Search - The Madness of King George

Based on Alan Bennett's acclaimed play -The Madness of George III, The Madness of King George takes a dark-humored look at the mental decline of King George III of England. The film's story begins nearly three decades into George's reign, in 1788, as the unstable king (Nigel Hawthorne, reprising his stage role) begins to show signs of increasing dementia, from violent fits of foul language to bouts of forgetfulness. This weakness seems like the perfect chance to overthrow the unpopular George, whom many blamed for the loss of the American colonies, in favor of the Prince of Wales (Rupert Everett), but the king's prime minister William Pitt (Julian Wadham) and his wife Queen Charlotte (Helen Mirren) are determined to protect the throne. Doctors are brought in, but the archaic treatments of the time prove of little value. In desperation, they turn to Dr. Willis (Ian Holm), a harsh, unconventional specialist whose unusual methods recall modern psychiatry. Willis struggles to break through to the mad king, treating him with an anger and haughtiness George has never before experienced. Stressing the absurdity of the entire situation, Bennett's witty screenplay emphasizes dry humor over tragedy, even utilizing references to -King Lear for comic effect. Hawthorne's fiery yet vulnerable performance received much critical praise, including Best Actor at the British Academy Awards and a nomination for the same at the Oscars. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Nigel Hawthorne - George III
Helen Mirren - Queen Charlotte
Ian Holm - Dr. Willis
Rupert Everett - Prince of Wales
Rupert Graves - Greville

1994	Best Actor (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Nigel Hawthorne
1994	Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Alan Bennett
1994	Best Art Direction (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Ken Adam
1994	Best Art Direction (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Carolyn Scott
1994	Best Supporting Actress (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Helen Mirren
1995	Best Actress (winner)	Cannes Film Festival	Helen Mirren

Nicholas Hytner's Oscar nominated costume drama The Madness of King George comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. Spanish and French subtitles are accessible, and the soundtrack is closed-captioned. Supplemental materials include the original theatrical trailer. This is a solid release from MGM/UA that offers excellent picture quality. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

These movies share cast/crew with The Madness of King George...
2	Dance with a Stranger (R)
3	Where Angels Fear to Tread (PG)
62	Excalibur (R)
1	The Comfort of Strangers (R)
S	S.O.S. Titanic (NR)
14	Henry V (PG-13)
17	A Room with a View (NR)
4	Anne of the Thousand Days/Mary, Queen of Scots
8	Robin and Marian (PG)
S	The Return of the Soldier (PG)
2	Maurice: The Merchant Ivory Collection
S	Fortunes of War
6	Caligula [Rated] [Widescreen] (R)
1	A Midsummer Night's Dream (NR)
S	Royal Deceit (R)
These movies cover the same subjects as The Madness of King George...
22	The Crucible (PG-13)
These movies are similar to The Madness of King George...
43	Amadeus (PG)
37	Dangerous Liaisons (R)
3	Private Life of Henry VIII
1	The Six Wives of Henry VIII
12	Valmont [Fullscreen]
4	Orlando (PG-13)
6	Restoration (R)
10	Mrs. Brown (PG)
1	The Last King