I thought so - Spoilers

ProfessorPotts says > The film was made a good year after the abdication, so maybe there was a desire to emphasise "duty", except that it's an American film and I'm guessing that American film makers might be more willing to push the cause of the American girl who had her happy ending than the cause of the British establishment.

I'm not saying the theme of 'duty' was new to fiction or life. I suspect it's one that's always existed for mankind. We've all struggled at one point or another with decisions between doing what's 'right' and what we'd prefer to do.

Duty is not specific to the Brits nor to the monarchy but I've heard that the story of the love affair and subsequent abdication was big news at the time. That may be why someone decided it would be interesting and profitable to make a movie with a similar theme.

Wallis Simpson may have been American and most of us are happy not to live under a monarchy but that doesn't mean all Americans; at that time or now, would agree with the decision Prince Edward made. In fact, some would say she had a choice in the matter too. She had the duty to step aside or not get involved with him in the first place. It's not very different than a woman choosing to get involved with a married man. He has existing commitments and obligations that do not involve her. Choosing her necessarily causes him to neglect his duties to others.

Perhaps it's more important to remember that it's the film of a book. The book was written forty-three years before the film was made, long before either Edward VIII or Mrs Simpson were notable figures, and in an age when "love conquering all" would be the very last consideration; in 1894, duty conquered all and love came a very, very distant second. Or third. Or fourth...

I'll take your word for when the book was written but I don't think it matters. I still think the movie, or the making of it, was relevant at the time and probably inspired by the recent events in history. A lot of people still think that was the ultimate expression of love; he chose to give up a lot, his birthright, in favor of love.

I don't see it that way. I don't subscribe to the theory that love is something that overcomes us, is all-consuming, and leaves us powerless in its grip. Granted, it can be a strong emotion but like all our other emotions and impulses, it can be controlled. In my opinion, decisions pertaining to love, like all decisions, should be made in a reasoned, logical way. If that cannot happen it's an obsession and I question that person's ability to understand or express love.

As you said, in earlier times there was much less emphasis placed on love and more on duty and practicality. In fact, I'd go so far to say I think that the idea of love as a motivator has hurt us as a society more than it has helped. People do a lot of things in the name of love that I don't think are very loving at all.

Also, today people say 'as long as they love each other...' How absurd! We still have very strong rules in society for who should and should NOT be with whom and their feelings have nothing to do with it. Those decisions are made for the greater good of society - like teacher and student not getting involved; minors and adults regardless of their relationship is also a problem yet we try to pretend that love will conquer all and any two people who claim to love each other should or have the right to be together. It's complete nonsense!

By the way, this movie also deals with the theme of entitlement. The phony is a better monarch and has a better temperament than the real monarch yet he neither wants the job nor is he entitled to have it. When Edward, who had been groomed to be King his entire life, abdicated, one of his brothers had to step into the role. The next in line, Prince Albert (later King George VI) was not exactly ready to step into the role so there was some debate but he ultimately was the one called upon to take over because he was next in the line of succession.


Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]

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