The Madness of King George (1994)
Directed by Nicholas Hytner
Aging King George III of England is exhibiting signs of madness, a problem little understood in 1788. As the monarch alternates between bouts of confusion and near-violent outbursts of temper, his hapless doctors attempt the ineffectual cures of the day. Meanwhile, Queen Charlotte and Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger attempt to prevent the king's political enemies, led by the Prince of Wales, from usurping the throne.
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What critics compared The Madness of King George to
The push-pull of this relationship recalls the dynamic between Nigel Hawthorne and Ian Holm in The Madness of King George; like that previous George, Albert must seem a king, not by becoming sane but by speaking clearly.
Peeks behind the velvet curtain at scenes of royal travail can be involving, witness 1994's "The Madness of King George," and this story is exceptionally moving as well.
It is the work of a highly talented group of artists who might be regarded as British realists – Tom Hooper directed the soccer epic The Damned United ; Eve Stewart was production designer on Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy and Vera Drake ; Jenny Beavan was responsible for the costumes worn in Gosford Park and The Remains of the Day ; the cinematographer Danny Cohen lit Shane Meadows's This is England and Dead Man's Shoes ; Tariq Anwar's editing credits range from The Madness of King George to American Beauty ; and the screenplay is by the British writer David Seidler, who co-wrote Coppola's Tucker: The Man and His Dream .
Among the suspects, From Hell rounds up high-class characters played by such distinguished British actors as Ian Richardson (Dark City), Ian Holm (The Madness of King George), and Terence Harvey (Secrets and Lies).
Moore's story addresses only a few key theories, including the possible involvement of Queen Victoria's grandson, Prince Albert, and the queen's personal physician, William Gull -- the latter masterfully portrayed by veteran actor Ian Holm ("The Madness of King George," "Chariots of Fire").