The Lost Prince (2003) (TV)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Stephen Poliakoff

Writer:

Stephen Poliakoff (writer)

Release Date:

18 December 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

The heartbreaking story of the prince that history forgot

Plot:

The true story of the British royal prince locked away because of having epilepsy.

Plot Keywords:

Prince | Queen | 1910s | Epilepsy | King

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 8 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Daniel Williams	...	Prince John (younger)
Matthew James Thomas	...	Prince John (older) (as Matthew Thomas)
Brock Everitt-Elwick	...	Young Prince George
Rollo Weeks	...	Prince George
Gina McKee	...	Lalla
Tom Hollander	...	George V
Miranda Richardson	...	Queen Mary
Bill Nighy	...	Stamfordham
Bibi Andersson	...	Queen Alexandra
Ron Cook	...	Lloyd George
Frank Finlay	...	Asquith
David Westhead	...	Fred
John Sessions	...	Mr. Hansell
Michael Gambon	...	Edward VII
David Barrass	...	Kaiser Wilhelm
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vanessa Ackerman	...	Olga
Holly Boyd	...	Tatiana
Paul Brennen	...	Orderly
Suzanne Burden	...	Lady Warrender
Dominic Colenso	...	David
James Cooke	...	Henry
Jonathan Coy	...	Dr. Hetherington
Graham Crowden	...	Callender
Ingeborga Dapkunaite	...	Tsarina Alexandra
Amy Darcy	...	Maid
Hugh Dickson	...	Priest
Mike Firth	...	General
Fritha Goodey	...	Fine-looking woman
Andrew Hilton	...	Admiral
Sophie Linfield
Algina Lipskis	...	Anastasia (as Algina Lipskyte)
Seb Maley	...	Officer
Kate Manning	...	May
Ivan Marevich	...	Tsar Nicholas
Maggie McCourt	...	Lady in Waiting
Roz McCutcheon	...	Fat Mary
George Murphy	...	Footman
Mary Nighy	...	Young Mary
Sam Page	...	Young Alexei
Nicholas Palliser	...	Knutsford
Nastya Razduhova	...	Maria
John Rowe	...	Dr. Longhurst
Richard Searle	...	Frantic Official
Kostya Severov	...	Alexei
Craig Shenton	...	Bertie
Serge Soric	...	Head Guard
Joe Sowerbutts	...	Russell
Neil Stacy	...	General
Robert Swann	...	Doctor
Ian Taylor	...	Footman with butter
Michael Thomas	...	Johnnie
Henrietta Voigts	...	Suffragette
Martin Wimbush	...	Violinist
Hawk Younkins	...	Kevin

Directed by
Stephen Poliakoff

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Stephen Poliakoff		writer

Produced by
Joanna Beresford	....	executive producer
John Chapman	....	producer
Rebecca Eaton	....	executive producer: WGBH
Peter Fincham	....	executive producer
Mark Hubbard	....	line producer
David M. Thompson	....	executive producer: BBC

Original Music by
Adrian Johnston

Cinematography by
Barry Ackroyd

Film Editing by
Clare Douglas

Casting by
Andy Pryor

Production Design by
John Paul Kelly		(as John-Paul Kelly)

Art Direction by
Emma MacDevitt

Set Decoration by
Sara Wan

Costume Design by
Odile Dicks-Mireaux

Makeup Department
Julie Dartnell	....	hair stylist
Julie Dartnell	....	makeup artist
Christine Greenwood	....	hair stylist
Christine Greenwood	....	makeup artist
Dubi Preger	....	makeup artist
Liz Tagg	....	hair designer
Liz Tagg	....	makeup designer
Barbara Taylor	....	crowd hair
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou	....	hair and make up artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Tessa Beazley	....	post-production manager
Richard Hill	....	unit manager
Richard Hill	....	unit manager
Trevor Ingman	....	production manager
Shelley Powell	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward Brett	....	first assistant director
Jessica Hurles-Laws	....	third assistant director (as Jessica Hurles)
Martin Krauka	....	second assistant director
Andrew McEwan	....	co-second assistant director

Art Department
Rob Anderson	....	construction manager
Justin Chappell	....	carpenter
Gavin Fitch	....	assistant art director
Frank Howe	....	drapes master
Dougie Lankston	....	property storeman
Madelaine Leech	....	art director: on-camera
Mitch Niclas	....	stand-by propman
Allen J. Polley	....	property master (as Allen Polley)
Sui Rajakaruna	....	assistant art director
Sophie Tyler	....	prop buyer

Sound Department
Ben Baird	....	sound supervisor
Matthew Desorgher	....	boom operator
Adrian Rhodes	....	dubbing mixer
Nick Roberts	....	adr editor
John Rodda	....	sound recordist
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jeremy Lovett	....	special effects senior technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Cas Casey	....	digital effects artist

Camera and Electrical Department
Simon Baker	....	Steadicam operator
Johann Cruickshank	....	electrician
Tania Freimuth	....	clapper loader
Carl Hudson	....	focus puller
Matthew Moffat	....	gaffer
Mark Nutkins	....	camera trainee
Laurie Sparham	....	still photographer
Jonathan Sykes	....	camera operator
Roger Tooley	....	Steadicam operator

Casting Department
Kirsty Robertson	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sally Crees	....	costume assistant
Philip Goldsworthy	....	wardrobe assistant
Kay Manasseh	....	assistant costume designer
Colin May	....	wardrobe supervisor
Philip Rainforth	....	military costumes supervisor
Lucilla Simbari	....	costume assistant
Gerald Moulin	....	costume assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Scott Hinchcliffe	....	on-line editor
Tom Kinnersly	....	assembly editor
Vincent Narduzzo	....	colorist

Music Department
Terry Davies	....	conductor
Peter Fuchs	....	music recording engineer
Steve Parr	....	music mixer
Steve Parr	....	music recordist

Other crew
Tessa Beazley	....	production coordinator
Jo Beckett	....	assistant location manager
Clair Chrysler	....	stand-in: Gina McKee and Miranda Richardson
Valentina Coccia	....	assistant production coordinator
Susanna Lenton	....	script supervisor
Sarah Lucraft	....	production accountant
Hilary Norrish	....	script editor
Nick Oliver	....	location scout
Donald Rice	....	assistant to director
Bill Ridealgh	....	unit medic
Amanda Stevens	....	location manager
Susan Weeks	....	tutor chaperone

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• TalkBack Productions
• WGBH

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2003) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• BBC Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• LaLa TV (2007) (Japan) (TV)

Other Companies

• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Fuji Photo Film  motion picture film supplied by
• Mad Dog Casting  extras casting
• Pepper Post Production  post-production facilities
• Production Copier Company  production equipment and services

Runtime:

180 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG | UK:12 (part 2) | UK:PG (part 1)

Filming Locations:

Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the funeral of Johnny, on screen it's clearly summer (rhododendrons in bloom), but in reality he died in January.

Quotes:

Prince John: [about the Tsar who is swimming in the sea] He looks like an emperor fish!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2005) (TV)

Gorgeous presentation

This is a truly wonderful production with brilliant, almost surreal touches that lift this drama about the crowd.

I would love to know if any of Prince John's drawings survived. They had, or at least the ones used for the film had a Chagal-like quality that was both very graceful and artistic and filled with insite as to the inner character of the subjects. "The Tsar Swimming" and "Fat Mary" are two example. His father wearing a crown far too big for his head is a masterpiece.

I also wonder if Prince John wasn't a savant. His drawings were exceptional and far ahead of his time and his musical ability was,(if the film properly portrayed this talent)quite remarkable.

What is wonderful about this film is the sense that John despite everything managed to form his own little community on his "Estate", surrounded by people who really did love him. I also have the feeling that he was quite a happy child most of the time.

His parents were no worse than other Royal parents and a great deal better than most.

Special mention should be made of the marvelous Bibi Anderson who played Queen Alexandra so perfectly. At the funeral she even managed to look almost exactly like the Dowager Queen.

Someone mentioned that they didn't believe that the Tsar and the Tsarina would have acted as coldly toward their relations when visiting at Cowes. Unfortunately, that's just how they acted. They did believe that they were seated higher at the table of the Rulers of the World than their cousins in England who had to make-do with smaller versions of their own vast palaces in St. Petersburg. After all the Tsar was the last Absolute Monarch in the world. He even had to approve of every marriage and every divorce. No decision could be made unless he gave his approval. His cousin George had to actually deal with a rabble of advisors and that intrusive Parliment.

The scenes of the Tsar swimming were especially out of touch with reality, just as the Tsar was out of touch with the reality of his situation.

The Russian Grand Duchesses were so dream-like in their lovely summer laces and huge flower-like hats. All of John's imagined scenerios were touched with this combination of wistfullness and joy.

I mention these things because they haven't been mentioned before and they are what I will bring with me forever. Those haunting images of the children running on the beach, the flower-hats in the flower-garden and John peeking through the rails of the balcony at the beautiful lady at the banquet who smiles and waves back at him...a small and precious moment to be treasured.

See this film and fall in love with a child that refuses to be "Lost".