The Madness of King George
A meditation on power, and the metaphor of the body of state, based on the real episode of dementia experienced by George III (now suspected a victim of porphyria, a blood disorder). As he loses his senses, he becomes both more alive, and more politically marginalized, neither effect desirable to his Lieutenants, who jimmy the rules to avoid a challenge to regal authority, raising the question of who is really in charge.
29 May 1959, Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk, England, UK
1970, Hampshire, England, UK
18 March 1945, New Forest, Hampshire, England, UK
13 September 1925, Holborn, London, England, UK
July 10, 2003
Respectable actors aside, it's no more than a dryasdust history lesson.
January 01, 2000
For those who, like myself, were disappointed in the play, the film contains pleasant surprises, all of them resulting from differences between the two arts.
August 22, 2006
Hytner's version of Bennett's comic-tragic drama of the tormented king who almost lost his mind confirms that power games, family scandals, and personal intrigues have always been integral to the British Crown, an institution both revered and reviled.
February 12, 2006
It's Hawthorne's engaging performance that makes this drama both fun and moving.
April 12, 2002
Hawthorne is by turn outrageous and pathetic and imperious and poignant and very funny.
August 12, 2005
Vastly entertaining, with more bite than you expect from a costume drama.
January 01, 2000
The battle of wills between these two strong men [George and Willis] is the centerpiece of the movie, and hugely entertaining.
September 21, 2004
Flawless acting. Hawthorne was robbed of an Oscar. Sorry, but it's true.
May 12, 2001
The thrill of Hawthorne's astounding performance is not something you want to miss.
May 23, 2004
So slick, so clever and so incredibly lucid that it neither leads to much in the way of thought, discussion or, unfortunately, repeat viewing.
August 17, 2016
Visually sumptuous, energetic and classy, The Madness of King George is British film theatre at its most seductive.
June 18, 2002
In its own shambling, elliptical way it's an entertaining, memorable movie whose 2 1/2 hours go by without strain.
