The Duke (2020)

The Duke (2020)

 

6/10

Starring

Jim Broadbent

Helen Mirren

Fionn Whitehead

Anna Maxwell Martin

 

Directed by Roger Michell

 

In 1961, there was a theft in England from the National Gallery of the portrait of the Duke of Wellington painted by Goya. This movie explores the events that led to the theft and return of the painting, although it skips the four-year gap before its return. The painting was stolen by a man named Kempton Bunton.

This movie is funny, especially during the court scene towards the end. The acting is great, and the story is well-crafted, holding your attention as you wonder how Kempton’s various ideas eventually lead to the theft. When the theft occurs, I particularly enjoyed how the movie introduced even more challenges in Kempton’s life, pushing him to resolve the situation by returning the painting.

Jim Broadbent is outstanding in his portrayal of Kempton, and I believe his performance alone makes this movie worth watching.

The story follows Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent), a retiree and (in this movie) a taxi driver. Life is tough for the Buntons, as both Kempton and his wife, Dorothy (Helen Mirren), work hard to put food on the table and care for their sons. Their family also carries a heavy grief: their daughter died tragically in a bicycle accident. Kempton and Dorothy deal with this loss in very different ways—Dorothy prefers not to dwell on it, while Kempton doesn’t want to forget their daughter.

Kempton is deeply involved in various campaigns for the elderly. Throughout his life, he has been a fighter for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. He even went to prison for refusing to pay for TV licenses for the elderly. Dorothy, however, has grown tired of his endless battles and antics. Kempton promises her that his next fight against the government will be his last.

This trip to London ends up leading to the theft of the painting, which Kempton brings home. As authorities search for the stolen painting and offer a reward for its return, Kempton hides it in his house and tries to use it to blackmail the government into donating the painting’s value to charitable causes.

The movie is worth your time and was definitely worth mine.

Note: The incidents in this movie are real. There was a man named Kempton Bunton (1904–1976) who confessed to stealing Francisco Goya's painting, Portrait of the Duke of Wellington, from the National Gallery in London in 1961. However, I don’t believe everything else in the movie actually happened—just the theft itself. Turning this real-life event into an entertaining piece is something to applaud the writer and director for.