is left with what they truly want ergo the Phyrric victory. Anne no longer has Sarah to be real and genuine with her, Abigail is indebted forever to Anne’s beck and call for her supposedly autonomy, and Sarah is banished from all the queen and country she has devoted herself to with her own hubris to carry with her. Definitely agree with the juxtaposition of the imagery and the last scene was definitely haunting and an image I’ll always remember. Sucker for period dramas and this definitely one of the best of this decade
David Torres Jesus, well said dude!!!
I actually disagree. This might be kinda a dumb example, but in the movie frozen one of the things people complained about is that there’s real affection in the beginning, but ultimately the guy becomes a villain in the end. For the same reason as Abigale, maybe they did seek something in the beginning but once they realized that they could gain power from manipulating royalty, they switched courses. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Abigale only pursued Queen Anne sexually after seeing Sarah with her, because she misinterpreted the situation - she thought if she kept Anne’s bed warm at night she would automatically have her power back. And it worked, at least, until she showed her true colors.
yeah, i think abigail didn’t want the power that came with being the queen’s favourite. sarah used that power to shape the whole country to her liking, but abigail was only on her own side, and only used that power to secure her own position and that of her allies, and just became a party girl at court. she was sick of being raped and used, she wanted to gain control of her life, but in the end she just put herself in a position where she would be unfulfilled and sexually exploited again and again. no one got what they wanted - anne and sarah loved each other, but they alienated each other because of their selfishness and pride. sarah “lost”, but she arguably came out the best, fleeing the country with her disgustingly wealthy husband. still, she would never see her lover and life-long best friend again - meanwhile anne and abigail are trapped in a hell of their own making, utterly miserable. like sarah said, they were playing VERY different games.
abigail’s father burned down his home with him inside it. no one could say why he did it, even abigail herself. but in the end, abigail ended up following in his footsteps, and burning herself down.
christ, what a great movie!!
@@AntiSuccess Wow what a great breakdown of the movie! After seeing Sarah together with Anne, Abigail realizes the power of being the favourite. She wanted to become the favourite always for selfish reasons and to manipulate the queen, whereas Sarah wanted power because she wanted what was best for England (What SHE thought was best for England, but still) FIRST, and personal gain second.
YES, the similarities of Abigail and her father are very interesting! He sells his daughter for personal gain, and Abigail sells herself for personal gain. In the end they both destroy themselves. We have a glimpse that her husband is upset/distrusting of her because he realizes he was used, Anne is too proud to admit mistakes but she also understands Abigail doesn't actually love her so Abigail is trapped in this purgatory basically.
Thank you all for your kind comments. I definitely loved reading your individual takes on the film and characters. I’m glad you guys brought up Abigail’s father and I think it’s a cruel irony for Abigail to repeat her father’s sin of self-preservation at the cost of one’s dignity. Overall the women of this film are hopelessly flawed women but I think that’s why we love them and relate to them so much
I feel that you can notice Abigail change from a dominant force to a measly servant in the last shot. Her facial expression is almost shocked and guilty as Anne says that she needs to hold onto something, grabbing her head. Abigail then seems to realize that, as she was crushing the rabbit, her actions were forming into a version of the abuse that plagued her life for so long. She had power over a weak being and she exerted it without a second thought. It only takes her a few moments to realize it. She realizes that she's destined to be a servant for the rest of her life because, when she gets a hold of power, she abuses it until others put her "in check" (like Anne in the last shot). She then starts at the bottom all over again and has to gain other people's trust (until, based on her actions, she can no longer gain any trust at all).
Still a bit silly. She has to give the Queen some cummies every once in awhile, and in return, is rich as fuck and gets to sit around all day. Boohoo. The ending is lame tbh, I didn't feel sympathy or depression for any of them besides Anne. Sarah leaves England rich as fuck, Abigail gets to do what I stated above, and poor queen Anne is slowly dying from gout. The ending had zero impact tbh other than feeling sorry for Anne; but I loved the rest of it.
Dennis Reynolds I don’t think the goal was for us to feel sorry for them at all. I think something greater was being portrayed here a lesson perhaps ? This isn’t a Disney movie where you choose teams and there are clear and clean cut lines. So I would have to disagree with you, the ending was not lame at all it was perfect for the story it was trying to tell.
@@foxeye2012 if you're amazed by the motifs of "be careful what you wish for" and "dont judge a book by its cover" and "tough love is important" then you're the one who should be watching Disney movies, mate. The ending was not deep in the slightest. The film is about the characters and the rest is just a side dish. Also, the OP and many others here are saying how they "feel bad" for the characters, and if you knew how to read, you would have understood my comment. Good day.
Dennis Reynolds Mr Reynolds accusing me of not knowing how to read is a bit much eh ? It’s okay for people to have a different viewpoint than you, it’s not a jab at you as a person . How would you have had it end since you consider it a lame ending ?
@@MrCholoPants3415 You're fucking pathetic.
I saw the movie yesterday and fell in love. I really appreciate your analysis. You are very articulate and thoughtful! Keep up the great work.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video and movie!
I fell in love with the costumes, sets, filming style. Love seeing the old English castle lit up with only candles as it would have been. I really appreciate your analysis too. SPOT ON!
I saw the rabbits as an image of Abigail “realizing” that she has just been turned into another one of queen Anne’s pets, a fate she brought on herself. Her manipulations and conniving has allowed her to “win” but at the cost of making all parties involved miserable. I think you got it right in the video
Really appreciate your points on the rabbits. One thing I would have added is that the clip of Sarah at the end showed her missing the queen, who she truly did love, but also content with being with her husband, who she truly loved. The queen also offered her a castle which she thought was too much. She had a lot, but appreciated what she had, the other characters did not.
Rabbits represent fertility, the freshness of spring and the promise of wonderful things to come. At the end of the film this is subverted and ironically distorted. The once beloved, cute rabbits have multiplied to overabundant pests. This can be likened to the now parasitic, toxic relationship and overindulgent excessive lifestyle of Abigail and the Queen.
Rabbits also love to chew, and their teeth never stop growing. We can hear the gnawing of the rabbits at the films close. Symbolically, chewing implies repetition, contemplation. The Queen and Abigail are living their own personal hells doomed to a hollow life of repetition, regret and empty pleasure.
Beautiful perspective, I like the almost psychoanalytic insight into chewing that you did!
I believe the ending was somewhat foreshadowed when upon being banished from the castle Sarah said to Abigail something to the effect of you actually think you've won. She knew that Abigail would be not get out from under Queen Anne's thumb.
"You look like a badger".
I don't fully agree with Abigail being this awful uncaring person. I think she starts as a nice person but as time goes on she becomes more focused on just surviving and her own traumas take over her ability to be kind, things naturally just fall into place with her and she becomes a monster through learning that she can charm and use it to be manipulative. I agree with the ending it's an awful reminder that all she will ever be is subservient to the queen.
Sarah is not the all loving care giver either. It was calculated control that kept her at the tiller of the kingdom. Yes, she enjoyed her affair with the queen, just like the others she maintained.
Lincoln Whisler oh I agree 100% she uses her relationship with the queen to have control even going as far as to steal money to fund her husbands war.
Lincoln Whisler if anything I sympathise more with Abigail because you know she's doing it to just survive. Sarah has a rich husband and status. Sarah treats her like a child and that infantilisation only keeps the queen under her control.
@@rainbowkiss100 she is not. Abigail is well versed in court politics and manipulates her way to the very top. Her character arch is not one of moral decline. Instead, we gradually get to see more of her true nature and are struck with the realization that she's been following her own personal agenda from the start.
It's not about survival. It's about cravings. She craves luxury, influence and power. It's really obvious if you just watch the story unfold. Holding on to her innocence just shows that you're as easily manipulated as the people Abigail mowed over in her court climb.
@@alexanderforslund9880 CORRECT!!! Lol!
As the rabbits are a poor and inadequate substitute for children (and absurdly cruel as rabbits are the considered a symbol of rampant fertility ("They breed like rabbits") as well as being historically sacrificed for predicting pregnancy in humans: "did the rabbit die?") so is Abgail a failed and sterile substitute for Sara. Also, notable is the increasing infirmity of Anne (stroke??) demonstrating (this time concretely) how each death of a child (or relationship i.e. with Sara) causes her to die a little more or takes away another part of her.
I didn't think the ending was that deep. Perhaps that's just me. Several times, I replayed the part where Abigail puts pressure down on the rabbit until it squeals. Queen Ann lay in the bed, half conscious. She slowly awakens when she hears the rabbit and looks around. Then, she focuses toward where Abigail sits. There is a cut to Abigail and then back to the queen. Then the queen falls out of bed and the film progresses. I took this to mean that Queen Ann saw the cruelty of Abigail with her own eyes and realized that Sara was right and the one who truly loved her. The rest of the explanation in this video is right on, that both Abigail and Queen Ann realize that they've not received what they desired and no better off than the caged rabbits.
She did not see that. She was nearly blind by the end of the film. But you're right the end wasn't deep in the slightest. The final shot is just pretentious and trying to feign complexity through ambiguity. I still love the film but idk why people seem to think it has some sort of deep message... It's literally just a character study of 3 people.
Dennis, I think the problem is your a bastard man
I saw as the film progressed the queen to become more and more a sympathetic character....a person seeking love....as for the ending with the rabbits-it was a symbol for her children whom she loved and in return the "rabbits" (her children) loved her....the only "ones" who wanted nothing from the queen
I thought the fade to the rabbits at the end before cutting to FAVOURITE could be saying that ultimately, the rabbits (ie her children, or the idea of them) are the favourite. Anne seeks empty pleasure through Sarah and Abigail to try and fill the void left by her real favourites, who come up time and time again throughtout the film and are shown to affect her far more deeply than the perceived favourites. I love all the different interpretations, though - a mark of a good film!
Definitely reinstated her power by insisting on standing and not lying down for the leg rub. She wanted to tower over her dominantly and also by telling her "you will not speak unless spoken to". Seems like Abigail realised in that moment she was just a play thing like the same rabbit she was trying to crush.
You are absolutely spot on! The ending was indeed weird as hell, and the only thing I got from it was the symbolism of the rabbits being the children Anne lost. But this analysis makes SO much sense. Thanks!
Interestingly, Sarah actually lived a triumphant life outside of England.
What I would like to read, is your analysis of the music/sounds used. I was intrigued by the sort of repetitive 'alarm'-sound .
My boyfriend, my sister, and I had a consensus that the ending scene symbolized the following:
1. Abigail crushing the rabbit signifies that Abigail believes that she has truly won the power war, to the point that she believes that she can get away with anything she does, as she believes that Sarah has the same dynamic. I agree that it could also mean that Abigail is saying that she is now the head "bitch", and she's got so much power, she can really do anything she wants.
2. When the rabbit squealed, the queen woke up. We interpreted this, and the succeeding "rubbing", as Anne putting Abigail in her place. In the scene where Abigail finds about about the lesbian relationship, we can see that Anne gets her kicks whether Sarah is ready for it or not. Leading to the ending, we see Anne being more "in charge". We interpreted the ending as Anne showing Abigail that she is, still, her bitch, and she cannot do anything about it when Anne wants her legs rubbed.
3. Lastly, it all ties down to Abigail thinking that she won the war, but she then finds out that she has buried herself in deeper shit. She does not have the same mobility as Sarah, so while she may be the favourite, she isn't exactly the "favored". Anne is ltting Abigail know that it's all about her, and Abigail is just a servant with a title. Abigail tried to run away from where she came from, only to go back to being that exact thing she was before she came to the palace.
Agree about it "sticking with you..." It's a remarkable film...
I noticed something in Life : when you look at a couple and one of them is in a bad fysical state, I mean not being looked after well, bad teeth, hair in a mess, not well kept clothing... you have to look at their environment : there is a lack of love somewhere. In a loving environment people make the best of Each other, They support one another in a positive, uplifting way. And it shows...
I loved this movie and your interpretation is fantastic! I must also say that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading many of the comments here! A lot of you really have some great input!!
Explaining the ending made me like the movie even more, such a brilliant symbolism.
Thanks alot.
Having seen the movie twice in the last week, I think your interpretation of the ending is excellent. I knew that Abigail was more or less a sexual play thing for the Queen during that last shot, but I never thought of the connection between that relationship and Anne's relationship with her rabbits. Your interpretation helped me to see another layer to that ending. Thanks!
The ending was an explanation for Anne's madness... the death of her many children caused her mental breakdown and dependence on love and affection from others. The rabbits multiplying as more children die, more madness and misery and ill health grows inside her. Everyone in the end is miserable. Sarah is banished and ruined, Abigail has turned cruel and realizes that for all her power, she's still just a pawn and a whore brought low by the queen, who is even more sickly and miserable without Sarah.
This is a very good analysis. I thought the same myself. I thought the final scene suggested that they were in the end both stuck in a loveless and frustrating power relationship with no way back (personified by the last images) because materially Abigail had achieved the position she wanted but it was a hollow victory without any real power. Stepping back from it would be equally unsatisfactory. Sarah Churchill was perhaps the only one who had real feelings for the Queen and maybe Anne realised it too late, but Sarah had also manipulated the Queen for her own ends and was now out of the picture. Abigail, to get to the top, had feigned feelings and attitudes that were not real, and was stuck having to endlessly feign them or reveal her true indifferent nature. The Queen probably sensed this, but it would be too humiliating to admit her mistake and anyway, she had no one else by then. They show a level of underlying dislike or contempt for each other - Abigail in the way she treated Anne's rabbit, which was supposed to represent one of her dead children, and Anne in the way she exploited Abigail sexually without signs of love.
The ending of the Favourite reminded me of the ending of The Graduate, where people get what they wanted but in the end realize the horrible mistake they made
Abigail.....she did seem more ruthless than her pragmatic cousin but it’s easy to forget that Abigail was in constant survival mode. She didn’t have the luxury to consider anything other than that of her own security. Sarah had the luxury of feeling secure enough in her life
Psychologically, Abigail is in constant survival mode. Sarah knows security so it threw her for a loop when she was kicked out
'Based' on a true story being key. In defence of the true Queen Anne against the films caricature. She was not nasty, stupid or unfit to rule, she was well mannered, not petulant. And she didn't leave governing to her favourites. While objectively not the cleverest monarch, Queen Anne was sensible, she took her duties seriously - attended cabinet more than any other British monarch. The depiction of her health is accurate enough.
It's a pitty they dropped her husband George from the film. The two went through must tragedy together, and were a devoted couple and she was heartbroken when he died.
Sarah was not honest, she was two faced and manipulative. Trying to blackmail her after their falling out is about as low as you can go. Anne being a Tory, while Sarah was more Whigish meant Anne didn't really consult her regarding politics as queen, resulting in pretty abusive behaviour from Sarah.
That's what i tought too...like "wait a minute, i tought this Queen had a husband. Where is he?"
TLDR: the ending signifies that no one really won because none of the ladies were happy. Maybe Sarah got off better because she was the only one to accept her situation and move on.
Omg this movie is a masterpiece
Really nicely stated! Agreed! I saw this during the NY Film Festival and loved it. So funny and yet so dark at times. I didnt find the end perplexing at all. Your explanation is exactly how I felt at the end. Trapped...no real feelings at all. I actually felt bad for Anne: ill, now with no one who truly cares for her or will assist her as Sarah did; and ultimately knowing she picked the wrong one as you said. Sarah, losing her power and status, losing someone she also loved. Banished, she still has her husband and will have some modicum of a life. She was the real favorite (or winner as u said) but its sad. Anne realized this all too late. Neither Anne or Abigail gain in the end. Abigail, ultimately demeaned; trapped by the very situation she created. No better than stuck with the man her father gambled her away to. In that scene, both of them had expressions of tedium and banality. Trapped. I loved the superimpositions!
Also - tremendous actors!
Both Abigail and Sarah do manipulate the queen, I never really saw neither of their affection as genuine. By the end Abigail has won the the Queen and security, but Sarah has won her dignity and freedom from the toxic court.
Sarah was genuine with her
That was a terrific description of the end of the movie. It is amazing how much can be said with silence and images. The life that Abigale truly tried to aspire to she would never have. She would always be the Queens plaything as long as the Queen was alive. The blend of images were great, I agree she was a pet as were the rabbits and although she was a cunning, devious person she was in essence just as frail as little rabbits. The acting and the movie were definitely Oscar worthy. It was masterful artistry.
ok yeah that's what i thought the rabbit morphing at the end was. really enjoyed this, keep up the good work.
I thought it was symbolic of problems multiplying, but I love his analysis.
I found the final scene haunting & profoundly sad. Abigail clearly thought she was the winner, but was still a servant & obsessed with The Game of being first in the Queen's affections. Her tears when reading Sarah's letters surprised me, also that she actually read them. That made her burning them so much more cruel, & Queen Anne's treatment of her a punishment she almost seemed to deserve. Sad all around.
Hi! My interpretation of the ending was along the lines of yours...that after all she had done, and fought for, she had made literally no success of herself and she was STILL the young girl having to service an obese old German man sexually (Queen Anne), whom owned her.
I REALLY loved this movie, and I thought each woman played their part so brilliantly, especially Rachel Weisz. Its so great to see her in such a strong role again.
I love how even tho the period represented in The Favourite is known for having more colorful gowns, Anne, Sarah and Abigail are all wearing black and white, representing chess pieces.
living out the rest of her days in an empty fantasy... yep, beautifully summed.
Thanks! I agree 100%
The movie showcases the truth about human beings trapped in the most sophisticated hell with the trappings of false finery. So sad & sickly.
Towards the end, Sarah says to Abigail "We are playing two very different games" (or close to this) and then Sarah was so happy in the end. When the Queen's men were at her house ready to kick them out of the country, she was giddy! I think Sarah wanted out of that situation all along. And that miserable end shot supports that.
Thank you for clearing some things up, I didn’t really catch the full importance of the rabbits the first time so I didn’t understand the finale scene perfectly.
I felt as if Sarah was happy in the end to finally be free from the queen. It's almost as if she planned it since she mentions that she was playing "a different game" to that of Abigail.
BRAVO! 👏🏽, awesome! I loved the interpretation and appreciated the heads up by guiding me to the exact location where the point drives in. Well said, well explained. I am in awe of this movie. Thank you.
It means her accomplishments are nothing at all. She is no better than a caged rabbit. The queen holds all power.
That was a very helpful and insightful explanation. Thanks so much! I hate ambiguous movie endings and right at the beginning of the final scene I leaned over to tell my friend as much. Sure enough that's the type of ending it was. So thanks for putting together this piece for people! Now our minds can rest :)
The point of the rabbits at the end it that they represent loss - she says "everyone leaves me - or dies" just after we learn the rabbits represent the 17 children she lost. It's a tragedy because she would have had someone who never left her (or prematurely died) but she sent her away
Sarah was victim to her own cruelty and insensitivity, she failed to recognize which limits she should not have passed. Like pretending she did not know about the rabbits, even though she knew this would hurt Anne severly. That was not necessary, but she could not help herself giving in to her primal desire to be brutal about weakness. She did not love Anne the way you love a partner, or an equal, she loved Anne the way you love a sister. She did not respect her in places where she should have, that is what cost her to be kicked out of the pallace.
Who can blame Sarah though, Anne was a horrifying creature, tragic, broken, borderline, weak. The opposite of Anne in character strength, but equally susceptive and caring for a strong connection and bond. I could just look at her and taste the sadness and pain, it was mindnumbing I could hardly sleep because of it. I love this film, loved it. Will watch it again tonight
Remember what Abigail said earlier? "My life is like a maze that I continually think I've gotten out of only to find another corner right in front of me." And Sarah' quote? "You think you have won. You and I fighting different battles." Abigail thought she finally got what she wanted and she won, but now she realizes she just trapped herself in another corner, the most difficult one to get out of.
I had high hopes when seeing the trailers of this film. Idealistic me imagined more uplifting story 🥰
“Fly away Skyline Pigeon, fly. Towards the dreams you left so very far behind”. I couldn’t imagine a better song for the credits. It was poignant and apropos. It reminded me so much of what happened not only to Abigail, but also Anne and Sarah.
It’s great seeing ppl reiterate the points he made in the comments as their own ideas
Really love your take on this film. I saw it last night and when that last super imposed image pops up, the first thought that came to mind for me was infestation. But I really haven't had the time yet to dissect that thought.
Queen Anne had such a tragic life. Having 14 children with none surviving past 9 yrs old. It's also interesting how during Queen Anne's rule parliament assumed more power. Common law was increasing and the role of monarchery dimisnhing. It's actually Queen Anne's inability to govern and last of interest that contributed to parliament limiting the crowns power.
17*
Melissa E. Marquez one of them survived till 11 I think
The thing you have to remember is where Abigail starts off, her face in the mud. It's all up from there. Being the queen's pleasure slave is a far more comfortable way of being miserable. When you think of the world they actually lived in, rising out of that mud was an incredible feat. If she hadn't managed it she was looking at an even more demeaning, and very short life.
Anyone else feel Abigail was the 18th rabbit? For her loss of Sarah? Anne was 'squashing' her at the end, just as Abigail crushed the rabbit.
I agree with all the comments, but for me , is the battle between three women for surviving in own ways.
I read the book The Queen Favourites by Jean Plady wich I recomend for a deep knowledge of this singular relationship. Sara Churchill was an ancestor of Wiston Churchill and Diana Spencer.
I saw it as blind ambition having her bite more than she could chew. Often times, people dream of being something without realizing what it is exactly what that entails. Day to day.
In the monomyth or hero's journey, the meeting with the goddess (superficial success) is followed by Atonement with the Father (unforeseen negative consequences)
The women could not beat destiny no matter how hard they tried. Sarah wanted to be politically dominate but being a women, Queen Anne was the only way to gain the power she craved. Queen Anne wanted unconditional love, that which she may have found in a child and hence the rabbits. Abigail wanted to spend the life she was born to live, that of a frivolous socialite, as seen at the party when she flirted in front of her husband, but ended up a servant to Queen Anne all the same. They were born to never achieve what they seek in life and will always be left wanting. Sometimes life has different plans for us.
well i mean...i dont think they approached what they wanted the right way.
Man, I just saw another video explaining the ending to this movie and it said "nothing". Then I saw yours and I understood so much.
I want to think that when Abigail manage to put Sarah in the lost side, Sarah knows that she can be mean but she always looked for the best, she was the real love, she always took care of Anne, so what happened when she left and the queen was convinced she would never comeback? The half of her body stop working, just as if she had lost half of her heart.
PS: sorry if i wrote it wrong, english its not my first language.
Enjoyed the film very much. I do think Sarah as portrayed in the film cared for the Queen and the country as well. Sarah knew she was better suited to politics than Anne. Sarah's affection for the queen was evident when she apologized for putting on the "dancing display" in front of Anne (causing her jealousy) as well as the fact that she destroyed the personal letters rather than make them public. Up until now the only film I had seen that touched on the friendship between Sarah and Anne is the BBC Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of The First Churchills another great watch IMO. The falling out between the two women is portrayed differently, but then no one knows what happened behind closed doors, and history has shown that there were rumors of a lesbian love affair, whether true or not.
I mean... yeah? I figured that was what the narrative was saying as explicitly as it could without words, but I feel like the film is inseparable from its subtext which is extremely more interesting and what I would love to see analyzed.
MY INTERPRETATION:
The film really clicked with me when Sarah says to the Queen “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my country. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” I saw the Queen symbolically as a nation, with Abigail and Sarah as avatars of the political left and right, respectively. At the beginning, the right threatens to burn the country down with war (demonstrated by the Queen’s RIGHT leg burning up). By the end of the film the political left has won, and the pleasures it has brought with it has numbed the nation (displayed with the Queen’s LEFT side becoming paralyzed), with the political right completely exorcised from the nation, both the left and the nation it has “won” are now doomed to a cycle of numbing pleasure.
I thought the film was a rather brilliant commentary on partisan extremism, and the advent of a two-party system performing checks and balances.
As much as Sarah's love is honest, you wouldn't say it's the kind of love you would instantly feel loved and supported. Actually, it's the kind of love you would recognized "love" when you experienced something lower.
I guess at the end of the day, there's a crucial balance of honesty and tenderness for a better communication of one's love.
I also felt that in the final scene , they are both adjusting to the reality of the miserable position they each now ultimately find themselves in, but I hadn't really formed a clear idea of what the rabbits represented when merged with the images of their faces. What you said is brilliant though, I'm sure you've got it.
I liked the last shot but it certainly looked like more than 17 rabbits. It looked like they were taking over the world, maybe a metaphor for the queens subjects with Abigail being the only one in the shot that could please the queen at that moment. I loved the music in the final scene too. I loved this film.
Expert, almost unassailable analysis.
Thank you!
9:56 - Anne didn’t state that. Abigail made the statement and it is what gave Anne the impression that Abigail was empathetic and caring.
think you nailed it. . SARAH at least is with someone-- her husband both appear to care for each other even love, and they understand each other. if there is a winner its SARAH . everyone else is very unhappy and understand why and nothing will ever change for them
Oh wow why doesn’t this have more views? You’ve articulated the movie quite well.
Your analysis is spot on. I actually didn’t find the ending that perplexing; it was a perfect illustration of where each of the characters are, i.e., miserable.
"-Beef - 12 guineas. -Cream---Mrs Meg, your cream bill is outrageous! Are you bathing in it to help your hemorrhoids?!
I absolutely loved the unexpected errieness of this film. Well done.
Wow, great word usage - "pyrrhic victory". Really good summary of the movie and explanation of the final scene.
to me as a regular person, this movie is about excesses and people who finds opportunity from mishap of others. everyone from this movie is a self-centered ahole.
Really great analysis!
When I first saw the ending, I thought the rabbits superimposed on the Abigail symbolized that she was now like one of Queen Ann's dead children. But I think I like your interpretation better.
Thank you for this great description of the ending. I thought the same, that everyone got what they deserved!
This video explains the ending So well, I've read so many summaries and still felt confused and this just lays it all out beautifully
Thank you, so glad to hear that!