A classic story of friendship against many odds

Mrs Brown takes us to 19th century England and the reign of Queen Victoria during her time of mourning following the death of her husband. Both Dench (Victoria) and Connolly (Brown) play their characters masterfully. Everyone in the Queen's palace has to endure the Queen's depression until she decides otherwise. The color, and mood, of the day is black. Then Brown arrives as her personal servant and the Queen's mood slowly changes. He knew her husband and he's able to remove the gloom that envelopes her. As the Queen and Brown get to know each other the Queen's depression diminishes and towards the middle of the movie her mood shifts. At the midway point the Queen begins to smile and live each day with a sense of purpose.
One of my favorite scenes is the dinner party where the Queen and Brown dance. The onlookers are none too pleased but she is the Queen and so what if she's dancing with her servant. Mr. Brown has become her friend and confidante. This relationship is not accepted by those close to the Queen especially her son and advisers. It is a relationship that will not have a happy ending but at its apex their friendship and time together made this movie sparkle.