It’s embarrassing to admit that I found Spencer to be a total hoot. With my snarling hatred of the British monarchy, I expected to find this tale of poor, poor Princess Diana insufferable. But then Spencer turned out to be a bonkers, off-the-chain Gothic melodrama, and my love of the genre won out over my desire to watch all the members of the House of Windsor fall into the River Thames.

That just shows you the dangerous allure of genre films. They can cause you to forget the principles of a lifetime.

Spencer starts with an incoherent opening title card reading, “A fable from a true tragedy,” which hints at the raving madness to come. If you’re not into the emotional moon shots that Gothic melodrama takes, steer clear! Compared to the wild excesses of Spencer, sensational old thrillers like Rebecca (1940) and Gaslight (1944) are measured, realistic examinations of marital troubles any couple might have.