All the King's Men (1999 TV Movie) User Reviews

Giving World War I a look at through the British involvement.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 19 March 2013]

The United States only had a year's worth of involvement in the first World War war, with our British brothers giving their lives long before we went over there. This is one story of one troop, all servants of the Queen Mother (Maggie Smith), who go off to battle and never return. David Jason is excellent as the Queen's former butler who is in command of the battalion. The fact that he is joined in this battle by several of his own sons is reminiscent of the American Sullivan brothers, all killed on the same navy ship during the second World War.

While this is set during historical times also covered in the second season of "Downton Abbey", it is ironic to see two of its cast members (Dame Maggie Smith and Phyllis Logan) here playing two totally different kind of characters. As Lady Violent on "Downton Abbey", Smith is extremely imperious and sardonic; Here, she is the mother of King George V, one that Lady Violet would have to curtsy towards. However, this Queen Mum is not at all imperious; She shows extreme loyalty to her servants who have been loyal to her, stops by a country wedding to comment on the beautiful bride, and is the force behind the investigation as to what happened. Every word out of mouth denotes gentility and kindness, and in a few spots, I thought I was seeing Vanessa Redgrave, not Dame Maggie. Logan here plays a lady of some means, also quite different than her "Downton Abbey" housekeeper.

While this is an intriguing movie and certainly well filmed, I thought that the battle scenes were blurry and somewhat dizzying. This made the impact of what happens somewhat lessened for me, although what the final outcome ends up being is certainly horrifying and definitely shocking.

Powerful Depiction of Gallipoli, if Tainted by a Controversial Ending

[olihist · 8/10 · 14 April 2022]

World War 1 (or "The Great War") is never an easy subject to cover on film without leaning towards the extremes of patriotism or cynicism. "All the Kings Men" somehow manages to balance between the two ends, depicting the fighting at Gallipoli in the realistic terms that it deserves. This slips at the ending, however, into a controversial depiction of the fate of the battalion that drew criticism not only from the Turkish ambassador to London but one of Captain Beck's grandsons.

Despite this shortcoming, "All the Kings Men" is still a powerful - and humane - depiction of the awful tragedy that was Gallipoli, from the British side.

Aloha 🙏🏼🤙🏼

8/10.

Very Sad but Very True Story

[Jmhl3 · 13 August 2006]

This is the story of the Sandringham Company of the Royal Norfolk Regiment. The Sandringhams were made up out of servants or tenants of the Royal Family's estate at Sandringham. It follows there loves, hopes, fears throughout early 1915, as some lads want to see the world, another wants to marry before leaving, the officers are the same. The Medical Officer's wife has left him but is quite happy to go around with other women, other officers are uneasy about leaving home or their inexperience gets to them. The main character is Captain Frank Beck a respected figure at Sandringham and friend of the Royal Family, together with most of the others in the film he was a person in real life. The film passed to the Sandrighams deployment to the Dardenelles. It shows the chaos at Gallipoli with regards to logistics and discipline. Now we come to the attack the Sandringhams make. The film erroneously portrays the Sandringhams as going over the top without a preparatory barrage and from behind a sandbag barricade. In actual fact they went over with their brigade, with a short barrage and from trenches, the Sandrighams objective was to capture a farm. They were not led by Captain Beck, they were led by Lt Col Proctor with Beck as second in command, their battalion commander. The film gets it correct in showing the Sandringhams getting minced up by shell and sniper fire and there being few left once they reach the farm. They pushed the Turks out of the farm but the Turks regrouped and surrounded the farm. Proctor decided to surrender. The 40 or so survivors out of a company of 150 were marched out of the farm by the Turks and forced to kneel where they were then shot in the back of the head. The film shows Beck getting executed but it was later reported that he was fatally wounded just as the men got out of the trenches. After the war their remains were discovered and given a proper burial albeit there was nothing to identify a person with though except for the Royal Norfolk shoulder flashes. This film is very good and I believe the historical adviser wrote a fine book about the Sandringhams which should be interesting to many. If you want to see the forgotten story of a very sad but heroic tale, then this is the film for you.

Lions led by Donkeys

[dr_strangelove_69 · 10/10 · 23 July 2006]

Few screen depictions ever hammer home the blunt and pointless nature of the Great War, especially the futile Gallipoli Campaign. This much under-rated BBC film achieves just that, an historical tableau never matched since on the small screen.

The cast contains the cream of British acting talent, including David Jason, Maggie Smith, David Troughton and Patrick Malahide. The story, in a nutshell, is that of the Sandringham Company, a territorial unit formed by Frank Beck, agent on the Sandringham Royal Estate for King George V and his mother Queen Alexandria. The Company is dispatched to Turkey and go down in legend as advancing into action whilst being enveloped in a cloud, rumoured to be the hand of God. Their fate is determined after their bodies are discovered several years later with bullet wounds to the skulls. They had, for the most part, been executed by the Turks after surrendering.

The graphic nature of the conflict is commendably realised and the veneer of heroism and medals stripped when we see the horrors and cruelty of war in it's starkest form. The death of Captain Claude Howlett, the tortured Boer War veteran, is one of the most moving ever witnessed on film. Patrick Malahide once again displays his unique gift like few others are able to.

This is certainly not for those who are used to the rather bloodless 'Gunga Din' depiction of warfare that has been made but if you desire a few hours of historical enlightenment and superb performances by some of the finest actors in the world, then this made for television film is the piece de resistance.

The BBC at its very best

[rboon33455 · 9/10 · 8 July 2008]

"All the King's Men" is a richly textured piece of television drama, sensitively directed by Julian Jarrold. Its carefully nuanced script explores the horrors of the Gallipoli campaign in Turkey in World War One and the myth surrounding the mysterious "disappearance" of the Sandringham Regiment, who were drawn from King George the Fifth's estate.The men are led by Captain Frank Beck,the agent on the estate, who with the support of the Queen Mother defies the King and, despite his age, leaves Sandringham to lead the men who he has trained and whose lives he has been intimately involved with on the estate. Through the excellent performance of David Jason we see a man of some nobility of spirit,used to respecting his superiors all his life,trying to do his best in a situation where his superiors got it completely wrong.His idealism is nicely contrasted with the humane pragmatism of the regimental doctor who has no such illusions. The truth of a body of men ineptly led and totally unprepared for fighting in an unknown and hostile terrain with appalling logistical support is graphically portrayed and echoes the much better known Australian film, "Gallipoli." The deliberate burying of the truth of what happened(which involved large numbers of men being shot in the head rather than taken prisoner)in order to protect social sensitivities and preserve morale is nicely dealt with through the superbly restrained performance of Maggie Smith as the Queen Mother who is clearly not fooled but never betrays the fact. The film also sympathetically explores the social values of the English class system and particularly the close knit generation of Sandringham workers who made up the regiment. Their naive and in some cases romantic confidence in the right of King and Country fighting with God on their side(despite the fact that they were invading another country)is believably portrayed. The performances of the cast are without exception of a very high class with some excellent cameos. This is the BBC at its very best and I thoroughly recommend it to you!

Glamour-less war - the ultimate tragedy

[KAOsinsk · 10/10 · 29 November 1999]

One of the abiding mysteries of the First World War: What happened to the men of the Sandringham Company, volunteers from the King's estate in Norfolk?

In an age where social rank defined one's behaviour, David Jason stars as Frank Beck, the estate manager determined to accompany his men to the front. Encouraged by Queen Alexandra (Maggie Smith) he defies the King's orders to stay at home. Together, the company faces the horror of war in an unfamiliar landscape, battling beauracratic inefficiency, and a determined and ruthless enemy.

The brilliantly restrained acting by David Jason and Maggie Smith portray perfectly the affectionate but formal relationship between the estate worker and the Queen. This is complemented by the emotional highs and lows experienced by the families left behind. In a vivacious performance by Emma Cunnliffe, Peggy, the Queen's maid, marries her sweetheart just before the departure for Gallipoli. The upper classes are more reserved, but their stories none the less heartbreaking.

This is the BBC at its best.

Another View of Gallipoli

[lhk · 10/10 · 21 February 2000]

Director Julian Jarrold (Emmy-nominated "Great Expectations") makes another richly textured film. Beautifully filmed with high production values, it takes us on an emotional journey through the blunderous battle at Gallipoli. Like the more famous movie starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee, "All the Kings Men" introduces us to the brave soldiers who enthusiastically volunteered to fight for King and Country in World War I. The cast is excellent (if you enjoyed "Great Expectations," you will see many familiar faces here); the story is heart-wrenching.

Not Riveting, But Well Done

[sddavis63 · 15 November 2011]

There are basically three aspects of this film to be commented upon. First is the film as a study of social class in early 20th century Britain. When it's in England, the film is set at Sandringham, the home of Queen Alexandra, the widow of Edward VII and mother of George V. The portrayal is of a very warm relationship (prim and proper certainly, but very sincere) between the servants on the estate (and especially Captain Beck, played by David Jason) and the royals. It wasn't a relationship of equals, certainly, but it certainly seemed more than a typical master- servant relationship as well. The film follows Beck's efforts to recruit a company from among the Sandringham servants to go overseas in 1915 during the Great War, and then follows their progress once sent to the Dardanelles to face the Turks. This was the second aspect of the film: as war story. There was some very realistic action scenes, and also a lot of pretty dry material, which probably sums up war and military life pretty well - times of great excitement and even terror followed by longer times of drudgery and monotony. Finally, the film deals with the mystery of the Sandringham regiment - which went off to battle and never returned, with no one knowing exactly what had happened to it, although the film offers a compelling (and probably accurate story) that most of the men were either killed in battle or were executed after being taken prisoner by the Turks. All three aspects of the story were fairly well told; the interspersing of the mystery and its solution toward the end seemed to interrupt the overall flow of the story a bit.

The performances were quite good, especially Jason as the typical (or stereotypical?) "keep a stiff upper lip" British officer, and Maggie Smith's as Queen Alexandra, also trying to keep that upper lip stiff, but portrayed as caring very deeply about the Sandringham regiment and especially Beck, with whom she is described as having a very warm (but proper) relationship.

This being as much about the role of social class as war, it's not your typical war movie, with sustained action and lots of battle scenes. It is, in fact, far from that. It's a very human movie, exploring the intricacies of individual lives and relationships. It's not explicit, but it seemed to me that there was a general point being made about the pointlessness of war and the human cost involved in war - both for the soldiers and those left behind.

It's not a riveting movie. I would say that it accomplishes the purpose it set out for itself, which is more than a lot of movies are able to claim. (6/10)

BBC's "Saving Private Ryan"

[BWag · 9/10 · 27 February 2000]

Surprisingly graphic for British TV, this is the wrenching story of a rifle company composed of estate workers from the King's country home at Sandringham, a sort of perfect Camelot from which men go forth to be slaughtered in World War I. Don't look too hard at the mystery of what happened to this unit, which apparently disappeared into the hell of battle at Gallipoli. More important is the metaphor of the illusion of war-worn "glory" hitting the rerality of modern battle. In much the same way that an egg hits a sidewalk.

Skullion Goes Forth

[mwstone-702-794940 · 10/10 · 11 March 2022]

All the King's Men is a fascinating if often horrifying portrayal of a little-known episode of the First World War.

David Jason takes a great part as Captain Frank Beck, who has trained a group of workers from the Royal estate at Sandringham into a company of soldiers. This role is very reminiscent of his earlier one as Skullion, the head porter in Porterhouse Blue. Both are essentially "good and faithful servants", firmly committed to the values of their social betters, perhaps to a greater degree than many of the latter themselves. His face is a picture to behold when he arrives at Gallipoli to discover the real conditions there, and perhaps the dawning realisation that said betters may have let him down.

With only a few lapses, the atmosphere of the period is well captured. Did anyone else cringe at Beck's question "Why are we here if not to prove ourselves as men?" I would probably count as "unmanly" by 1915 standards, but would have sought at least a slightly more practical reason. Beck displays a similar attitude earlier on, when he is utterly terrified that he may be denied the opportunity to lead his men into action, despite being clearly too old for active service. The scene where the 12yo telegraph boy, proudly showing off his new uniform, is upstaged by his 14yo pal who by lying about his age has acquired a real Army one is also only too believable for the time, as is Beck's remark that the young boy (whose real age he knows) is "more a man than I will get to be" if he himself is not allowed to go to war. Likewise the mobbing of the pacifist who was initially mistaken for a wounded soldier. His injuries were actually inflicted by real soldiers whom he had been treating in hospital.

Queen Alexandra makes a revealing comment when someone expresses doubt as to whether the pacifist was truly a coward, saying "We are all compelled to believe that he was a coward", presumably because admitting the possibility of any other motive might lead her and others into thinking socially unacceptable thoughts. The Queen Mother gets a number of memorable lines, notably when her son, King George V, tells her that "Kitchener is confident of victory". She responds "Let us hope that his confidence costs us less in Turkey than it has in France". It is rather hinted that she is more than a little sceptical about the whole war, but carefully concealing this as it is part of her royal duty to maintain morale. The King takes this attitude even further, when toward the end he cautions the clergyman who has sought out the real fate of the "Sandringhams" not to say anything that would contradict the morale-boosting story promoted by the War Office. Shades of "When legend becomes truth, print the legend."

There is probably more than a little legend in the film itself, though excusably so given the paucity of firm facts. The theory that the men were "executed" after capture by the Turks cannot be verified. The Turks were indeed disinclined to take prisoners, but any killing is as likely to have been done during the battle ("shot while putting their hands up") as afterwards in cold blood. In particular, the portrayal of Beck's death is highly doubtful, since what evidence there is (admittedly inconclusive) suggests that he was killed in the fighting rather than murdered. But the closing shot, as the men advance to their deaths through the mist, is evocative of that unforgettable final scene in Blackadder Goes Forth.

One final twist, which I gather is historically accurate. The sole survivor, reappearing at the end disfigured but alive, owes his survival to being left for dead and found later by a German unit, waking up in their military hospital. The only "Sandringham" ever to see the place again owes his life to the evil Hun. A suitably ironic note on which to end.

Why can't TV be this good more often?

[mmiller1 · 21 February 2000]

This is a richly textured story, filmed with the attention to detail that caused so many of us to plan our Sundays around "Masterpiece Theatre" starting with "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "Poldark", (Not to mention "I, Claudius", "The Duchess of Duke Street",...)

In a film where the casting is uniformly superb, it is impossible to do everyone justice. As another commenter mentioned, David Jason and the always magnificent Maggie Smith remind us of a time when noble master and faithful servant were not cliches, but real people with pride, honor, and yes nobility on *both* sides. Additional shining performances from Ian McDiarmid as the vicar who stays home and Patrick Mallahide as the doctor who goes to war.

I thought that "Johnny Got His Gun" (A+ book, B- movie) had given us the last word on WWI (or the 14-18 war as some call it.) I was wrong, and this film proves it.

good film; not a mystery

[xyl_54 · 20 October 2005]

while I agree with other posters about the quality of this film (the characters, acting and storyline were impressive) I can't say the same for the "mystery" aspect of the incident in Gallipolli it is based on. It is a myth that no official explanation exists; the incident is recorded in detail in the regimental history of the Norfolk regiment, to which the Sandringham company belonged. It is also a myth that no trace of the men was ever found; whilst their fate was unknown during the war (hence the mystery) their graves were recorded in 1920. The sad truth seems to be that most of the men perished in the battle, and those that did not died as prisoners of war

I'm usually not a Masterpiece Theater watcher, but . . . (Spoiler Alert!)

[Therod · 19 March 2002]

. . . this was a superb film. Oddly, I could not stop watching it.

History lovers, war film lovers, and unexplained phenomena lovers will all be pleased.

An entire company of soldiers (often called The Sandringham Men) mysteriously disappeared in the middle of a Turkish battlefield in 1915. Reports say the company was enveloped by a cloud shaped like a loaf of bread, that seemed to hover over them before floating down and covering them. The mysterious cloud then lifted into the sky and vanished . . . along with the entire Sandringham Company! Over the years, thousands of explanations have spread, including alien abduction. To this day, no "official" explanation has been given. Nor has any trace of The Sandringham Men ever been found.

Now, this aside, the production quality of the film itself was spectacular! The cinematography, the music, the effects, all helped to drive this picture home. Everyone did a tremendous job in portraying their on-screen personas, making every scene believable.

A great film, all around!

My Grade: A

Very Moving and very watchable

[squeezynz · 11 February 2008]

Firstly, I'm not a fan of 'war' movies, per se, but I got this because it starred a young actor, James Murray (22 at the time).

What struck me forcibly was how the film made these men so much more real than just patriots going off to fight for King and Country. There is such emotion and heartache, love and loss, from the housemaid wedding her sweetheart, to a unrequited romance between a young Lord and his groom. All these people were ill prepared for the reality of war, and you experience it right along with them - right to the bitter and inglorious end.

I found it very moving and incredibly detailed, a sad indictment on war in general, and the lengths men will go to following orders. Everyone, whether well known actor or only a bit part did their best for this production, and it shows. Well worth seeing, and a classic anti-war movie.

I'd recommend it to anyone.

oh...and James Murray (Pvt Will Needham)....he was perfect in his part - accepting of his fate, but wonderfully full of life and love as well - an example of the flower of youth thrown away on the battlefield. Yes, I know, gushy but it's true. His character embodied all those young men sent away to war, and who lost their lives in a pointless conflict.