The Madness of King George (1994)
88%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
16 wins & 20 nominations total
Thanks largely to stellar all-around performances from a talented cast, The Madness of King George is a funny, entertaining, and immensely likable adaptation of the eponymous stage production
If you’re looking for a movie that’s both classy and crazy, The Madness of King George is the perfect pick. With a visually stunning backdrop and a cast of characters that will have you laughing and crying, this British film is a must-see. Hawthorne’s performance is nothing short of astounding, and the power games and family scandals will keep you on the edge of your seat. Just be warned, you might find yourself muttering “It’s good to be the king” by the end of it all.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Hallmark Entertainment, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Samuel Goldwyn Company
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Arundel Castle, Arundel, West Sussex, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements
Year of Release
1994
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby SR
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 50m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 28, 1994 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 5, 2001
Genre(s)
History/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm, Rupert Everett, Rupert Graves, John Wood, Julian Wadham, directed by Nicholas Hytner, written by Alan Bennett, History, Drama, PG-13, box office performance, budget, reviewed by David Stratton, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Emanuel Levy, Mick LaSalle, Rick Groen, Peter Travers, Quentin Crisp, Mal Vincent, Matt Brunson, Cole Smithey, James O’Ehley, produced by Stephen Evans, David Parfitt, Hallmark Entertainment, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Samuel Goldwyn Company, monarchy, mental illness, British Crown, power games, family scandals, personal intrigues, 18th century England, Queen Charlotte, Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, Prince of Wales, Dr Willis, Thurlow, Suround, Stereo
Worldwide gross: $15,238,689
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $30,829,778
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,538
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 3,362,026
US/Canada gross: $15,238,689
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $30,829,778
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,265
US/Canada opening weekend: $65,226
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $131,960
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,831
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $65,897,768
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $133,319,447
Production budget ranking: 268
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $71,792,522
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$174,282,190
ROI to date (est.): -85%
ROI ranking: 1,922
Dame Helen Mirren – Queen Charlotte
Ian Holm – Dr. Willis
Rupert Everett – Prince of Wales
Rupert Graves – Greville
John Wood – Thurlow
Director(s)
Nicholas Hytner
Writer(s)
Alan Bennett
Producer(s)
Stephen Evans, David Parfitt
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
16 wins & 20 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Art Direction Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (44) | Rotten (3)
Visually sumptuous, energetic and classy, The Madness of King George is British film theatre at its most seductive.
August 17, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B+
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Hytner’s version of Bennett’s comic-tragic drama of the tormented king who almost lost his mind confirms that power games, family scandals, and personal intrigues have always been integral to the British Crown, an institution both revered and reviled.
August 22, 2006 | Rating: A-
Emanuel Levy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
In its own shambling, elliptical way it’s an entertaining, memorable movie whose 2 1/2 hours go by without strain.
June 18, 2002 | Rating: 3/4
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Hawthorne is by turn outrageous and pathetic and imperious and poignant and very funny.
April 12, 2002
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
The thrill of Hawthorne’s astounding performance is not something you want to miss.
May 12, 2001
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
TOP CRITIC
The film, though English in subject matter, was far from English in style. It was grand, not parochial; crude, not genteel, and very funny.
April 21, 2022
Quentin Crisp
Christopher Street
Hawthorne plays madness with restraint. It’s only when he hears the news from Yorktown that he goes really bananas.
March 14, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Mal Vincent
The Virginian-Pilot
It’s sometimes so loopy that one half-expects Mel Brooks to wander into the frame, muttering, “It’s good to be the king.”
September 19, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
November 4, 2007 | Rating: 4/5
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
October 10, 2007 | Rating: 4/5
James O’Ehley
Sci-Fi Movie Page
It’s Hawthorne’s engaging performance that makes this drama both fun and moving.
February 12, 2006 | Rating: B
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews…
Plot
Aging King George III of England (Sir Nigel Hawthorne) 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 (Dame Helen Mirren) and Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger (Julian Wadham) attempt to prevent the King’s political enemies, led by the Prince of Wales (Rupert Everett), from usurping the throne.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nigel Hawthorne’s performance as King George III is “outrageous and pathetic and imperious and poignant and very funny,” according to Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Nicholas-Hytner.jpg
