ROYAL HEARTS
US, 2018, 90 minutes, Colour.
James Brolin, Cindy Busby, Andrew Cooper, Lochlan Nieboer, Martin Wimbush, Glynis Barber.
Directed by James Brolin.
This is rather simple moviemaking for a television audience. And, in many ways it is simplistic, relying on stock characters and situations even if the whole thing is a fantasy. It was produced and directed by James Brolin who has a starring role as a Montana cow puncher who suddenly finds that he is the King of mid-European small country (the kind of thing popular in the 19 century with such stories as The Prisoner of Zenda!).
The focus is on his daughter, Kelly (Cincy Busby) who lectures at a university, specialising in Jane Austen, with the prospect of teaching at Oxford. An official arrives wanting an interview with her father – and her relationship with him is a bit tentative. The revelation is that his ancestors in the 19th century, migrating to America, have no male heir except himself so he is to be the King. He is not so enthusiastic, preferring the company of his dog and his cattle.
He is persuaded to go to Europe, looking like the cowboy, the innocent abroad in Europe. His daughter is rather exhilarated by everything. However, there are political problems, the kingdom has been divided and there is a young king and the neighbouring land, ambitious, wanting to set up tech factories.
The neighbouring King, rather dashing and handsome, comes to visit and focuses on Kelly, ultimately proposing, wanting to unite the kingdoms. In the meantime, on the way in, she has encountered a man with the sheep, Alex, attractive in his way. She obviously falls for him but is not inclined to admit it. Of course, her father sees right through this. There is a privy Council running the country and the King has an audience with them, agreeing to stay for a fortnight and then seeing what’s what.
During the fortnight, the King goes from a banquet down to a local Tavern and meets an expatriate American, Joan, goes fishing with her, brings her to the Castle – a rather obvious romance. Alex is always about, giving good and sensible advice, inviting Kelly to be present at the birth of a foal. Ultimately, the new king confronts his neighbour, aware that he is bankrupt and wants to exploit resources in the new king’s kingdom. He does a deal whereby he hands over the rule of the country to the privy Council (and the audience discovering that Alex is the son of the chief of the Privy Council), and that there will be a lease for the minerals in the mountains…
Happy ending all round, very romantic, not really to be believed! Interestingly, it initially shows the Americans coming into Europe, at first unwillingly, then being relied on to help out. However, the ending breaks through with the American giving up any pretensions of ruling in Europe. Perhaps the audience would be tempted to think, “as if…�.
