History Film / TheMadnessOfKingGeorge

* SecretRelationship: The Prince of Wales' marriage to Mrs. Fitzherbert, which has to be kept secret because [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Marriages_Act_1772 royals can't get married without permission from the Crown]], and there's no chance of permission being given in this case because Mrs. Fitzherbert is both a commoner and a devoted Catholic. (For an heir to the British throne, marrying a commoner was obviously frowned upon, and [[http://www.britroyals.com/succession.htm marrying a Catholic was actually forbidden by law between 1701 and 2013]].)

Contemporary audiences noted some obvious similarities between the film's [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfHanover House of Hanover]] and the twentieth-century [[TheHouseOfWindsor House of Windsor]], especially when it came to frustrated Princes of Wales. However, the film is as much a response to ''Theatre/KingLear'' as to modern royal foibles.

Contemporary audiences noted some obvious similarities between the film's [[TheHouseOfHanover House of Hanover]] and the twentieth-century [[TheHouseOfWindsor House of Windsor]], especially when it came to frustrated Princes of Wales. However, the film is as much a response to ''Theatre/KingLear'' as to modern royal foibles.

* AdiposeRex: Prince George. He just gets bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger throughout this film.
** The Duke of York puts on weight during the film too.

* OhCrap: The Prince of Wales' response when the King shows up again, defusing the crisis.

* SoundtrackDissonance: Handel's "Zadok the Priest" (traditionally used at coronations) plays when the king is first bound to the chair.

* VerbalTic: What, what? Hey, hey!
** The verbal tics are a sign that George is ''normal''.

* HeyItsThatGuy: You might recognize King George as his descendant Elizabeth's most loyal civil servant [[YesMinister Sir Humphrey Appleby]].

* BoundAndGagged: In a cruel mockery of the coronation, George III is gagged and bound to a chair when he "misbehaves."
** The whole treatment of King George in the hands of Francis Willis (and other doctors) is sadly [[TruthInTelevision Truth in Television]]. Obviously Willis was the first to use straightjacketing, and it made scandal at the time because it violated the person of the King. But when George went better and was declared cured Willis was acclaimed as a hero.

* GenreBlindness: Thurlow completely fails to realize that he's in ''Theatre/KingLear''.
** Except at the end when he ''gets it'' ("If only the messenger had moved quicker!")... and rushes to Pitt and the rest of Parliament with the good news just before the Regency bill could be passed.

* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Of all the characters, Captain Greville is, by far, the nicest to George III; therefore, it should come as no surprise that [[spoiler: the king fires him at the end of the film.]]
** [[spoiler: To be fair, this was because the higher ranking staff get reassigned elsewhere since they've seen the king at his worst and it would make for a very awkward environment otherwise, and some are paid off handsomely.]] No, the sad thing about Greville [[spoiler: is that his 'relationship' with the Lady Pembroke ends and he figures out he'd been used by her to protect the King's reputation.]]
** As Fitzroy explains, Greville was sacked because he served the King out of personal feeling of kindness rather than duty. He went beyond his duty as the King's Squire to help him by pity and he invested himself emotionally to the King's well-being. Cue his clumsy early comment in front of the King's doctor that [[spoiler:The King is only a man]], which probably also made him suspicious to some of his superiors.

* PragmaticAdaptation: The politicians have much more to do in the original play. Sheridan and Dundas, for example, are actual roles, not bit parts. For the film, Bennett cut back on the politics to achieve a tighter focus on the King's madness.
** Bennett actually began chopping bits and pieces out of the political plot during the play's US tour.

* SecretRelationship: The Prince of Wales' marriage to Mrs. Fitzherbert.
** For those who slept through history class: Maria Fitzherbert was a commoner AND a devoted Catholic. Both points prevented a current member of the British Royals from marrying someone like her until the 21st century (well, you ''could'' marry a commoner, but the looks of scorn from the titled nobility wouldn't be worth it). Worse yet: Royals can't get married - [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Marriages_Act_1772 not then nor now]] - without permission from the Crown.
*** The sad fact is that the movie hints that Mrs. Fitzherbert might have been ''the best thing'' in the prince's life, and could have been a decent queen if she'd only been given the chance.
*** At least as far as the "marrying a commoner" part goes, the current second-in-line for the British throne has opted to do just that, with some [[BlatantLies small interest]] [[SarcasmMode from the]] [[http://royalwedding.yahoo.com/ international press.]] [[http://www.britroyals.com/succession.htm Those in line for the thrones still couldn't marry Catholics until 2013, though.]]
*** And the Crown can get around the "marrying a commoner" bit by granting title to the bride or family. As long as they do it ''before'' the wedding...

* UngratefulBastard: At the end, the King [[spoiler: fires all of the footmen, along with Captain Greville, and begrudges the annuity he has to pay Dr. Willis.]]
** He had to. The servants had seen the King at his worst, and keeping them on could have created some uncomfortable moments. It's implied most of them will get cushy jobs elsewhere.

* BittersweetEnding: The King is cured and the Prince of Wales is thwarted - [[spoiler:but Greville and all the loyal retainers are sacked, Greville learns Lady Pembroke was just using him,]] and anyone who knows their history will be aware that George will have another relapse and be permanently mad by 1810.

** [[spoiler: the higher ranking staff gets reassigned elsewhere, and some are paid off handsomely.]] No, the sad thing about Greville [[spoiler: is that his 'relationship' with the Lady Pembroke ends and he figures out he'd been used by her to protect the King's reputation.]]
** As Fitzroy explains, Greville was sacked because his served the King out of personal feeling of kindness rather than duty. He went beyond his duty as the King's Squire to help him by pity and he invested himself emotionally to the King's well-being. Cue his clumsy early comment in front of the King's doctor that [[spoiler:The King is only a man]], which probably also made him suspicious to some of his superiors.

*** The movie hints that Mrs. Fitzherbert might have been ''the best thing'' in the prince's life and could have been a decent queen.
*** At least as far as the "marrying a commoner" part goes, the current second-in-line for the British throne has opted to do just that, with some [[BlatantLies small interest]] [[SarcasmMode from the]] [[http://royalwedding.yahoo.com/ international press.]] [[http://www.britroyals.com/succession.htm They still couldn't marry Catholics until 2013, though.]]

*** At least as far as the "marrying a commoner" part goes, the current second-in-line for the British throne has opted to do just that, with some [[BlatantLies small interest]] [[SarcasmMode from the]] [[http://royalwedding.yahoo.com/ international press.]] They still can't marry Catholics, though.

** For those who slept through history class: Maria Fitzherbert was a commoner AND a devoted Catholic. Both points would prevent a current member of the British Royals from marrying someone like her ''even today'' (well, you ''could'' marry a commoner, but the looks of scorn from the titled nobility wouldn't be worth it). Worse yet: Royals can't get married - [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Marriages_Act_1772 not then nor now]] - without permission from the Crown.

* ViewersAreMorons: NOT an example, despite what many will tell you. There is persistent rumour that the title was changed from ''The Madness of George III'' to ''The Madness of King George'' because they thought American audiences would think it was a sequel. The change was for American eyes, but the intent was merely to make it clear to a country that's never had royalty that the movie was about a king. When English audiences see a first name followed by a Roman numeral, they immediately think 'king'. Americans have no such coding.

* ShoutOutToShakespeare: to ''Theatre/KingLear'', obviously. In real life, King George didn't enjoy Shakespeare much.[[hottip:*: "Was there ever such stuff as great part of Shakespeare? Only one must not say so! But what think you? What? Is there not sad stuff? What? What?"]]
** But he uses ''Lear'' [[FridgeBrilliance to get Thurlow aware of how it relates to what's happening to the King]], and gets the side-switching minister back on his side.

* ShoutOutToShakespeare: to ''Theatre/KingLear'', obviously. In real life, King George didn't enjoy Shakespeare much.[[hottip:*: "Was there ever such stuff as great part of Shakespeare? Only one must not say so!"]]

* ShoutOutToShakespeare: to ''Theatre/KingLear'', obviously. In real life, King George didn't enjoy Shakespeare much.

A little over two centuries later, the playwright Alan Bennett turned this material into ''Theatre/TheMadnessOfGeorgeIII'' (1991), which proved to be an international hit. Bennett and director Nicholas Hytner adapted it to film as ''The Madness of King George'' (1994); the film had a successful art house run and earned an Oscar nomination (not to mention some very belated recognition) for its star, Nigel Hawthorne. HelenMirren was also nominated for an Oscar as "Best Actress in a Supporting Role", for her portayal of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, George III's Queen consort.

* DidNotDoTheResearch: A small, blink-and-you'll-miss-it instance. Early on, George III is bemoaning the loss of the American colonies. The camera at one point shows a globe turned to display the new United States. The problem is that the borders of the U.S. shown are those as of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803; the movie is set in 1788, at which point the U.S. did not occupy any territory west of the Mississippi River.
** This scene is arguably also an example in that George III apparently never dwelt negatively on American independence after it happened and advocated friendship with the new United States.

In late 1788, George III once again began showing signs of the mysterious mental illness that had first plagued him in the 1760s. Politicians, scenting the possibility of change, homed in for the kill. So, for that matter, did the king's much-disliked son and heir, the Prince of Wales. But in 1789, just as the Prince was on the verge of becoming Regent...the king made a miraculous (and mysterious) recovery.

* BearerOfBadNews: Captain Fitzroy does this quite a lot, although he's clearly enjoying himself.

* BerserkButton: The Prince of Wales is this to King George... regardless of his sanity or not. And when he finds out - once his wits are about him - that his worthless son had gotten ''married without permission''...
* {{Blackmail}}: Lord Chancellor Thurlow uses the Prince's marriage to blackmail Fox.
* BoundAndGagged: In a cruel mockery of the coronation, George III is gagged and bound to a chair when he "misbehaves."

* CreatorCameo: That's author Alan Bennett as the nasal MP who starts speechifying just as George III rolls up in his coach.
* DeadpanSnarker: Fortnum; Pitt, on occasion.

* DramaticIrony: The happy ending is not, in fact, a happy ending, because George III will go mad again (permanently so by 1810).
* DysfunctionalFamily: The Prince of Wales vs. Ma and Pa.
* TheEvilPrince: The Prince of Wales, although the film does convey his understandable frustration.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Virtually the entire cast of characters, except for Captain Fitzroy.
* HoneyTrap: To gain access to the King, the Queen sends Lady Pembroke off to seduce [[spoiler: Captain Greville.]]

* ImpededMessenger: Both averted and [[{{Lampshade}} lampshaded]] in Thurlow's race to Parliament before the Regency bill passes.

* MeaningfulName: Fitzroy, a name originally given to a king's illegitimate child.
* MeddlingParents: The King and Queen keep close tabs on what their adult children are doing. Too close, as far as the Prince of Wales is concerned...

** As Fitzroy explains, Greville was sacked because his served the King out of personal feeling of kindness rather than duty. He went beyond his duty as the King's Squire to help him by pity and he invested himself emotionally to the King's well-being. Cue his clumsy early comment in front of the King's doctor that [[spoiler:The King is only a man]], which probably also made him suspicious to some of his superiors.
* NotHimself: One of the big themes--the King returns to sanity when he begins to "seem himself."

** Bennett actually began chopping bits and pieces out of the political plot during the play's US tour.

* ShoutOutToShakespeare: to ''KingLear'', obviously. In real life, King George didn't enjoy Shakespeare much.

** The king also breaks down completely during a concert devoted to Handel's music.
* TheStoic: Pitt.
* StrawmanPolitical: Republicanism (as in opposition to monarchical government, not the GOP) is the film's whipping boy.

** Thurlow twists and turns all over the place.

** Captain Fitzroy also jumps both ways, although he is more interested in the King as a ''position'' than he is in his own career.

* TheIshmael: Captain Greville.
** TruthInTelevision, as Bennett used Greville's memoirs as one of his sources.

* OhCrap: The Prince of Wales' response when the King shows up again.

* ShoutOut: Fortnum exits to open a shop that sounds suspiciously like Fortnum & Mason. (It isn't--Fortnum & Mason opened in 1707, although the earlier Fortnum was also a royal footman.)

A little over two centuries later, the playwright Alan Bennett turned this material into ''The Madness of George III'' (1991), which proved to be an international hit. Bennett and director Nicholas Hytner adapted it to film as ''The Madness of King George'' (1994); the film had a successful art house run and earned an Oscar nomination (not to mention some very belated recognition) for its star, Nigel Hawthorne. HelenMirren was also nominated for an Oscar as "Best Actress in a Supporting Role", for her portayal of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, George III's Queen consort.

* TheAlcoholic: Pitt, in the play (the film only mentions this in passing).

* HistoricalBeautyUpdate: In the film, Queen Charlotte and Lady Pembroke. William Pitt the Younger, too, although that's a matter of casting instead of the script.
** Averted in the play, however.

* RoyallyScrewedUp: By porphyria, according to both film and play.
** Explained by a combination of FlashForward and BreakingTheFourthWall in the play.