‘The Duke’ arrives in theaters
Category: Movies
From Sony Pictures Classics comes The Duke, a film not about John Wayne or Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, but about the Duke of Wellington. Actually, it’s not about the Duke of Wellington per se but rather it’s about his portrait. The movie is dramatic but also very funny with a talented cast and a story plucked from the headlines of 1961.
Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent) is a bumbling, talkative cabdriver married to a straight-laced woman (Helen Mirren). Their son takes after the father, to the dismay of Mrs. Bunton. Kempton is a self-proclaimed crusader for the common man, and his latest campaign is to get free television licenses for the public.
When the government purchases a Goya painting of the Duke of Wellington to display at the National Gallery, Bumpton is infuriated. For the price of the painting thousands of Brits could get free television.
Then the painting is stolen and lo-and-behold it is unwrapped in the Bunton house. Spinning a web of lies to keep the secret of the stolen painting, Kempton manages to evade the police while trying to keep his marriage on stable ground. Then he comes up with a brilliant plan to offer the painting back in return for television licenses for the public.
More deception and deceit along with some funny gaffs lead Bunton down a path of hysterical lies as he sets out determined to help the common man. Then he decides to return the painting to the gallery and is charged with the theft of the Duke. The trial is a comedy of errors, as Kempton is basically a stand-up comic in the courtroom, all the while keeping his demeanor with a dry expression on his face.
This true British crime and trial is the stuff of comedy dreams. And Broadbent shines as the sweet, well-meaning but sometimes dense man who feels he has to do something good for others.
With an A-list cast and a story ripped from the headlines, The Duke is sure to raise the attention of history fans that have not heard about this historic heist. It is the only successful heist at the National Gallery. The movie will leave audiences feeling good.
The film opens in theaters April 22, 2022. The Duke is rated R for language and brief sexuality.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.