Madness of King George

As the film opens, George, who's been ruling for thirty years (and lost the American colonies, by the way), is beginning to show sings of definite irritability, belligerence and instability as well as gastric distress. Although his wife, Queen Charlotte, is concerned (she is the mother of his fifteen children, after all), the Prince of Wales looks upon his father's seeming insanity as a chance to finally emerge from limbo and take over as regent.

Although THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE is often satirical and comic, it's also a sad film as almost everyone at court does everything they can to exploit poor George during his darkest hour.

George is a comic, but, at the same time, a very sad figure. He may seem to be leading everyone on a merry chase but in reality, he's miserable. He's losing control of both his body and his mind and the "cure," in this case, seems to be every bit as bad as is the disease.

THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE is a film that works on many levels. On one hand, it's an exploration of King George's descent into madness (whatever the cause) and on the other it's a witty and satirical study of court politics and intrigue. The tragedy of George's illness and the satire of court intrigue work wonderfully well together.

The acting in THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE is flawless. Nigel Hawthorne as George, gives a superb and demanding performance that must cover a wide range of emotions from competent king to incorrigible patient. The fact that he's so very unlikable, yet still manages to evoke sympathy from the audience is a tribute to Hawthorne's powers. Helen Mirren as Queen Charlotte is also wonderful and she portrays the deep love and devotion between George and Charlotte very convincingly. Ian Holm as the rigid Dr. Willis and Rupert Everett as the Prince of Wales are also excellent.

Sometimes pathos, and even tragedy, can best be portrayed with wit and comedy and this is the case in THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE. Despite its dark subject matter, it's not a film that delves deeply into any of the many topics it explores. And, that's definitely not a criticism.

The period costumes and the locations shots add much to this film and are perfectly chosen. And, I don't think one can properly comment on THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE without commenting on its score. Rather than composing something entirely original for this film, period selections, such as Handel's "Water Music" have been used, adding to the film's authentic feel.

THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE is, in my opinion, a flawless film, but, although everyone in it (and behind it) shines, the film really belongs to Nigel Hawthorne. He's so good, his performance alone is worth the price of the DVD.