The Madness of King George

Directed by Nicholas Hytner, The Madness of King George details the chaos that ensues after George III (Nigel Hawthorne) begins to display signs of mental illness. It’s relatively compelling subject matter that is, for the most part, employed to static and lackluster effect by Hytner, as the filmmaker, armed with Alan Bennett’s screenplay, delivers a sluggish historical drama that’s never quite able to disguise or overcome its theatrical origins – with the arms-length atmosphere compounded by a repetitive, one-note first half that contains few (if any) standout interludes or amusing digressions. There’s little doubt, then, that The Madness of King George‘s tolerable atmosphere is due almost entirely to the uniformly solid performances, and it’s clear, certainly, that Hawthorne’s frequently riveting turn as the unhinged central character is matched by first-class periphery players like Helen Mirren, Rupert Everett, and Ian Holm. And while the movie’s second half admittedly does contain a small handful of engrossing sequences, including (and especially) a spellbinding scene revolving around George’s initial meeting with Holm’s tough-as-nails doctor, The Madness of King George, which does, on top of everything else, contain a needless emphasis on ill-advised attempts at slapstick comedy, ultimately comes off as a missed opportunity that feels like it could (and should) have been so much better.

** out of ****