As The King’s Speech heads to cinemas, Movies.ie picks seven of its favourite movie kings!
THE CRUSADES
A masterpiece by Cecil B. DeMille, this kingly flick features not one but two Kings – Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, but mostly it’s about Richard and his love for a beautiful princess. Historically inaccurate but a great watch nonetheless.
BECKET
Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton play King Henry II and his close friend the Archbishop of Canterbury. Packed full of drama and intrigue, this pair put on an excellent show of how power can affect a lifelong friendship…
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL
There are so many movies about King Arthur, but this by far the best. Sure it places fast and loose with the truth, but at least you can laugh hysterically with this one. A must see kingly flick.
KING LEAR
The story of a power hungry king and his daughters, this faithful adaption of Shakespeare is a worthy watch and Leaving Cert students, take note – this adaption iis all you need to ace English Paper 2. Featuring Lawrence Oliver in his final big screen role, it is generally considered to be Oliver’s greatest performance and there has never been another adaption of this play that has come close to this movie.
THE LION IN THE WINTER
Katharine Hepburn and Peter O’Toole match wits as Eleanor and Henry II in one of the greatest love/hate relationships in history. The tension is almost unbearable and you’ll never guess the ending…
PRINCESS MONONOKE
An honourable mention, as this film isn’t really about a king at all. though there is a king in it and he plays a very important part! This beautifully realised animation from legendary animatorHayao Miyazaki was supposed to be his final film. Thank god it wasn’t.
RICHARD III
Lawrence Oliver leads as the amoral King, who has no quarms in killing all those in his way to the throne. Thankfully it all comes good in the end, when the evil Richard III is killed in the final battle while he yells for a horse. A brilliant movie about a king–different from others in that this king is evil.