Thumbs Up for Princess Kaiulani

Finally I've had a chance to see this film. And while I don't find it entirely without flaws, overall I am delighted with Princess Kaiulani.

(Or that other title--which I admit is loaded--because as Shakespeare pointed out, whatever the name, a rose will still be as fragrant.)

I've long been fascinated by both Hawaii and the story of Princess Kaiulani. I was therefore delighted to learn that a film had been created about her life. It was our good fortune, just a few years after the Iolani Palace opened to the public, to tour its beautiful rooms and hallways during a brief stopover in Hawaii, so I was particularly thrilled to see the palace feature prominently in the film.

But it's just not the location shots that causes me to recommend this depiction of Princess Kaiulani's brief but eventful life. Obviously the film was conceived with a great deal of care and consideration. Romanticized? Yes. But the subject is a romantic subject, with much of the story taking place in one of the most spectacularly beautiful places on earth. And yet I don't think anyone can watch Princess Kaiulani without coming away with a number of truths, among them that the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii was both an abuse of power and a horrible travesty of justice.

Perhaps a miniseries about this subject would be in order. In the meantime, I am grateful to all those who helped bring Princess Kaiulani to the screen.