Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6969 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-09-17
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

DVD Description

Directed by Nicholas Hytner, the multi award-winning The Madness Of King George, depicts the King of England's regression into madness during the late 18th century. Although King George III does some very odd things, who could possibly argue with England's most powerful man? Starring Nigel Hawthorn as King George, Helen Mirren as Queen Charlotte, and Ian Holm as Dr. Willis.

Customer Reviews

Majesty All Powerful and All Knowing. But He Wasn't Quite All Thre.


"Playwright Alan Bennett, who adapted his own stage work, takes as his inspiration a time when George III -- the George who lost the North American colonies -- appears to have also lost his mind. What happens, Bennett asks, when a man can no longer project the power required of a ruler? And in its absence, what fills the psychological space where power used to reside." Lisa Schwarzbaum

Nigel Hawthorne spares no facial grimace nor utterance as he portrays King George III who loses his mind but finally finds his grieving heart. A must see performance and one that had me cheering him on. Helen Mirren as the Queen or better known as Mrs King to her George III, plays an amazing Queen. Mother of 15 children, though we only meet five or six of them, is finely clad and dressed. Amanda Donohue plays her staid lady in waiting. And Rupert Everett as the elder son George, an arrogant and immature man with a wig that portrays his ridiculousness quite keenly. The entire cast is well done.

Peter Travers tells us that "Experts say the king suffered from porphyria, a metabolic imbalance whose symptoms resemble madness'. When the traditional medical care does not work, the Queen and her lady bring in a non-traditional physician, played by Ian Holm who produces a repetitive act of "tying the kangaroo down" so to speak and the King recovers. It is during a reading of King Lear that King George seems to put the pieces back together and he once again comes to his senses. Off to save the day.

The entire family returns to court and all dressed in blue and red, the family walks up the stairs, Queen Charlotte says: "Come on, smile and wave. That's what you get paid for. Smile and wave." A wonderful, parody. "Meanwhile, the arrestingly stylized imagery of the original Madness has not been lost, particularly when the royal family freezes into elaborate tableaux of hollow noblesse oblige. Any resemblance to Windsors, Kennedys, or any other royal personnel currently living is strictly not coincidental." Lisa Obliermann

This film bogged down in the first half but came to life and I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Hail To The King!

Highly Recommended. prisrob 05-04-08

Excellent film, a good entertaining film to watch if your in to watching films about the past King's and Queens, then it's for u
Intriguing film. Portrays the life of King George illness very well. interesting film and it is definitely worth watching.

Nigel Hawthorne shines as King George III
A great film. well written and beautifully played by all. In particular it is a joy to watch the late great Nigel Hawthorne perform with such depth and range. A very different part to his well known role of Sir Humphrey Appleby and played so well that it is hard to associate the actor with his Yes Minister character when he is portraying George equally as brilliantly but so very differently. I wish Nigel had lived longer so we could have enjoyed more of his thoroughly enjoyable performances.