Richard III( 1995)

TV-MADramaWar

67%

User
Score

I can smile, and murder while I smile

Overview

A murderous lust for the British throne sees Richard III descend into madness. Though the setting is transposed to the 1930s, England is torn by civil war, split between the rivaling houses of York and Lancaster. Richard aspires to a fascist dictatorship, but must first remove the obstacles to his ascension—among them his brother, his nephews and his brother's wife. When the Duke of Buckingham deserts him, Richard's plans are compromised.

Top Billed Cast

Ian McKellen
Richard III
Annette Bening
Queen Elizabeth
Jim Broadbent
The Duke of Buckingham
Robert Downey Jr.
Earl Rivers
Kristin Scott Thomas
Lady Anne
Adrian Dunbar
James Tyrrell
Maggie Smith
Duchess of York
Tim McInnerny
William Catesby
Edward Hardwicke
Lord Stanley
Nigel Hawthorne
The Duke of Clarence
Jim Carter
Lord Hastings
Dominic West
The Earl of Richmond
John Wood
King Edward IV
Roger Hammond
Archbishop Thomas
Bill Paterson
Sir Richard Ratcliffe
Donald Sumpter
Brackenbury
Michael Elphick
2nd Murderer
Kate Steavenson-Payne
Princess Elizabeth
James Dreyfus
1st Subaltern
David Antrobus
2nd Subaltern
Christopher Bowen
Prince Edward
Edward Jewesbury
King Henry
Matthew Groom
Young Prince
Ryan Gilmore
George Stanley
Marco Williamson
Prince of Wales
Tres Hanley
Air Hostess (Earl River's lover)
Andy Rashleigh
Gaolor in the Tower
Denis Lill
Lord Mayor
Bruce Purchase
City Gentleman
Madeleine Mora
Dream Angel
Stacey Kent
Ballroom Singer
Derek Lyons
Ballroom Dancer (uncredited)

Social

Review 1Discussion

A review by tmdb28039023

Written by tmdb28039023 on Sat Aug 27 2022

Co-writers Ian McKellen and Richard Loncraine (who also directs) set their Richard III in 1930s Britain, and make the infamous hunchback a fascist warmonger plotting to usurp the throne. Today's English monarchy is, at best, nominal, but even way back in the 1930s there wasn't much to be gained by usurping it. Then again, the film takes place in an alternate reality where the War of the Roses occurs 450 years after the true historical conflict did. I don’t mind so much that royalty has endured those four centuries and a half; what does bother me is that language has not evolved in the interi...