The Madness of King George

This article is about the 1994 film. For the play by Alan Bennett, see The Madness of George III (play) and for a 2004 political satire, see The Madness of King George (book).

The Madness of King George
Original film poster
Directed by	Nicholas Hytner
Produced by	Stephen Evans David Parfitt
Written by	Alan Bennett
Starring	Nigel Hawthorne Helen Mirren Ian Holm Amanda Donohoe Rupert Graves and Rupert Everett
Music by	George Fenton Georg Friedrich Händel
Cinematography	Andrew Dunn
Editing by	Tariq Anwar
Distributed by	Samuel Goldwyn Company
Release date(s)	December 28, 1994 (U.S.) March 24, 1995 (UK) November 2, 1995 (Australia)
Running time	107 min.
Language	English

The Madness of King George is a 1994 film directed by Nicholas Hytner and adapted by Alan Bennett from his own play, The Madness of George III. It tells the true story of George III's deteriorating mental health, and his equally declining relationship with his son, the Prince of Wales, particularly focusing on the period around the Regency Crisis of 1788. Modern medicine has suggested that the King's symptoms were the result of porphyria.

The film stars Nigel Hawthorne as the title character, Helen Mirren as Queen Charlotte, Ian Holm as Dr. Willis, Rupert Graves as Greville, Amanda Donohoe as Lady Pembroke, Rupert Everett as The Prince of Wales, Julian Rhind-Tutt as The Duke of York, Julian Wadham as George III's Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, and Jim Carter as Whig MP and leader of the opposition Charles James Fox.

Background and production

Bennett refused to sanction a film version unless Hawthorne was given First Refusal for the title role after having a highly acclaimed performance in the theatre.^{[citation needed]}

Title change

In adapting the play to film, the title was changed from The Madness of George III to The Madness of King George. An urban myth has developed that the title change derives from the fear that American audiences would think the film was a sequel, due to the Roman numerals. However, Hytner has stated that the principal reason was to clarify that this was a film about a king. ^[1] According to a biography and interview with Nigel Hawthorne, however, this was apparently true.

Filming locations

The film was shot at Shepperton Studios and on location at:

• Arundel Castle, Arundel, West Sussex
• Bodleian Library, Oxford
• Broughton Castle, Banbury, Oxfordshire
• Eton College, Eton, Berkshire
• Royal Naval College, Greenwich
• St. Paul's Cathedral, London
• Syon House, Brentford, Middlesex
• Thame Park, Oxfordshire
• Wilton House, Wilton, Wiltshire

Themes

The film deals with the relatively primitive medical practices of the time and the suppositions that physicians made in their efforts to understand the human body. The King's doctors attempt humoral cures such as blistering and purges. Meantime, another of the King's physicians, Dr. Heebs, is blindly analyzing the King's stool and urine realizing that body wastes may contain some clue to the Royal malady. Finally, Lady Pembrooke recommends Dr. Willis, an ex-minister who attempts to cure the insane through behavior modification. None of the three methods of treatment entirely cures the King; eventually his body heals on its own.

Besides the King's personal struggle with mental illness, the film also depicts the relative powerlessness of the British monarchy in a time when Parliament has become supreme. The scene where the King is told what to do by a doctor for the first time (in breach of established protocol) and is restrained in a seat shows the King finally accepting his diminished role despite his protestations that he is the "King of England" and can do as he pleases. After his recovery, he is seen at the end of the film explaining to the Prince of Wales that the role of the royal family is to be seen to be happy, to wave to the crowd, and to be a model to the people of how to behave and conduct oneself. Thus the film also documents the shift in the British government from a monarchy with limited political power to a purely symbolic monarchy.

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

• The film won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction, and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Nigel Hawthorne), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Helen Mirren) and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

BAFTA Awards

• The film was nominated for a total of 14 BAFTA Awards and won three: the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film, the Best Actor (Nigel Hawthorne) and the Award for Best Make Up/Hair (Lisa Westcott).

Cannes Film Festival

• Helen Mirren won the Best Actress Award and Nicholas Hytner was nominated for the Golden Palm.

References

External links

• The Madness of King George at the Internet Movie Database
• Mikkelson, Barbara & David P. "The Madness of King George" at Snopes: Urban Legends Reference Pages.

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