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The Duke Review — The Duke (2020) Film Review, a movie directed by Roger Michell, written by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman and starring Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren, Heather Craney, James Wilby, Matthew Goode, John Heffernan, Sarah Annett, Charlie Richmond, Anna Maxwell Martin, Fionn Whitehead, Richard McCabe, Andrew Havill and Sarah Beck Mather. Jim Broadbent [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: The Duke (2020): Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren are Splendid in a Heartwarming Comedy...

The last film from the late director Roger Michell (Notting Hill [1999]), the simple tale of a man and an art heist entitled The Duke, is one of the most enchanting and heart-warming films of the year.

Michell’s film tells the story of 60-year-old taxi driver, Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent), who, in 1961 removed Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. Bunton then sent ransom notes demanding that the government put aside more money for the care of the elderly if the museum wanted the painting returned. The truth was far from the tall tales that Kempton told on a daily basis to any within earshot. The only certainty of the entire affair was that Kempton was a good man intent on keeping his marriage, and family intact.

As directed by Michell (whose additional work includes notable pieces such as Venus [2006] and My Cousin Rachel...

Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on Wbgr-fm on April 28th, reviewing “The Duke,” a British heist comedy featuring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, in select theaters April 29th.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent) is a perpetually unemployed dreamer, who write plays and drives his wife Dorothy (Helen Mirren) crazy with his anarchistic principles, often getting his younger son Jackie (Fionn Whitehead) involved. When collectors come for his TV license … Britain collects fees from each home for programming … he begins a protest that leads to London, and while there he gets involved in stealing a priceless painting – the Duke of Wellington by Francisco Goya – to further his cause.

“The Duke” is in select theaters beginning April 29th. Featuring Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren, Fionn Whitehead, Matthew Goode and Jack Bandeira. Written by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman. Directed by Roger Mitchell. Rated “PG-...

Sony Pictures Classics art heist caper The Duke, Neon’s tender Petite Maman, and Charlotte from Good Deed Films, an animated biopic with mature themes, open an eclectic specialty weekend ready to draw older crowds if they’re ready to return.

Younger demos are back when they like the pic, as per A24s Everything Everywhere All At Once. Families also, based on Sonic The Hedgehog 2. With CinemaCon opening Monday to set the theatrical table for the rest of 2022 and beyond, NATO chief John Fithian predicts the reluctance of the 35 to 40+ crowd is “definitely going to change.”

“I think the growth is going to come as much from smaller budget films as from blockbusters,” he tells Deadline ahead of the first full-blown confab of exhibitors, studios and indie distributors since Covid. Audiences that have stayed the most at home are “the most excited about coming back out,” he said.

The Goya Next Door: Michell’s Swan Song a Slender Thread of Anti-authoritarianism

We’re primed to believe in the importance of a film whenever we’re greeted with the ‘based on a true story’ adage during the opening credits, connoting the approximation of someone or something of note. Unfortunately, the most notable element of The Duke is how it stands as the final narrative feature directed by the great Roger Michell, ending a formidable career on a frivolous lark starring a pair of the UK’s finest actors, Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent.

Penned by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman (who previously have written for television and National Theater productions), it’s a light and breezy escapade outfitted specifically to appeal to a certain mature sensibility—but even by such stereotypical and venerable expectations, Michell’s exercise is something of an underwhelming exercise failing to prove why this minor...

There’s no shortage of true crime onscreen these days, but between the corporate egomaniacs, brazen narcissists and scamming sociopaths, it’s a welcome twist to see misbehavior that’s more well-meant mischief than selfish misanthropy. “The Duke” is about a man who lied, cheated and stole, but director Roger Michell and star Jim Broadbent ensure that you’ll walk away thoroughly charmed anyhow.

The story begins in Newcastle, England, in 1961. It’s a quiet time in a quiet place, and Dorothy Bunton (Helen Mirren) wants nothing more than to live a quiet life. Her husband Kempton (Broadbent), however, has other plans. He’s not great at holding down a job or keeping up the house; she supports them by cleaning other people’s homes during the day, and their own at night. But Kempton, ever a friend to the underdog, does have a terrific talent for rabble-rousing. His current...

It’s a wild story of a British “Robin Hood” stealing from the government in 1961 to hopefully (and earnestly) compensate taxpayers who better deserved the funds set aside to stop a hostile takeover of ownership of Francisco Goya’s Portrait of the Duke of Wellington. Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent) had already gone on record (and served jailtime) for his efforts to end the BBC license fee being charged poor pensioners who simply wanted a television to connect with the fast-growing world outside their doors. With no one listening and constant talk about England having today’s equivalent of £3 million to stop a private collector from purchasing said painting, Bunton decides to cause a ruckus nobody can ignore: stealing and ransoming it for that same price. This time for charity.

The ordeal fascinated the nation because of how absurd the whole thing looked. Everyone assumed it was a professional thief who...

Here’s the latest episode of the The Filmmakers Podcast, part of the ever-growing podcast roster here on Nerdly. If you haven’t heard the show yet, you can check out previous episodes on the official podcast site, whilst we’ll be featuring each and every new episode as it premieres.

For those unfamiliar with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro budget indie films to bigger budget studio films and everything in-between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their film making experiences from directors, writers, producers, screenwriters, actors, cinematographers and distributors.

The Filmmakers Podcast #265: The Duke – Producing & Writing an unbelievable True Story with Nicky Bentham,...

The HeyUGuys Film Review Show team is a back with two reviews this week. First up we have the long awaited new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac. Joe Wright’s Cyrano stars Peter Dinklage as the titular character. The film also stars Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr. & Ben Mendelsohn. It’s based on the stage musical adapted and directed by Erica Schmidt, from “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand, with music by Aaron & Bryce Dessner and lyrics by Matt Berninger & Carin Besser.

You can find our premiere and junket interviews with Joe Wright and his main cast right here:

Find Scott on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/scottwritesfilm

and follow Linda here: https://twitter.com/Linda_Marric

Cyrano will be released in UK cinemas from 25th of February, 2022

Cyrano Film Review

Plot:

Cyrano re-imagines the timeless tale of a heartbreaking love triangle. A man ahead of his time, Cyrano de...

Sony Pictures Classics has pushed back the release for Roger Michell’s film The Duke, starring Academy Award winners Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, by a month—from March 25 to April 22, 2022. It will be released in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on the latter date before expanding to additional cities over the following weeks.

The dramedy marking one of the final projects from Michell, who passed away in September, received a one-week awards qualifying run in Los Angeles this past December.

It was initially set to open against The Daniels’ SXSW opener Everything Everywhere All at Once for A24; Paramount Pictures’ comedy The Lost City, starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe and Brad Pitt; and Sony Pictures Classics’ own romantic drama, Mothering Sunday. But it will now play against Good Deed Entertainment’s animated film Charlotte, featuring the voices of Broadbent, Keira Knightley, Marion Cotillard and more...

Last night at the National Gallery in London the red carpet premiere of The Duke was attended by Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, Fionn Whitehead, Aimee Kelly, Anna Maxwell Martin as well as producer Nicky Bentham, and writers Clive Coleman and Richard Bean.

It was directed by the late Roger Michell, and will be released nationwide in UK cinemas on 25th February, 2022.

Colin Hart and Scott Davis returned to their red carpeting duties with style and brio. Here are their interviews.

The Duke Premiere Interviews

Plot:

The Duke is a moving true story that celebrates a man who was determined to live a meaningful life. Set in 1961, it follows the story of Kempton Bunton, a 60-year old taxi driver, who stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. It was the first, and remains the only, theft in the Gallery’s history. Kempton proceeded...

Los Angeles, Dec 16 (Ians) ‘The Duke’, the final film from British filmmaker Roger Michell, will arrive in theatres on March 25, 2022. The film, which stars Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, is currently in exhibition at the Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles. The film, with screenplay by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, will open […]...

Sony Pictures Classics has set a March 25 theatrical release date for The Duke, directed by the late Roger Michell. The film starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren will open in theaters in New York and Los Angeles before expanding in the following weeks. The dramedy is currently playing at the Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles for a one-week awards qualifying run through Dec. 16.

The Duke is set in 1961, when Kempton Bunton, a 60-year old taxi driver, stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. It was the first (and remains the only) theft in the Gallery’s history. Kempton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition that the government agreed to provide television for free to the elderly. What happened next became the stuff of legend. Only 50 years later did the full story emerge – a startling revelation of...

Variety Director to Watch Prano Bailey-Bond (“Censor”) and BAFTA-nominated “After Love” filmmaker Aleem Khan are among the 39 filmmakers longlisted in the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) new talent categories.

The 39 longlisted filmmakers will be invited to join BIFA’s Springboard scheme, a tailored program of professional development, peer-to-peer support, mentoring, networking and skills enhancement aimed to nurture emerging talent as they build on the success of their first features.

The final five nominations in each category will be announced on Nov. 3. Winners will be revealed at the ceremony on Dec. 5.

The longlists:

The Douglas Hickox Award

(Best Debut Director)

Aleem Khan – “After Love”

Matt Chambers – “The Bike Thief”

Prano Bailey-Bond – “Censor”

Jonathan Butterell – “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie”

Sonita Gale – “Hostile”

Jack Clough – “People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan”

Reggie Yates – “Pirates”

Celeste Bell “Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché” [also Directed By Paul Sng]

Corinna Faith – “The Power”

Charlotte Colbert – “She Will...

In 1961, Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent), a 60-year old taxi driver, stole Goya?s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. It was the first (and remains the only) theft in the Gallery’s history. Kempton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition that the government invested more in care for the elderly – he had long campaigned for pensioners to receive free television. What happened next became the stuff of legend. Only 50 years later did the full story emerge – Kempton had spun a web of lies. The only truth was that he was a good man, determined to change the world and save his marriage – how and why he used the Duke to achieve that is a wonderfully uplifting tale. Roger Michell, the son of a British diplomat, was born in South Africa and as a child lived in Beirut, Damascus and Prague.

Commission

ITV has commissioned West Road Pictures to produce “Ridley,” a new detective drama starring “Line of Duty” and “Blood” star Adrian Dunbar. The series is created and written by “Vera” lead writer Paul Matthew Thompson and West Road Pictures managing director Jonathan Fisher. They will executive produce the series.

“I couldn’t be happier to be getting started on ‘Ridley,’ as we continue to build the West Road production slate with our second commission for ITV,” said Fisher of the announcement. “ITV has a fine tradition of nurturing much-loved detective series, and it’s a real privilege to be bringing ‘Ridley’ to the channel.”

“Ridley” follows a detective inspector pushed into retirement from the force after 25 years investigating homicides. Convinced he is still in his prime, Ridley welcomes an invitation from his replacement and former protégé Carol Farman to aid her on a particularly complex case, eventually leading to more consulting jobs.

The film will be released to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s Folio in 2023.

Dominic Dromgoole, the former artistic director of London’s The Globe Theatre, will direct and produce Folio! Folio!, a feature comedy about the publication of the ground-breaking edition of Shakespeare’s works.

The film is aiming to shoot in summer 2022, produced by Marcus Coles’ UK company Folio 400 Productions. The company was founded to celebrate the 400th anniversary in 2023 of the publication of Shakespeare’s Folio – the first full collection of his plays, including the previously unpublished Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night and The Tempest.

Comedy-drama debuted at the Venice Film Festival.

Sony Pictures Classics (Spc) has secured US, Latin America, and Scandinavia distribution rights to The Duke in a deal with Pathé International.

The comedy-drama, starring Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent, received its world premiere earlier this month at the Venice Film Festival, where it played out of Competition.

Directed by Roger Michell and based on a true story, Broadbent stars as the Newcastle taxi driver who, in 1961, stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from London’s National Gallery, announcing he would return it if the UK government invested more in elderly care.

Pathé has sold Roger Michell’s Venice title “The Duke,” starring Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent to Sony Pictures Classics for the U.S., Latin America and Scandinavia.

Written by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, the comedy drama follows a 60-year-old taxi driver who, in 1961, stole Francisco Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. It was the first, and remains the only, theft in the Gallery’s history. He sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition that the government agreed to provide television for free to the elderly.

Pathé International had pre-sold the rest of the world rights prior to the Venice Film Festival. The distributor will release the film in the U.K,, France and Switzerland. Other sales include: Australia (Transmission), Benelux (Paradiso), Canada/Germany/Spain (eOne), China (Huanxi), Czech Republic (Aqs), Former Yugoslavia (McF), Israel (Forum...

Director Roger Michell’s comedic heist movie “The Duke,” starring Oscar winners Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics, the distributor announced Tuesday.

Sony Classics acquired all rights in the U.S., Latin America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Russia/Cis, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, South Africa, South East Asia (except Japan and China) and India.

The film, which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, is based on the true story of Kempton Bunton, a 60-year-old British taxi driver who in 1961 managed to steal Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London — the first and (so far) only theft in the museum’s history. Kempton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition that the government agreed to provide TV for free to the elderly.

“Notting Hill” director Michell worked from a script by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman,...

Sony Classics has taken Venice Film Festival movie The Duke for the U.S., Latin America and Scandinavia.

Directed by Roger Michell from a script by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, the comedy drama stars Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren in the story of a 60 year-old taxi driver who steals Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London.

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired Pathé’s Venice-bowing comedy-drama The Duke for a range of territories worldwide, including the U.S.

The distributor also picked up the film — starring Oscar winners Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren — for Latin America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe (excluding Poland, the Czech Republic and the former Yugoslavia), Russia/Cis, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, South Africa, India and Southeast Asia (excluding Japan and China).

Directed by Roger Michell (Notting Hill) from a script by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, The Duke is set in 1961 when Kempton Bunton, a 60-year old taxi driver, stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from ...

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired Pathé’s Venice-bowing comedy-drama The Duke for a range of territories worldwide, including the U.S.

The distributor also picked up the film — starring Oscar winners Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren — for Latin America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe (excluding Poland, the Czech Republic and the former Yugoslavia), Russia/Cis, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, South Africa, India and Southeast Asia (excluding Japan and China).

Directed by Roger Michell (Notting Hill) from a script by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, The Duke is set in 1961 when Kempton Bunton, a 60-year old taxi driver, stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from ...

Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren are not just thespian royalty in the UK, they have both been crowned winners at previous Venice festivals: Mirren for her regal performance in Stephen Frears’ The Queen and Broadbent for his portrayal of W. S. Gilbert in Mike Leigh’s Topsy Turvy. Together, they appear in The Duke, Roger Michell’s highly entertaining spin on a remarkable true story from 1960s Britain.

The duke in question is the Duke of Wellington, specifically a portrait painted by Goya that was purchased for £140,000 by the British government in 1961 in order for it to remain in the country. The purchase is all over the news and throngs of visitors make their way to the National Gallery in London to view it.

But this tale does not take place in the soon to be swinging capital. The setting is Newcastle upon Tyne, home to the garrulous Kempton Bunton (Broadbent) and his long-suffering wife,...

You could dine on nothing but lard for twenty years and still not develop the hardness of heart necessary to avoid being won over by Roger Michell‘s “The Duke,” a ridiculously charming British comedy that dunks a gamely accented prestige cast into an appealingly milky true story like so many digestives into a warm, well-earned, early evening cuppa. With the shaggy-dog tale of the 1961 theft of Goya’s portrait of The Duke of Wellington from London’s National Gallery reworked into a zippy screenplay by playwrights Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, all Michell really needed to do was find the perfect actor to embody the lead character’s daffy, unsinkable spirit.

Continue reading Jim Broadbent Will Charm You Senseless In ‘The Duke’ An Irresistible Art-Heist Britcom Co-Starring Helen Mirren [Venice Review] at The Playlist.

If the improbably named Kempton Bunton hadn’t really lived, Ealing Studios would probably have written him into existence. A 60-year-old working-class Newcastle gent with a cheeky sense of humor and a cheerily rabble-rousing spirit, who just happened to be implicated in a headline-making London art heist, he was born to be the hero of a jaunty, crowd-pleasing British comedy caper. 44 years after his death, that has materialized in “The Duke,” and while the Ealing team might have made a more raucous farce out of it, Roger Michell’s film is a perfectly nimble, kind-hearted bit of teatime entertainment — ideally tailored to Jim Broadbent in one of his most appealing big-screen roles.

The pairing of Broadbent with Helen Mirren, warmly weary if a bit under-tested as Bunton’s salt-of-the-earth wife Dorothy, will make “The Duke” a major attraction to ill-served mature audiences when distributor Pathé opens the film in the U.

“The Duke” is a very British heist movie, a true-crime caper with no guns, no car chases, toad in the hole for dinner, and Gracie Fields warbling a song called “A Nice Cup of Tea” on the soundtrack. It’s so British, in fact, that its central character is named Kempton Bunton, but at least he has the good grace to joke about it. The film’s director is Roger Michell, best known for “Notting Hill”, and who recently made the luvvie love-in documentary, “Tea With The Dames”. The cast boasts two of the UK’s national treasures, Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren. If you suspect “The Duke” is on the cosy and nostalgic side of the cinematic spectrum, you might be right. But it’s . This is the kind of British film with international appeal: the venerable cast, genial tone, inspirational story, and mischievous English eccentricity are all present and correct.

Here’s a first look at Oscar-winning duo Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren in Roger Michell’s art heist comedy The Duke.

As we revealed back in October, the heavyweight Brit acting duo are leading the cast of the film based on the true story of 60-year-old taxi driver Kempton Bunton who, in 1961, stole a Goya painting from the National Gallery in London.

Bunton sent a ransom note saying he would only return the picture on condition that the UK government agreed to provide free TV for the elderly. However, it turned out he was spinning a web of lies, with the full story not emerging for another 50 years. The incident was the first, and still only, theft in the National Gallery’s history.

Fionn Whitehead and Matthew Goode are also in the cast. The script was written by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman and the...

The Pretoria-born helmer's new drama centres on the uplifting real-life story of Kempton Bunton, a 60-year-old taxi driver played by Jim Broadbent. British theatre, television and film director Roger Michell is prepping a new feature film, entitled The Duke. The new project comes on the heels of Blackbird, a drama starring actresses Kate Winslet, Mia Wasikowska and Susan Sarandon in the lead roles, which premiered at Toronto in September. The script of The Duke, penned by Richard Bean (the TV film Harvest) and Clive Coleman (the TV series The Bill and Chambers), is based on the true story of a 60-year-old taxi driver called Kempton Bunton (played by English actor Jim Broadbent) who, back in 1961, stole a Francisco Goya painting from London's National Gallery. Bunton sent a ransom note saying he would return the picture on condition that the British government agreed to provide free TV for the elderly....

“Dunkirk” star Fionn Whitehead has signed on for art heist movie “The Duke” and will appear alongside Oscar winners Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren.

The Roger Michell (“Notting Hill”) film was written by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman and is based on a true story.

It follows a 60 year-old London cab driver, Kempton Bunton (Broadbent), who in 1961 stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery, the only robbery in the museum’s history. Bunton sent ransom notes saying he would return the painting on condition that the British government invested more in care for the elderly. But the full story did not emerge until 50 years later.

Mirren plays Bunton’s wife, and Whitehead will play his son. The film will be produced by Nicky Bentham (“Moon”). It is a Neon Films production for Pathé, Ingenious Media and Screen Yorkshire. Principal photography starts in January.

Pathé...

Dunkirk star Fionn Whitehead has joined the cast of Roger Michell’s The Duke ahead of the film’s shoot in January 2020.

As I revealed last week, Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren will lead the cast of the art heist comedy movie that is being produced by Nicky Bentham (Moon) for her UK banner Neon Films with Pathé.

Pathé will distribute the film in the UK, France and Switzerland and will handle sales for the rest of the world, commencing at Afm this week.

The script by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman is based on the real-life story of 60-year-old taxi driver Kempton Bunton (Broadbent) who, in 1961, stole a Goya painting from the National Gallery in London.

Bunton sent a ransom note saying he would only return the picture on condition that the UK government agreed to provide free TV for the elderly. However, it turned...

Exclusive: Oscar-winning duo Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren will play husband and wife in Roger Michell’s art heist comedy movie The Duke for Pathé.

I can reveal that the film is officially greenlighted and will shoot in January 2020. The script by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman is based on the real-life story of 60-year-old taxi driver Kempton Bunton who, in 1961, stole a Goya painting from the National Gallery in London.

Bunton sent a ransom note saying he would only return the picture on condition that the UK government agreed to provide free TV for the elderly. However, it turned out he was spinning a web of lies, with the full story not emerging for another 50 years. The incident was the first, and still only, theft in the National Gallery’s history.

Producers on the project are Nicky Bentham (Moon) for her UK banner Neon Films with Pathé,...

Allegiance, The Nutcracker and Doctor Who: Twice Upon A Time top our December Events listAllegiance, The Nutcracker and Doctor Who: Twice Upon A Time top our December Events listScott Goodyer11/30/2017 10:14:00 Am

The holidays are just around the corner and we've got some fantastic holiday event screenings on our big screens to get you in that festive mood! Check out our list below and stay warm out there!

Dec 3rd: Eagles at Seahawks - NFL Sunday Nights

For four regular season and three playoff games leading up to Super Bowl Lii, NFL screenings will be hosted at Cineplex’s luxurious, adults-only VIP Cinemas, where football fans can cheer on their favourite team from ultra-wide, luxury recliners. Fans will also enjoy in-seat food and beverage service throughout the game from an expanded menu, which includes a wide selection of beer, wine and spirits as well as classic game-day favourites likes burgers,...