A ROYAL IN PARADISE
Australia, 2023, 90 minutes, Colour.
Rhiannon Fish, Mitchell Bourke, Cara McCarthy, David Hooley, Juan Fernando Monge, Andrea Moor, Dirk Hunter.
Directed by Adrian Powers.
This is one of the many films produced by Nicely Studios, Steve Jaggi Entertainment, Brisbane-based, filming in Queensland. And the many films are romances. Often, they begin in the United States, a reason for the central character travelling to Australia, some awkwardness, some falling in love, happy endings…
This particular film could be considered a combination of Hallmark television movies and Mills and Boon books. It has all the ingredients, the audience knowing every step of the way, enjoying how it works out.
But, for those who don’t want the whole narrative to be played out according to expectations, too sweet and obvious.
Rhiannon Fish plays Olivia, a successful author, Mitchell Bourke plays Alexander who has read her book and encounters her in a New York bookshop. Her boyfriend of six years breaks up with her, hurting because she also has writer’s block and a deadline, and has booked a holiday to the Haven Isles (standing in for the islands off the Queensland coast, the Barrier Reef).
Olivia goes with her good friend for the holiday, encounters the former boyfriend treating his new girlfriend the same way, concentrating on business and being busy. Then we learn that Alexander is the Crown Prince of a fictitious country, Torovia, frequently visiting the Haven Isles with his father when he was young, a great concern about conservation of the oceans. He is pressurised by his rather severe mother, controlling his life, even having her close adviser on the island spying on him and giving her information.
Then, the happy romantic sequences, Olivia and Alexander together, her not knowing that he is a Prince, both falling in love. And his assistant is attracted to Olivia’s friend and vice versa. And the Queen as I should be out I should be out that s spy on the phone with information.
Just as the Prince is going to tell the truth, a phone call from his mother and everything revealed, Olivia upset.
Then, the audience waiting for the apology, the reconciliation, Olivia writing the Princess’s speech for a fundraising occasion, possibilities…
The Queen Mother, of course, turns up herself for the ceremony, is very blunt with Olivia about her unsuitability to be the wife of the king, advising her to give him up if she loves him. She does…
She finishes the book, the story of what she had experienced, the publisher happy, then, suddenly the Prince turning up, then the Queen herself and the adviser, and the point that in the 21st-century, children have to make their own decisions without pressure from their parents.
All the popular ingredients served up with charm, some snorkelling in the barrier reef, some social occasions, dresses and fashion… And a popular response that meant that there was not only a sequel but two sequels!
