The Duke Review: Broadbent & Mirren Excel In Stylish, Heartwarming Dramedy
The incredible true story behind the 1961 theft of Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington comes to life in The Duke, a stylish new caper from the late Roger Michell (Notting Hill). Those unfamiliar with the actual events will get a kick out of watching them unfold, while even audiences who do know how everything transpired will likely be engrossed by the untold side of the story. Michell, working from a script by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, treats the absurd tale with respect and heart, giving The Duke an earnest touch that elevates the material. Though it lags slightly in the middle, The Duke is an overall delightful depiction of a remarkable true story led by heartwarming performances.
In 1961, Goya's famous Duke of Wellington portrait is put on display in London's National Gallery. Purchased for £140,000 by the British government, its place in the U.K. is considered a point of pride. However, for Newcastle resident Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent), the idea that so much money could be spent on such an item while OAPs, or old-age pensioners, must pay for television licenses is unfair. Soon after, Kempton steals the Duke from the Gallery and begins sending ransom notes calling on the government to put some money towards the elderly. What follows is a surprisingly emotional true story as Kempton, with the help of his son Jackie (Fionn Whitehead), fights for what he deems is only right, even while his put-upon wife Dorothy (Helen Mirren) wishes he would cease his activism.
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The story of an older man stealing a painting with an eye on raising awareness for a situation involving television licenses might seem rather silly, and Michell
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