The Lost King follows the life-affirming true story of a woman who endeavours to restore the soiled reputation of Richard III, widely considered as one of the most evil monarchs in English history. Melodramatic villainy seems to exist beyond the realm of Shakespeare, in more ways than one.
★★✰✰✰
When one thinks of Richard III, what usually springs to mind is the archetypal devious and deformed villain from Shakespeare’s play of the same name. In an attempt to legitimise the Tudor myth, he is characterised as a scheming, murderous tyrant who embodies the worst of late-medieval chicanery. Up until recently, this maligned fictional figure has been widely accepted as an authentic portrait of his historical counterpart.
Now, thanks to the unyielding dedication of one amateur historian, which led to the discovery of Richard III’s remains in a Leicester car park, people are finally starting to separate historical fact from fictional embellishment. This remarkable true story forms the basis of Stephen Frears’ latest work, The Lost King, which follows the journey of Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins), an Edinburgh office worker who sets out on a quest to uncover the remains of Richard III. Feeling routinely undervalued at work because of her chronic health condition, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to this monarch vilified on account of his disability.
With this newfound fascination she begins her own research, and it isn’t long before cracks start to appear in Shakespeare’s narrative. Not only was there no conclusive evidence that the King murdered his two nephews, but his exhumed skeleton indicated that his spine was actually curved rather than hunched. With these long-standing myths surrounding his murderous deeds and physical disfigurement being debunked, she and many other supporters endeavour to restore Richard’s reputation once and for all.
“We stand united against lies and falsehoods,” affirm the loyal members of the Richard III Society. But as one distorted reality is corrected, another historical injustice takes its place. What follows is a classic, if slightly melodramatic, example of the classic underdog story, as Langley’s repeated efforts to find the King’s remains and challenge the historical narrative are thwarted at virtually every turn. Yet she is spurred on by frequent apparitions of the 15th century King, played by Harry Lloyd, who takes the form of an actor she has seen portray Shakespeare’s role.
Frears’ film appeared to have a lot of potential to be a heart-warming story about triumph over adversity. However, it falls short in its regression into stereotypical villainy and an infuriating habit of having to spell out everything to the audience.
While the film champions the overturning of Richard III’s status as a pantomime villain, another evil caricature takes its place. In comes Richard Taylor (Lee Ingleby), the representative for the University of Leicester, who is depicted as your formulaic moustache-twirling antagonist who frequently ridicules Langley and eventually tries to take credit for her work. You’ll laugh unintentionally at his over-the-top malevolence, half expecting him to break into an evil laugh any time. Yet this fortuitous hilarity comes at a price, as Philippa Langley’s astonishing story of self-belief is simplified into a tired example of the recycled underdog narrative with the whimsical non-conformist shunned by the smug, overbearing establishment. There is a certain irony that a film that criticises Shakespeare’s historical revisionism in favour of creating a definitive antagonist is currently under fire for supposedly doing the exact same thing with its disparaging portrait of Leicester University academics.
The Lost King is also let down by its screenplay, as the dialogue never feels naturalistic. Every single detail about the characters, whether it be their thoughts, motivations or backstory, is all spoon-fed to us. Interactions never feel authentic, and this is particularly notable during the scenes between Hawkins and Steve Coogan—Langley’s ex-husband, John. While both are talented actors, their on-screen chemistry is stifled by on-the-nose dialogue.
This is painfully showcased in a scene at Edinburgh castle where John starts to show his concern for Langley as her obsession with Richard III grows. There was huge potential for an effective scene that reflects the full extent of their strained relationship. While there is clearly tension between the two of them, John is still only able to articulate his emotions by directing them at his children instead, still reluctant to break down the frosty wall between them. However, this is ruined when one of their kids explains it to us: “he was talking to you, but really he was saying it to mum.” Although this may have been one of screenwriter Jeff Pope’s many attempts at inserting humour into the family dynamic, it spoils what could have been an impactful moment. The scenes between Langley and her own visions of the King have a similar feel. Although there is certainly chemistry between the two actors, having subtler dialogue would have created a much more heartfelt and sincere connection between them.
The film does marginally redeem itself with a tremendous score by Alexandre Desplat, who is best known for his film scores for The Shape of Water, The King’s Speech, and Zero Dark Thirty. Its majestic quality fills the scenes with a sense of dramatic purpose, which not only creates a sense of grandeur befitting a film about Shakespeare, but also effectively mirrors Langley’s own fiery determination in her quest. It seems a shame that such a vibrant score is wasted on a film that feels so tedious and recycled.
The Verdict
While The Lost King boasts a stellar cast who each try to bring their best to their respective roles, they are either held back by weak dialogue or reduced to one-dimensional villains in a script that uses Langley’s awe-inspiring story merely as a means of telling a simple, by-the-book tale which feels older than Shakespeare himself.
Words by Katie Heyes
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