Cert 12A
97 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate bad language, sex references
There is a great dollop of fiction lobbed on top of the grain of a true story but who cares... A Royal Night Out is rollocking good fun.
Mrs W and I took in Julian Jarrold's movie on the opening next of Derby Film Festival.
This year's 10-day festival was the best yet, in my opinion, because of the large number of movies being shown before their nationwide release.
Top of the list was this embellishment of the story of how The Queen, or Princess Elizabeth as she was then, spent a night incognito among the masses as they celebrated VE night.
Canadian Sarah Gadon plays Elizabeth but, fear not, her accent is perfect. Londoner Bel Powley stars as Princess Margaret.
Both are full of zest in a fast-moving family film which is reminiscent of movies from the 1950s and 60s.
A Royal Night Out surrounds a plea from the princesses to their parents, the King and Queen (Rupert Everett and Emily Watson). They want to join the crowds at the official end of hostilities with Germany.
At first, they are on the end of a stuffy denial but they are finally give the go-ahead if they are chaperoned.
But the fun-loving Margaret gives her guards the slip and her more proper elder sister goes in pursuit.
The result is an adventure which takes in buses, clubs and even 'a knocking shop'.
Trying to give the two wide-eyed princesses some protection is a sour airman (Jack Reynor) who doesn't know who they are.
Gadon impresses, adding a charming innocence to an air of responsibility.
But it's Powley who steals the show with a performance which had echoes of a St Trinian's girl when St Trinian's was funny.
Interestingly, I have since read that one of the princesses' real chaperons on the night was war hero Peter Townsend who later had an infamous fling with Margaret.
So, perhaps the real story would have been more entertaining than this faction.
Regardless, A Royal Night Out may be an old-fashioned movie but it elicits some old-fashioned smiles.
Sarah Gadon: "I fell in love with the story and the romance of the film and it really reminded me of classic love stories I grew up watching."
Reasons to watch: A quality family movie
Reasons to avoid: A bit too twee at times
Laughs: five
Jumps: none
Vomit: off-screen
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 8.5/10