THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE
UK, 1995, 110 minutes, Colour.
Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm, Rupert Graves, Amanda Donohoe, Rupert Everett, Julian Wadham, Jim Carter, Geoffrey Palmer, Anthony Calf, John Wood.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner.
The Madness of King George is playwright Alan Bennett's screen adaptation of his very successful play. Nigel Hawthorne performed the role on the English stage and, according to Bennett, made the role his own by injecting a humanity into the madness of King George.
The film was directed by Nicholas Hytner, who went on to make The Crucible, The Object of My Affection, Centre Stage and became director of Britain's National Theatre at the beginning of the 21st century. His stage experience enables him to keep the values of performance and staging as well as opening out the screenplay.
Nigel Hawthorne gives a marvellous performance as King George - although he was remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby in the series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, he had performed on the British stage, especially moving as C.S. Lewis in Shadowlands and later as King Lear. There is a very strong supporting cast with Helen Mirren as Queen Charlotte, Ian Holm as Dr Willis who cures him, Rupert Everett as a scheming Prince of Wales, Julian Wadham as an emotionless Pitt and Jim Carter as the leader of the Opposition, the wily Fox. John Wood is very good also as the intriguing Lord Chancellor with Rupert Graves as the loyal equerry and Amanda Donohoe as the opportunist lady-in-waiting.
The film recreates an episode in 1788 where George III was suffering from porphyria, a hereditary disease that unpredictably affects the nervous system. For six months he is subjected to the treatment of quacks as well as to the demanding Dr Willis who eventually cures him. The king, known as Farmer George, and not popular, especially after the War of Revolution and the formation of the United States, is subjected to brutal cures and humiliating treatment with Parliament considering that his son should become Prince Regent. Rupert Everett enjoys himself snarling and being sinister as the future George IV. The reality of his clandestine marriage to Catholic Mrs Fitzherbert is treated in the film - with the king finally forbidding his son to acknowledge the marriage.
While the film works as a case study of somebody suffering from porphyria with the medical conditions of the 18th century, it is also a picture of politics in the late 18th century, the intrigues consequent on a long reign and the assertion of Parliament over the monarchy. Some of Alan Bennett's dialogue is especially relevant for the 20th century British monarchy, especially the long wait of the Prince of Wales to take the throne.
There is a great deal of irony in the dialogue, the view of the royal family behind the scenes, so to speak, as well as their public appearances and, although Bennett himself is not against the monarchy, the film serves as an ironic critique of absolute power, the monarch as despot, the hereditary monarchy and the role of democracy.
1. The acclaim for the film, awards and nominations? Critical success?
2. The work of Alan Bennett, his character studies, his plays? The experience of Nicholas Hytner as a stage director making his cinema debut? The opening out of the play? The drama, the domestic drama, the political drama, the pageantry?
3. 1788, 18th century pageantry and style, the official royal occasions, Parliament, the court, the costumes and décor, Handl's music?
4. The realism of life at the Hanover Court, the portrait of George III's family, his son George and his intrigues, the mundane aspects of the royal family's life, domestic realities, Mr and Mrs King, behind the scenes, the bedroom, bodily functions, mental failure, illness, purges, stools, urine? The intercutting of these realities with pomp and Parliament?
5. How relevant is the film and its dialogue to the 20th and 21st century royal family?
6. The history of the period, the Hanovers coming from Germany at the beginning of the 18th century, George III as basically a good man, Farmer George, his fidelity to Queen Charlotte, their fifteen children? The issue of the regent and his marriage to Mrs Fitzherbert, the anti-Catholicism, the forbidding of this marriage? The role of Pitt as prime minister, his humourlessness, budgeting the books (balancing?), Fox as a weak Liberal, anti-slavery? The loss of the colonies and the wry comments about the Americans getting rid of the monarch whereas Parliament could not? The illness of George III, the aftermath, the prince regent coming in at the end of his reign?
7. The role of the monarchy in English society, its popularity, its domination of colonies, the empire to come? The American colony's rebelling and seceding? The opening and the woman attacking the king with the fruit knife, her complaints? The bill for Prince George of Wales to take over as regent? The divine right of kings, autocratic, absolute, English society and its acceptance of this rule, the critique?
8. Nigel Hawthorne as King George, in himself, personality, "What what"? The opening and his being dressed, the family running down the passageway to the official function, the pomp, the pose like a photo? The contrast in the bedroom, breaking wind, Mr and Mrs King? His going to the farms, commenting on the pigs? His love of protocol, Greville's shoulder-piece, not looking at the king_? His disdain of his son, his indolence and sighs? His dealing with Mr Pitt, urging him to marry, signing documents? His knowledge of the detail of families and marriages? His illness in bed, the doctor and the treatment? His waking up early in the morning, getting his servants, running out into the grounds in his nightshirt, the reaction of the doctors, of Parliament, of Prince George, of Queen Charlotte? The diagnosis, his urine and its being blue, the various doctors and their quack methods, the glasses on his back, straitjacketed? The suffering, the humiliation, the examination of his stools? His being alone, Charlotte asking him whether he was mad and his not knowing, his growing fears? The reliance on Greville and his kindness? The contrast with Fitzroy? The ladies-in-waiting, his obscenities, his behaviour with Lady Pembroke? Her finding Dr Lewis, the audience with Dr Lewis, the needs for health, the discussions, his reliance on Lewis who confines him, the further treatment, getting better, Lewis trying to control him and his outbursts, the reading of King Lear and getting Lord Thurlow to enact Cordelia, kiss him - and the parallels between himself and Lear? Greville and his support, Lewis thinking he was better, his saying, "What what"? Dressing, going to the Parliament, hurrying, the sheep in the way, getting there just in time, the public responding to him, Pitt glad that he was back, going to St Paul's, his discussions and injunctions to his son, his apology to Lady Pembroke but wanting to know what really happened, the reconciliation with Queen Charlotte? Waving at the end?
9. The explanation about porphyria, affecting the nervous system, hereditary, the effect on George?
10. Queen Charlotte, Mrs King, her role in the court, the fifteen children, fidelity, supporting him, critical of the Prince of Wales, Lady Pembroke and her reliance on her, the interest in Greville? The Prince of Wales shutting out from her husband's illness, trying to see him, asking whether he was mad or not? Her seeing the bill, getting in to see the king and trying to alert him to the danger?
11. Mr Pitt, happiness being balanced books, his relationship with Fox? Audiences with the king, the exercise of his prime ministership? Attempts to stay in power, the sittings of Parliament, the clashes, the bill for the regency? Fox, whigs and liberal, his seeming sinister, the discussions with Mr Pitt, the loud Opposition, the performance in the Parliament? The final speech about the king - and everybody rushing out to see the king? The world of intrigue? Thurlow, chancellor, wanting to remain chancellor, playing different sides against the other, being diplomatic, for the regency, realising the king had recovered? The King Lear incident? Dr Warren and the other doctors?
12. Greville, a good man, devoted to the king, Lady Pembroke's approach to him, the sexual encounter, his expectations? The king's recovery, the sacking of the courtiers, his being demoted and sent away, not allowed to say anything about the king? The encounter with Lady Pembroke and her saying she only did what had to be done? The contrast with Fitzroy, his treatment of the king, his promotion? The servants and their being used?
13. Dr Warren, his political influence, the reports, for Pitt, for Fox, for reading in the Parliament? His being in favour of the Prince of Wales? The other doctors, the chancellor going to the lecture and trying to understand the diagnosis for the king? The theoretical attitudes of the doctors and their quackery?
14. Dr Lewis, his reputation, Lady Pembroke's advice, his work at the farm, the woman who was cured? His going to the king, going into his presence, the confrontation, his being credible, the king submitting himself to treatment, his being confined, the treatment, his gradual recovery? Dr Lewis and his coughing and the king dismissing him? Lewis and his passing in front of the people cheering the king at the end?
15. George and Fred, their friendship, conniving, George as Prince of Wales, lazy, his relationship with Mrs Fitzherbert, the marriage, the chancellor getting the document and bribing the man with the official documents, his showing the information to Fox? The Prince of Wales and his petulance, his wanting to rule, his wry comments about being a king-in-waiting? The alliance with Dr Warren? The promises to Mrs Fitzherbert and his breaking them? In Parliament, supporting the bill, his being defeated, submission to the king, laughing, waving?
16. The audience immersed in this episode, English history, the reality of royalty? The film as a case study of health and illness and its consequences in the context of 18th century medicine?
