Hyde Park on the Hudson (2012) - Screening Notes

Copyright Universal Studios 2012

A sequel of sorts to The King's Speech (2010, Tom Hooper) this time with King George VI (Samuel West) and his wife Elizabeth (Olivia Coleman) visiting US President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Bill Murray) to engender support for the War effort. However Roosevelt is distracted by the women in his life, wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams), mother Sara (Elizabeth Wilson), and secretary Missy (Elizabeth Marvel). All this is seen through the eyes of country girl Daisy (Laura Linney), an outsider who develops her own special relationship with the President.

Written by Richard Nelson

Directed by Roger Michell

Running time 94 minutes

Director Profile - Roger Michell

South-African born director who specialises in intelligent dramas. Michell began his career at the BBC winning huge acclaim for The Buddha of Suburbia (1993) a coming-of age story starring Naveen Andrews (Lost) based on writer Hanif Kureishi's own experiences as a teenager in 1970's London. An outstanding adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Persuasion (95) starring Ciarán Hinds and Amanda Root was made for television but received an international cinema release. Michell moved into directing features with the low-budget IRA drama Titanic Town (1998) starring Julie Walters but it was his next film which put him on the A-list. Michell was hired to direct Notting Hill (1999), screenwriter Richard Curtis's follow-up to his box-office smash Four Weddings and a Funeral (94, Mike Newell) which again showed his skill at using London as a location.

Changing Lanes (2002) is less successful, a road rage drama about the clash between a young lawyer (Ben Affleck) and an African American businessman (Samuel L. Jackson) it feels contrived. Michell returned to surer footing with three London based films. Reteaming with Kureishi Michell directed The Mother (2003) which tells the story of the sexual relationship between a young handyman (Daniel Craig) and a an older woman. Craig also stars in Enduring Love (04), an adaptation of the Ian McEwan psychological thriller. Venus (06) is again scripted by Kureishi and deals with the awkward relationship between a retired actor (Peter O'Toole) and his carer. Back to Hollywood again with mixed results for the comedy Morning Glory (2010) with Harrison Ford. Michell's next film is based on another Kureishi script, Le Weekend and set in Paris.