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Hands across the cartoon sea
"Hyde Park on Hudson' (1st review)
David Woods
Roger Michell's Hyde Park on Hudson concerns the 1939 visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to President Franklin Roosevelt's rustic retreat on the Hudson River.
George is here, cap in hand— or possibly crown in hand— to beg for American support in what looks to be an imminent European war. This scenario creates a sort of role reversal: the patrician president speaks with the cadences of American aristocracy while the royals are portrayed as querulous, ill at ease and, well, a bit common.
Elizabeth is played here as a toothy kvetch given to comparing George with his more dashing brother, who gave up the throne to marry his American paramour. As the king and queen settle into their hideously decorated room, she complains that the cartoon in their bedroom showing British soldiers defeated in the war of 1812 is surely a personal slur.
Caricature bumblers
The royals also seem overanxious about the following day's planned picnic, at which, they hear, will be something called "haut dawgs." Actually, this movie itself is a bit of a dog's breakfast: If the royal visitors are caricature bumblers, FDR's bossy mother and his paler-than-life wife Eleanor hardly get much traction.
A central role goes instead to Daisy, the president's distant cousin and paramour. Their affair is hinted at in wink-wink-nudge-nudge style when FDR whisks her off to the country in his car, which is fitted entirely with hand controls. Daisy demurely and distractedly provides the president with a hand control of her own.
A touching moment in this "Two nations separated by a common language" piece of hands-across-the sea froth shows the two leaders sequestered together over cocktails. In paternal fashion, FDR points to the equivalency of their respective afflictions— his polio; George's stutter. Just as FDR triumphed despite his affliction, the president allows, George "will make a very fine king."
Overlooked elegance
As an ex-Brit with no huge enthusiasm for royalty, I was nevertheless mildly distressed by the film's portrayal of the king and queen, which seemed to have been conceived by a devoted English Republican. In real life, George VI was a rather elegant figure, and Elizabeth a charming and socially adept young woman, eventually to become the Queen Mum in popular affection.
Bill Murray is superb as the president who, in a more deferential or even reverential age, was never photographed with his leg braces. But the brilliant light he shines in the role hardly touches the other members of this ensemble.♦
To read another review by Robert Zaller, click here.
To read a related comment by Steve Cohen, click here.
George is here, cap in hand— or possibly crown in hand— to beg for American support in what looks to be an imminent European war. This scenario creates a sort of role reversal: the patrician president speaks with the cadences of American aristocracy while the royals are portrayed as querulous, ill at ease and, well, a bit common.
Elizabeth is played here as a toothy kvetch given to comparing George with his more dashing brother, who gave up the throne to marry his American paramour. As the king and queen settle into their hideously decorated room, she complains that the cartoon in their bedroom showing British soldiers defeated in the war of 1812 is surely a personal slur.
Caricature bumblers
The royals also seem overanxious about the following day's planned picnic, at which, they hear, will be something called "haut dawgs." Actually, this movie itself is a bit of a dog's breakfast: If the royal visitors are caricature bumblers, FDR's bossy mother and his paler-than-life wife Eleanor hardly get much traction.
A central role goes instead to Daisy, the president's distant cousin and paramour. Their affair is hinted at in wink-wink-nudge-nudge style when FDR whisks her off to the country in his car, which is fitted entirely with hand controls. Daisy demurely and distractedly provides the president with a hand control of her own.
A touching moment in this "Two nations separated by a common language" piece of hands-across-the sea froth shows the two leaders sequestered together over cocktails. In paternal fashion, FDR points to the equivalency of their respective afflictions— his polio; George's stutter. Just as FDR triumphed despite his affliction, the president allows, George "will make a very fine king."
Overlooked elegance
As an ex-Brit with no huge enthusiasm for royalty, I was nevertheless mildly distressed by the film's portrayal of the king and queen, which seemed to have been conceived by a devoted English Republican. In real life, George VI was a rather elegant figure, and Elizabeth a charming and socially adept young woman, eventually to become the Queen Mum in popular affection.
Bill Murray is superb as the president who, in a more deferential or even reverential age, was never photographed with his leg braces. But the brilliant light he shines in the role hardly touches the other members of this ensemble.♦
To read another review by Robert Zaller, click here.
To read a related comment by Steve Cohen, click here.
What, When, Where
Hyde Park on Hudson. A film directed by Roger Michell. For Philadelphia area show times, click here.
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