The Madness of King George, written by Alan Bennett, based on his play - 10 out of 10

The Madness of King George, written by Alan Bennett, based on his play

10 out of 10

The Madness of King George is one of the best films ever made; indeed, you can find it on The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list - https://www.listchallenges.com/new-york-times-best-1000-movies-ever-made/checklist/14

It has also won an Academy Award, having been nominated also nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role – category in which the stupendous Nigel Hawthorne has won the BAFTA –, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Helen Mirren – who has won the grand prize for The Queen – and Best Writing for Alan Bennett.

More important, the phenomenal motion picture has been listed for the most relevant cinematic prize, the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1995, where Helen Mirren has won the Best Actress award.

About the play on which the same brilliant author has based his screenplay, you can find some notes here - http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-madness-of-king-george-iii-by-alan.html

King George III is depicted as an amusing – at times ridiculous – smart, with an excellent memory – when Prime Minister Pitt aka the excellent Julian Wadham is asked by the monarch some details on an appointment, he states that he does not know anything about the low ranking official and is then impressed by the fact that his majesty remembers in this and other cases about the marital status, the person this and others have married and the connections between many different people.

This admirable mind is good for as look as it is not deranged and alas, after a period during which we admire the monarch who cannot refer to the “colonies” – he repeats that this is what must not be mentioned, to which the prime minister replies that they are now called The United States – the public looks at a sovereign that is decaying, attacks the rather repulsive, preposterous, feeble prince of Wales with zest, only to descend into a state of nearly absolute confusion.

Helen Mirren has the role of the faithful, brave, loyal Queen Charlotte – she has given birth to fifteen children, as her consort points out when an expecting woman in the royal entourage asks for the favor to sit in the presence of the monarch, for she is not feeling well and the rather hilarious king is satirical over this frailty.

The Prime Minister Pitt and Queen Charlotte are among the most determined, stout allies of the Mad King, who is under attack by his own son, the prince of Wales aka Rupert Everett – who is much better here than in the part of Oscar Wilde, which he has played recently – and the politician who leads the opposition, Mr. Fox aka the excellent Jim Carter – who has gained more popularity with his role in Downton Abbey, although you can see him also in one of the best comedies ever, Top Secret.

The doctors that treat the sovereign are ridiculous and dangerous, for they recommend outrageous cures – the king is aggravated by one of them and his majesty mentions the fourteen motions he has had in the day, with which he could have fertilized an entire crop, to which the silly physician replies that his majesty should have taken only three spoons and the king answers that three spoonful’s never did anyone any good…

During a musical performance, the monarch misbehaves, interrupts the concert – a splendid Handel Water Music – walks to the orchestra and starts playing the piano or clavichord, whatever the instrument was – later he would abuse his own wife, the one he loves, admires and treasures when he is in his right mind, but with porphyria affecting his judgment, he seems to want to get intimate with lady Pembroke.

The sovereign has an admirable young man assigned to his entourage, Greville aka the formidable – like all the rest of the cast – Rupert Graves, even if unfortunately, the man who has to watch over the royal person while he just sits down near a fence and defecates and in other embarrassing situations, would be eventually sent away when the superiors think that what he knows can affect the image of the king.

Ian Holm is the formidable actor who plays Willis, the strange innovative for the age doctor who takes on the burden of treating the ailing sovereign, using force when necessary, which is in stark contrast with the other “professionals” – who strongly contest the one they call a charlatan – who keep the distance for the king cannot be approached except with extraordinary care and timidity.

Indeed, one of these comical figures, when Greville mentions the urine of the monarch – the “blue water” is an indication for the experts of today that suggests that some of the royals suffered from porphyria – he explains that only his majesty can ask for a diagnosis and they do not interfere.

Willis demands the sovereign to behave and when this does not happen, he has men in his employment that tie the monarch up, which seems an act of lèse-majesté and the entourage of the king opposes this abuse, up to the point where it becomes clear that his majesty could be helped to recover.

Meanwhile, political machinations are under way and the Prince of Wales seems to be on his way to become regent and then gain the power – controlled by parliament, Mr. Fox declares – albeit he has married a “common” woman and this was against the rules then.

Indeed, now with Meghan Markle joining the royal family, this antiquated rule seems to be disappearing, albeit as recently as near the middle of the last century, a monarch had to abdicate because he wanted to marry a divorced commoner – it could be added and indeed it should, that that royal failure was a Nazi sympathizer and as such Britain was better off without him.

Eventually, the Mad King George III seems to be on the way to a complete recovery – one indication is the return of his amusing use of “What, What” in his speech and the élan, the vivacity, the intelligence, wit and energy which he had possessed before his affliction had taken the better of him.

The Madness of King George is an outstanding, glorious film.