"The Madness of King George" (9/10)

[Brock Landers]

"The Madness of King George" (9/10)

This film is so tightly woven together that it is difficult if not impossible for me to
find fault with it. The performances reign supreme and the story and dialogue is
completely necessary and time effective. Like some period pieces it is accurate
in its wardrobe, speech and knowledge but unlike most period films, it is NOT
boring...

The cast includes some great thesbians (not lesbians with a lisp, but
actors)...Nigel Hawthorne ("The Winslow Boy") stars as George III of England. It
is an inspired performance of a sane man gone slightly mad by the priviliges
afforded him as a ruler. It also stars Helen Mirren ("Teaching Mrs. Tingle", "The
Long Good Friday" & "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover") as his queen,
it is a powerfully emotional performance as well. The rest of the cast includes
Ian Holm ("Joe Gould's Secret", and Bilbo Baggins in the upcoming "Lord Of The
Rings" films), Rupert Everett ("An Ideal Husband" & "My Best Friend's
Wedding"), Julian Wadham ("The English PAtient"), Amanda Donohoe ("Liar
Liar" & "One Night Stand"), Rupert Graves ("Bent"), Julian Rhind-Tutt
("Tommorrow Never Dies" & "Notting Hill") and many other great supporting
roles.

It was directed by Nicholas Hyther ("The Crucible" & "Twelfth Night") and once
again he shows his attention to detail in language and era...

I don't like many costume-type films, but the humor and craftsmanship that
consumes this film make it more than watchable...actually very entertaining...

[dragon]

An excellent film with excellent acting. It is a definite 9/10.

[wyodebbie]

"The Madness Of King George" has the King going from merely a non-conformist (they call me "Farmer George") that his Parliament already disliked, to a King with full-blown dementia for a time, and this gives the King's son and Parliament a real reason to depose him. I really didn't like Nigel Hawthorne as King George III, he had a couple of good scenes, but was merely adequate in the film. The film is not a pleasant one to watch as lunancy, stool and piss pots, even in funny ways, are not appealing to watch. Helen Mirren, as Queen Charlotte, mother of the King's fifteen children is seen as a patient and loving wife, and in her brief screen time did an adequate job (and Mirren is one of my favorite actresses). Rupert Everett as the fat, lazy son trying to grab the power from the King was very unappealing and unlikeable to me and same for Ian Holm as the unorthodox doctor trying to cure the King. I don't know I guess the unappealing subject turned me off entirely to this film.