Rent The Duke (2020)

A missed opportunity - The Duke review by JR

This is based on an extraordinary true story, but takes a formulaic 'plucky ordinary bloke takes on the might of the law' approach. It is watchable enough, but is one of those films that uses music to tell you what to think: jaunty music tells you to laugh, 'Jerusalem' tells you to feel proud and moved. Jim Broadbent is in full 'national treasure' mode, and Helen Mirren looks very odd with a frozen, expressionless face. There are some split screen moments - it didn't work in the sixties, and it doesn't now.

Charming - The Duke review by sb

A story so improbable it must be true - which it is....

Broadbent plays Kempton an elderly political agitator in early 60's Newcastle. His current campaign is for free TV licences for OAP's that gets him 14 days in pokey for non-payment.

He becomes aware that Goya's painting of the Duke of Wellington has been saved for the nation at vast cost and he figures how many TV licences the reward money will buy - so on a whim he steals it.....

The police suspect an international gang of professional thieves rather than a slighty doddery pensioner - I shall leave how the rest of the story plays out - just to say it takes some very unexpected turns.

Broadbent uses his twinkly charm to great effect matched by an almost unrecognisible Mirren as his long suffering wife.

Its drolly amusing throughout but at the same has a family tragedy from the past that has built a wall between the couple that gives the film a poignancy that gives the film a real heft.

Its got an old fashioned almost Ealing Comedy feel to it (you can imagine Alec Guiness or Stanley Holloway in the role and ultinatly restores your faith in humanity - marvellous stuff - 4/5

Really enjoyed this - The Duke review by CS

Jim Broadbent wonderful in this 1960's drama which I can fully relate to being a 50's child.

Kids these days don't realise how hard it was for youngsters born just after the war.

Good storyline which ticks along with some great humour with Helen Mirren playing the long suffering wife.

A great way to spend an hour and a half - I watched it twice ! Thoroughly recommend.

Not as good as it should have been - The Duke review by MR

Somehow this film does not hit the spot. Jim Broadbent is excellent, but the whole thing just does not engage you for some reason. Some of the direction is too tricksy, and the dialogue is hard to catch. It all seems to be rushed through. Worth a look for the amusing court scene.

If we have to navel gaze in the UK, let's do it like this. - The Duke review by Strovey

Directed by the late Roger Michell The Duke is a fine example of the type of film the British film industry makes well. Not so much nowadays but every now and then one of them pops up for our entertainment. A true story, that usually is in the spirit but not necessarily entirely accurate, about an event or person who fought against overwhelming odds to somehow win the day or at least the hearts and respect of the audience. Often infused with comedy throughout the story our hero will be flawed but charming and likeable and generally funny. It sounds cliched and awful written like this but when it is crafted well with a director, writers and actors who know what they are doing it nearly always works.

Such is the case with The Duke. The events shown happened, in fact a lot of the court case dialogue is true and the outcome of the case and the postscript confession is more or less how the story played out. Events have been compressed, Bunton was undoubtedly not as charming and lovable as skilfully portrayed by Broadbent and his wife was not around until the 1970s so we would have missed the hard-bitten working-class women turn from Helen Mirren if the film had been completely factual. Let us be honest where is the fun in that?

This rendition of an interesting footnote in sixties crime and obscure family story was approved by Bunton’s great-grandson, it is fun and likable and a wonderful way to spent 95 minutes of your time.

We are treated throughout the run time of glossy sixties-style side swipes to get us into that time period and alongside the drab grey aspect of the tiny house the Buntons lived in this works more than it fails. Jim Broadbent is on top form as the film focuses mainly on his cheerfully agitative character for most of the running time meaning he has to carry a lot of the film, luckily it is Jim Broadbent so all is safe. Ably supported by a very much ‘yang’ character of his wife played by Helen Mirren we get a possibly more realistic portrayal of the poor working class in that time period. Hardworking, proud, worn-down and tough Mirren just about saves what could be a relentless miserable character by showing a lighter more loving side to her persona as the film nears its end.

Matthew Goode and Anna Maxwell-Martin are in good form as another main staple for this style of film, the upper-middle-class toff who is surprisingly okay. You can justifiably shout ‘trite’ but somehow it feels comfortable and familiar yet not in an annoying ‘seen it all before way.’

CGI, Bradford and I believe Leeds fill in for 1960s London and Newcastle as filming on location in 2020 in those places just would not work any longer. Not being from the North I could not spot any errors or anything looking out of place and although the effects for London were a little obvious it was still decent work to get the feel for the settings.

The whole story whips along at a nice pace, never sags or gets baggy and is a welcome reminder of that well-made and entertaining stories about British eccentrics based on surprising truth are still being made and very well too.

Roger Michell is no longer with us but others will accept the batten and every now and then a slight but enjoyable gem will surface.

If nothing else The Duke is worth viewing for peak on-form Jim Broadbent and the court case dialogue which was apparently mostly what was actually said at the time. Recommended.