I have no idea how this historical drama about a
king almost losing his throne to insanity ended up on my watch list, but it is an
enjoyable period piece. Nigel Hawthorne was absolutely magnificent as King
George, likeable and endearingly charming, yet with the right amount of
unpredictability to befit a mad monarch. At his side, Helen Mirren gave a
touching performance as his wife (though the French accent needs work). I
particularly enjoyed seeing a young Rupert Graves as the king’s aid. He
delivered a stellar performance as a steadfastly loyal, kind man who seemed to
genuinely care about George’s wellbeing. Everybody else was very well cast,
too, but these three stood out in particular (which is not surprising, as they
are the main characters).
The script
was enjoyable, toeing the line between tragedy and comedy. With at times
slightly tongue-in-cheek dialogue and almost grotesque side characters, paired
with family drama and the stark loneliness of a once-powerful man in desperate
need of real friends, the tone was a balancing act.
The overall
production quality was great, too. Opulent period wardrobe and authentic
shooting locations provided the right frame work for the story and imbued it
with the necessary degree of seriousness. The depiction of period medicine and a new governmental system being implemented even made this somewhat educational. I’m glad I watched this. Easy 3/5
The Madness of King George III on Imdb
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