To Kill a King (2003)

Director:

Mike Barker

Writer:

Jenny Mayhew (writer)

Release Date:

2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

It takes a traitor and a hero...

Plot:

A recounting of the relationship between General Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell, as they try to cope with the consequences of deposing King Charles I. |

Plot Keywords:

Oliver Cromwell | Husband Wife Relationship | Parliament | Long Hair | Executioner

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Tim Roth	...	Oliver Cromwell
Dougray Scott	...	Sir Thomas Fairfax
Olivia Williams	...	Lady Anne Fairfax
James Bolam	...	Denzil Holles
Corin Redgrave	...	Lord de Vere
Finbar Lynch	...	Cousin Henry
Julian Rhind-Tutt	...	James
Adrian Scarborough	...	Sergeant Joyce
Jeremy Swift	...	Earl of Whitby
Rupert Everett	...	King Charles I
Steven Webb	...	Boy at Naseby
Jake Nightingale	...	Colonel Pride
Leonard Woodcock	...	Young Royalist prisoner
Thomas Arnold	...	Messenger at Naseby
Sam Spruell	...	King's guard
Julian Rivett	...	Little
Richard Bremmer	...	Abraham
Melissa Knatchbull	...	Lady Margaret
Patricia Kerrigan	...	Mrs. Cromwell
John-Paul Macleod	...	Richard Cromwell
Jonathan Coy	...	Digby
Mary Roscoe	...	Lady Whitby
Liam McKenna	...	Guard at safe-house
Louise Breckon-Richards	...	Tom's maid
Oliver Fox	...	The Earl of York
Neil Howman	...	Doubter
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Royalist
Iain Rogerson	...	Man at execution
Andrew Cryer	...	Whitehall messenger
Robert Sterne	...	Whitehall guard
James Puddephatt	...	Ther Merchant
Arthur Cox	...	Westminster Abbey priest
Bruno Lastra	...	Spanish Ambassador
Ella Barker	...	Molly Fairfax
Julia Bridgeman	...	Mary Cromwell
Katy Cross	...	Cromwell's Middle Daughter
Jessica Hazel	...	Cromwell's Eldest Daughter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Evie Wray	...	Girl of the Court

Directed by
Mike Barker

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jenny Mayhew		writer

Produced by
Jeff Abberley	....	executive producer
Bradley Adams	....	associate producer
John Chambers	....	executive producer
Sara Giles	....	associate producer
Scott Karol	....	executive producer
Kevin Loader	....	producer
Tony Miller	....	executive producer
Tom Parkhouse	....	executive producer
Christopher Petzel	....	executive producer
Dougray Scott	....	associate producer
Kathy Sykes	....	co-producer
Peter Watson	....	executive producer
Paul Webster	....	executive producer
Rudolf G. Wiesmeier	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Richard G. Mitchell

Cinematography by
Eigil Bryld

Film Editing by
Guy Bensley

Casting by
Sarah Trevis

Production Design by
Sophie Becher

Art Direction by
Sophie Becher
Julia Castle
James Foster
Chris Lowe

Set Decoration by
Penny Crawford

Costume Design by
John Bloomfield

Makeup Department
Kevin Alexander	....	makeup artist
Christine Blundell	....	makeup designer
Pat Hay	....	makeup artist: Mr. Everett
Nuria Mbomio	....	make-up/hair artist
Laura McIntosh	....	makeup artist
Matthew Smith	....	special makeup effects artist
Lesa Warrener	....	makeup artist
Sarah Love	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Tom Crooke	....	unit manager
Rachel Neale	....	unit production manager
Louise Seymour	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phil Booth	....	second assistant director
Carlos Fidel	....	third assistant director
Richard Goodwin	....	additional third assistant director
Sallie Anne Hard	....	second assistant director: re-shoots
Candy Marlowe	....	crowd second assistant director
Eliot Mathews	....	third assistant director: reshoots
Alex Oakley	....	assistant director: second unit
Richard Styles	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Elaine Alderson	....	scenic artist
Robert Allen	....	construction buyer
Tony Chance	....	storyboard artist
David Cheesman	....	dressing props (as Dave Cheesman)
Andy Evans	....	construction coordinator
Michael Finlay	....	painter
Luke Furlonger	....	model maker
Andrew Garnet-Lawson	....	scenic artist
Mark Geeson	....	dressing props
Arthur Griggs	....	dressing props
Danny Hunter	....	prop master
Paul Inglis	....	assistant art director
Charles Leatherland	....	draughtsman
Duncan McDevitt	....	model maker
Colin Mutch	....	stand-by prop
Darryl Paterson	....	prop storeman
Ian Richards	....	stand-by painter
Barry Smalls	....	stand-by carpenter
Anthony Szuch	....	drapesman
Howard Weaver	....	scenic artist
Billy Wells	....	dressing props
Tom Whitehead	....	draughtsman
Paul Wiltshire	....	painter
Rohan Harris	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Howard Bargroff	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Casali	....	boom operator
Steve Cook	....	sound supervisor
Colin Cooper	....	adr recordist
David Crozier	....	production sound mixer
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Richard Jay	....	sound recordist: epk
Peter Maxwell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Martin Mayer	....	digital editor
Kath Pollard	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
James Seddon	....	dolby consultant
Alastair Sirkett	....	sound effects editor
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer
Trevor Swanscott	....	foley editor
Ian Wilson	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Stuart Brisdon	....	special effects supervisor
Dan Frye	....	special effects technician
Martin Geeson	....	special effects technician
Mark Haddenham	....	special effects senior technician
Graham Hills	....	special effects technician
Doug McCarthy	....	special effects technician
Jody Taylor	....	special effects technician
Mike Wild	....	armourer

Visual Effects by
Jim Bowers	....	digital matte painter
Richard Briscoe	....	digital compositor
Ciaran Crowley	....	digital compositor
Paul J. Franklin	....	visual effects animator
Pete Hanson	....	studio manager: Double Negative
Nic Hodgkinson	....	compositor
Alex Ireland	....	digital compositor
Yoko Ishiguro	....	digital compositor
Fay McConkey	....	visual effects producer
Charlie Noble	....	visual effects supervisor
Matthew Shaw	....	video editorial
Martin Hill	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Mattias Lindahl	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Reg Wayment	....	stunt performer
Len Woodcock	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Tim Battersby	....	second assistant camera
Paul Borg	....	gaffer: second unit
Julian Bucknall	....	first assistant camera
Charlie England	....	assistant camera
James Foster	....	clapper loader
Eugene Grobler	....	electrician
Simon Harding	....	Steadicam operator
John Higgins	....	gaffer
Gary Hutchings	....	grip
Dylan Jones	....	camera trainee
Wayne Leach	....	rigging gaffer
Brian Mcgivern	....	generator operator
Jamie Mills	....	electrician
Philip Sindall	....	camera operator
David Sinfield	....	electrician
Laurie Sparham	....	still photographer
Dean Thompson	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
John Turner	....	electrician
Martyn Welland	....	electrician
Sophie Wilson	....	clapper loader: visual effects unit and second unit

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ann Beverly	....	assistant costume designer (as Ann Beverley)
Ana Buckley	....	costume department
Anna Buckley	....	costume aging
Vicky Clark	....	wardrobe assistant (as Vicci Clark)
Lee Croucher	....	wardrobe assistant
Philip Goldsworthy	....	wardrobe assistant (as Phil Goldsworthy)
Georgina Gunner	....	wardrobe assistant
Tim Guthrie	....	wardrobe assistant
Gordon Harmer	....	wardrobe assistant
Janette Haslam	....	costume maker
Garry Headford	....	costume aging
Andrew Hunt	....	wardrobe master
Michael Jones	....	hat maker
Wei Liang	....	chief costume maker (as Wei Qiang Liang)
Maedhbh McMahon	....	wardrobe assistant
Deborah Phipps	....	costume maker
Deborah Phipps	....	costumer
Nicholas Roche-Gordon	....	wardrobe assistant (as Nick Roche-Gordon)
Gwen Russell	....	costume maker
Silvana Sacco	....	assistant costume breakdown artist
Margarethe Schmoll	....	costume maker
Sarah Stammler	....	costume maker
Ros Ward	....	wardrobe buyer
Marion Weise	....	costume supervisor
Lisa Ann Whitefoot	....	costume maker
Peter Whiteman	....	costume aging
Berenice Wright	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Marsha Bramwell	....	editor trainee
Steve Mercer	....	first assistant editor
Michael Nollet	....	assistant film editor
Ben Renton	....	assistant editor
Jason Wheeler	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Becky Bentham	....	music supervisor
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Gerard McCann	....	music editor
Steve Price	....	music recording engineer
Amanda Street	....	soundtrack supervisor

Transportation Department
Gary Birmingham	....	transportation coordinator
Martin Birmingham	....	driver: cast
Lee Isgar	....	driver: Olivia Williams
Rob MacKnight	....	driver: unit minibus
Richard Magennis	....	driver: prop runaround

Other crew
Karen Alder	....	production guild trainee
James Bolton	....	production runner
Linda Bowen	....	production accountant
Finlay Bradbury	....	assistant location manager (as Finlay Pile)
Katie Bullock-Webster	....	assistant to producer
Sophie Burden	....	caterer
Francesca Castellano	....	production coordinator
Caroline Chapman	....	floor runner
James Cooper	....	location marshall
Gavin Crabb	....	caterer
Simon Crook	....	location manager
Matt Curtis	....	title designer
Bill Darby	....	location scout
Lisa De Brun	....	caterer
Steve Dent	....	horse and carriage supplier
Julia Finn	....	unit publicist
Henry Forsyth	....	floor runner
Chris Frank	....	assistant to executive producer
Nicole Gregory	....	unit publicist
Rob Grundy	....	armorer
Jonathan Hook	....	assistant location manager
Kevin Jenkins	....	location assistant
Sally Jones	....	script supervisor
Martin Joy	....	location manager
John Kearney	....	horse wrangler
Claire L. Kenny	....	assistant accountant (as Claire Kenny)
Rachel King	....	unit nurse
Steven Luker	....	location manager: Oxford
Catrina Luna	....	assistant accountant
Sheila Marshall	....	trainee: FT2
Angus More Gordon	....	location manager
Stephen Naulls	....	accounts assistant
Sandra Nixon	....	production accountant
Heather Noble	....	production runner
Emma Pill	....	location manager
Danielle Roberts	....	assistant continuity
Sephira Salazar	....	assistant to director
Jason Spalding	....	caterer
Andrew Tapper	....	production runner (as Andy Tapper)
Alistair Thompson	....	supervising production accountant
Jane Trower	....	first assistant accountant
Brigitte Ward-Holmes	....	post-production accountant
Wendy Zych	....	assistant production coordinator
Ronnie Papaleo	....	horseman (uncredited)

Production Companies

• FilmFour
• IAC Film
• Natural Nylon Entertainment
• Rockwood Edge
• Scion Films
• Screenland Movieworld GmbH

Distributors

• Shaw Organisation (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• DNC Entertainment (2012) (Italy) (all media)
• FilmFour (UK)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• HanWay Films
• Laurenfilm (Spain)
• Paradise Group (2003) (Russia) (all media)

Special Effects

• Cine Image Film Opticals (main and end titles) (digital effects) (opticals)
• Double Negative

Other Companies

• Shepperton Studios  movie studio
• 2020 Casting  background casting
• 2020 Casting  extras casting
• Fatts  post-production script services
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  Avid AudioVision systems supplied by
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  additional ProTools systems supplied by
• Hothouse Music  music supervision by
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Panavision UK  camera equipment provided by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | UK:12A | Spain:13 | Finland:K-15 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Divinity School, Bodleian Library, Broad Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company:

FilmFour

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the opening sequence, Fairfax shoots the sword out of the hand of Cromwell's assassin with a flintlock pistol at about 30 yards range. Such pistols had no rifling at that period and were incapable of nowhere near such accuracy, even in the hands of an expert. To shoot at that range Fairfax would have been more likely to have hit the assassin. Also the bullet struck sparks from the sword hilt when it hit. This is impossible as the bullet would have been a soft lead ball and incapable of creating a spark.

How not to make an historical drama

What's Good:

The set and costume design.

What's Bad:

Quite frankly, almost everything else. This is a catalogue of historical errors. In fact, almost everything is incorrect. Some people will no doubt bleat that it's a film and it doesn't matter. This is our history, ladies and gentlemen. If you want to tell a story, then make it all up, but don't mess with historical fact. Tim Roth's portrayal of Cromwell is laughably inaccurate. Cromwell was nothing like this. And he was also a general, and a very good one at that, something the filmmakers seem to have conveniently forgotten. The performances are mediocre at best. Even the usually reliable Roth turns in a thoroughly average performance. Rupert Everett (as Charles I) is the best, but even he hardly shines. The script is slow, dull and poorly written.

Conclusion:

When will filmmakers realise that real history is invariably more interesting than their warped version of it? This is one of the worst historical dramas I've seen in a long time. I was glad to get out. Take my advice and don't even go in.