United Kingdom  

 

King George III (Nigel Hawthorne) is suffering from an unknown ailment that threatens to render him unfit to sit upon the throne of England. This is a huge problem considering that his ambitious son (Rupert Everett) is looking to overthrow him and may now have the perfect opportunity to do so. Not so fast though, Mr. Prince--your mother is on the alert and won't let you get too far! Helen Mirren is brilliant as the confused and exasperated Queen, who wants so badly to help her husband but has no idea where to begin; however, she does everything she can to make sure his monarchy is assured during his illness. Fantastic dialogue by Alan Bennett (adapting his own play The Madness of George III) and a great supporting cast that includes the beautiful Amanda Donohoe, Rupert Graves and Ian Holm as a hard-hitting surgeon with a militaristic approach to curing his sovereign. Hawthorne is the heartbeat of the film, though, and his performance is energetic, intelligent and unforgettable.