From his parents and their entourage, the young George imbibed an unreasonable dislike of his grandfather, King George II, and of all his policies. Aging King George III of England (Sir Nigel Hawthorne) is exhibiting signs of madness, a problem little understood in 1788. If The Madness of King George, which Bennett adapted for the screen, dilutes some of the play's articulate intensity, it still conveys the drama's essential spirit. Click here to see the rest of this review. George III was the son of Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. The film received largely positive reviews from critics. When George forces his court to sit through an interminable session of "Greensleeves" being rung on bells, and then asks to hear it again, troubled looks are exchanged: The king is losing it. Expect grand costumes and royal pomp alongside nail-biting tension in Nottingham Playhouse’s brand new production of Alan Bennett’s moving and funny masterpiece. Aging King George III of England (Sir Nigel Hawthorne) is exhibiting signs of madness, a problem little understood in 1788. There is a massive effort to rewrite history in such a manner that any evidence of mental illness in the Royal family be seen as something else. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 93% "Certified Fresh" score … The Madness of King George Message Board (click here) Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). [Alan Bennett] -- "When George III's behaviour begins to seem odd, even for Royalty, the collapse of government is imminent. The Madness of George III is a 1991 play by Alan Bennett.It is a fictionalised biographical study of the latter half of the reign of George III of the United Kingdom, his battle with mental illness, and the inability of his court to handle his condition.It was adapted for film in 1994 as The Madness of King George King George-the-movie also has the supreme advantage of Nigel Hawthorne, who originated the role of George on stage. Aging King George III (Nigel Hawthorne) of England is exhibiting signs of madness, a problem little understood in 1788. Alan Bennett's play, now filmed with its original stage star, Nigel Hawthorne , still in the title role, is a fond portrait of this befuddled old man. As the monarch alternates between bouts of confusion and near-violent outbursts of temper, his hapless doctors attempt the ineffectual cures of the day. Critical response. Synopsis. i enjoyed the film version of King George but was required to read the screenplay of it. An exploration of the nature of kingship, the screenplay for The Madness of King George is based on the successful stage play, The Madness of George … The Madness of King George is a film directed by Nicholas Hytner with Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm, Rupert Everett, .... Year: 1994. The madness of King George. A play about power and identity, examining the fine line between a King and a man. As the monarch alternates between bouts of confusion and near-violent outbursts of temper, his hapless doctors attempt the ineffectual cures of the day. The King is subjected to the horrors of eighteenth-century medicine, the Ministers scrabble to remain in office and the Prince of Wales prepares to take power. The Madness of King George debuted strongly at the box office. The film grossed $15,238,689 from 464 North American venues. The Madness of King George Movie Review Summary. The Madness of King George III (1994) Director: Nicholas Hytner Starring: Nigel Hawthorne (King George III), Helen Mirren (the Queen), Ian Holm (Dr. Willis), Rupert Everett (the Prince of Wales), Rupert Graves (Greville), John Wood (Thurlow), Amanda Donohoe (Lady Pembroke). 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. When King George III (Sir Nigel Hawthorne) goes mad, his Lieutenants try to adjust the rules to run the country without his participation. The story of King George III of England's (Sir Nigel Hawthorne's) slide into insanity, and the political and royal back-stabbing which results from his incapacitation. As the monarch alternates between bouts of confusion and near-violent outbursts of temper, his hapless doctors attempt the ineffectual cures of the day. The Madness of King George. ... is eager to take over power, his wife remains devoted, and his new physician uses various unusual tactics to battle the madness ... piece. Synopsis: A meditation on power and the metaphor of the body of state, based on the real episode of dementia experienced by George III [now suspected a victim of porphyria, a blood disorder].