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| Laura Linney and Bill Murray as historically important characters in a gold-rimmed setting on this pleasant, neat poster for Roger Michell's Hyde Park on Hudson |
In 1939, Europe was on the brink of another calamitous world war. The US still struggled in the shadows of the Depression. President Franklin D. Roosevelt spent as much of his time as possible in his mother's upstate New York residence. And there the royal family of Great Britain visited America for the first time ever, disguised hat-in-hand, to persuade them to join in and rescue Europe from the evils of Nazism.
Hyde Park on Hudson disrobes European, monarchic snobbery and exacts laughs from the meeting between democratic and royal behavior. It will therefore appeal especially to those with some sense of humor about the royal institutions of the world. Written by American screen and playwright Richard Nelson (Ethan Frome (1993)), the humor of Hyde Park is irreverent and human, American to its core, without a single British tongue-in-cheek moment. It fit my taste perfectly.
The film mostly centers on two days; one almost unending evening and night, and the following day with its common hotdog picnic planned for the visiting honor guests. Though of course this is a historical drama with political elements, - and very interesting for these qualities, - the core of Hyde Park is actually a love story between a distant cousin and President Roosevelt, a true-story enduring secret until her death, - and a matter of dispute among FDR experts. It is played out here beautifully as a story of compromise, human flaws and acceptance, sides to the hidden life of the president in light of his wife Eleanor's homosexuality.
Much of the film's power issues from Bill Murray's (St. Vincent (2014)) lead portrayal of FDR, a man that he instills with great humor, warmth and dignity. Though I had expected nothing else from long time favorite Murray, he deserves great accolades again for his work here.
Other noteworthy performances come especially from the British; Samuel West (Foyle's War (2004), TV-series) in the part of King George VI 'Bertie', whom Colin Firth previously portrayed so brilliantly in Tom Hooper's great smash hit masterpiece The King's Speech (2010). West stands out on his own, and we believe in him as that man, just three years after Firth's total triumph, which is a real feat. Fellow Brit, Olivia Colman (The Iron Lady (2011)) also excels as Queen Elizabeth, who, fraught with dissatisfaction and indignation, struggles with her American hosts' style and decidedly more frank etiquette.
Seasoned South African director Roger Michell (Notting Hill (1999)) steers the ship deftly.
Hyde Park is a fine film which critics generally have been lukewarm towards. SPOILER - I can only suspect that they are not satisfied with the film's long build-up to a climax which is basically a grown man eating a hotdog. - This will be explained if you see the film. Allegations against the script's structure, which have been made by some tireless critics, seem largely baseless in my opinion.
Few films could be better summer entertainment than this, so go out with an open mind and have some fun at Hyde Park on Hudson, which has terrifically beautiful countryside vistas, historical sweep and great production value.
Related post:
Roger Michell: Morning Glory (2010) - McAdams, morning TV and great co-stars spell good fun
Watch a trailer for the film here
Cost: Unknown
Box office: 10.9 mil. $
= Unknown (likely a big or huge flop)
[Hyde Park on Hudson premiered 31 August (Telluride Film Festival, Colorado) and runs 95 minutes. Nelson had met Daisy Suckley, (FDR's cousin, on whose letters and diaries the film is based upon), in 1991. His script was first reworked as a radio play, before Michell became available. Filming took place in England. The film has received critique for taking too much of a creative license with the story. It opened #32 to a 81k $ first weekend in 4 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #20 and in 222 theaters (different weeks) and grossed 6.3 mil. $ (57.8 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Australia with 1.1 mil. $ (10%) and France with 1 mil. $ (9.2 %). Without knowing the budget, it isn't possibly to accurately determine the film's theatrical performance; although if it had a likely 10-20 mil. $ cost, it would count as a big-to-huge flop. Roger Ebert gave the film 3.5/4 stars, equal to its rating here. Murray was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance in the film. Michell returned with Le Week-End (2013). Murray returned in A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (2012), Linney in Enduring Legacy (2012, short), The Big C (2010-13) and then theatrically in The Fifth Estate (2013). Hyde Park on Hudson is rotten at 37 % with a 5.3 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
What do you think of Hyde Park on Hudson?
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