Aging King George III of England 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 and Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger attempt to prevent the king's political enemies, led by the Prince of Wales, from usurping the throne.
For those who, like myself, were disappointed in the play, the film contains pleasant surprises, all of them resulting from differences between the two arts.
– Stanley Kauffmann,
The New Republic,
1 Jan 2000
fresh:
The thrill of Hawthorne's astounding performance is not something you want to miss.
– Peter Travers,
Rolling Stone,
12 May 2001
fresh:
Hawthorne is by turn outrageous and pathetic and imperious and poignant and very funny.
– Rick Groen,
Globe and Mail,
12 Apr 2002
fresh:
In its own shambling, elliptical way it's an entertaining, memorable movie whose 2 1/2 hours go by without strain.
– Mick LaSalle,
San Francisco Chronicle,
18 Jun 2002
fresh:
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.