The Madness of King George (1994)

A meditation on power and the metaphor of the body of state, based on the real episode of dementia experienced by George III [now suspected a victim of porphyria, a blood disorder]. As he ... See full summary »

Director:

Nicholas Hytner

Writers:

Alan Bennett (play), Alan Bennett (screenplay)

Stars:

Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm

Won 1 Oscar. Another 15 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nigel Hawthorne	...	King George III
Helen Mirren	...	Queen Charlotte
Ian Holm	...	Dr. Francis Willis
Rupert Graves	...	Robert Fulke Greville
Amanda Donohoe	...	Lady Elizabeth Pembroke
Rupert Everett	...	Prince of Wales
Julian Rhind-Tutt	...	Frederick, Duke of York
Julian Wadham	...	William Pitt Jr.
Jim Carter	...	Charles James Fox
Geoffrey Palmer	...	Warren
Charlotte Curley	...	Amelia
Anthony Calf	...	Fitzroy
Matthew Lloyd Davies	...	Papandick
Adrian Scarborough	...	Fortnum
Paul Corrigan	...	Braun

Storyline

A meditation on power and the metaphor of the body of state, based on the real episode of dementia experienced by George III [now suspected a victim of porphyria, a blood disorder]. As he loses his senses, he becomes both more alive and more politically marginalized; neither effect desirable to his lieutenants, who jimmy the rules to avoid a challenge to regal authority, raising the question of who is really in charge.

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Plot Keywords:

king george iii | king | porphyria | england | house of lords | 

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Taglines:

His Majesty was all powerful and all knowing. But he wasn't quite all there.

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 December 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

La folie du roi George

Filming Locations:

Arundel Castle, Arundel, West Sussex, England, UK

Box Office

Gross:

£3,330,349 (UK) (19 May 1995)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The, Channel Four Films, Close Call Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There had been some question as to whether Nigel Hawthorne should be cast in the movie, since he was 65 at the time of filming and King George III was only fifty at the time of his first bout of insanity.

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Goofs

The modern royal coat of arms (adopted during the reign of Queen Victoria) is visible.

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Quotes

George III: [to William Pitt] You'll have to speak up, I don't see very well.

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Connections

Referenced in Madagascar (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Zadok the Priest"
(Coronation Anthem #1)
'Georg Friedrich Händel' (qbv)

User Reviews

A great fun story full of colourful characters and performances

Already upset by the loss of America to independence, King George III of England's position is made more difficult by the onset of an illness that causes him to act wildly and babble uncontrollably. While the Prime Minister places him in the hands of Dr Willis to keep him in power, The Prince of Wales and the leader of the opposition both plan to replace the king with the prince by way of a parliamentary bill.

Based on the great little play that is historically based, this film went down very well with the awards season since it is very English and well acted. The plot is well written, I'm not sure if it is totally accurate but it is surely based on facts even if it has been coloured for artistic and entertainment reasons. The film embraces both the internal workings of the royal family and the politics of parliament really well; again, it may not be totally true but it is colourful, dissenting and enjoyably. The film is involving but yet still manages to be enjoyable and funny. It is a great story and it is lavishly brought to the big screen in this great production.

The sets and costumes are really good and establish the period and setting of the story very well, but it is the performances that really make it work. Hawthorne is wonderfully cast and delivers a great performance in the lead

• both as the cruel monarch or the madman. He is totally believable all

the way and never lets his performance become comical or silly even when it is amusing in delivery. Mirren and Donohoe both have less to do but make impacts in their scenes. Everett, Holm, Wadham and Graves support the film to great effect, their performances are colourful, impacting and very enjoyable.

Overall, historical films will quite often be viewed as lifeless, dull and overlong. Here this film goes against all those old clichés and is lively, colourful and enjoyable. The rich sets and costumes add value to some great performances in an engaging story that is very enjoyable.