Masterpiece Theatre: All the King’s Men

5 Responses to “Masterpiece Theatre: All the King’s Men”

1. 
   Susan Waszak Says:
   April 11th, 2010 at 8:34 pm

   In the vein of “Glory,” All the King’s Men is about a regimen of ill-fated soldiers who meet their demise during a military offensive. Unlike “Glory” these troops are more stock and less flesh. They seem two-dimensional, excepting Emma Cunniffe’s character as the new bride and Ian McDiarmid’s performance as the Reverend who was willing to lie to protect the mentality of the sole survivor of this regimen. The overall message in All the King’s Men prevails: There is no glory in war and battles only senseless tragedy and death.
   Rating: 3 / 5

2. 
   Roger Boon Says:
   April 11th, 2010 at 9:47 pm

   “All the King’s Men” is a richly textured piece of television drama, sensitively directed by Julian Jarrold. Its carefully nuanced script explores the horrors of the Gallipoli campaign in Turkey in World War One and the myth surrounding the mysterious “disappearance” of the Sandringham Regiment, who were drawn from King George the Fifth’s estate.The men are led by Captain Frank Beck,the agent on the estate, who with the support of the Queen Mother defies the King and, despite his age, leaves Sandringham to lead the men who he has trained and whose lives he has been intimately involved with on the estate. Through the excellent performance of David Jason we see a man of some nobility of spirit,used to respecting his superiors all his life,trying to do his best in a situation where his superiors got it completely wrong.His idealism is nicely contrasted with the humane pragmatism of the regimental doctor who has no such illusions.
   The truth of a body of men ineptly led and totally unprepared for fighting in an unknown and hostile terrain with appalling logistical support is graphically portrayed and echoes the much better known Australian film, “Gallipoli.” The deliberate burying of the truth of what happened(which involved large numbers of men being shot in the head rather than taken prisoner)in order to protect social sensitivities and preserve morale is nicely dealt with through the superbly restrained performance of Maggie Smith as the Queen Mother who is clearly not fooled but never betrays the fact.
   The film also sympathetically explores the social values of the English class system and particularly the close knit generation of Sandringham workers who made up the regiment. Their naive and in some cases romantic confidence in the right of King and Country fighting with God on their side(despite the fact that they were invading another country)is believably portrayed.
   The perfornances of the cast are without exception of a very high class with some excellent cameos. This is the BBC at its very best and I thoroughly reccomend it to you!
   Rating: 5 / 5

3. 
   Mark E. Lehde Says:
   April 11th, 2010 at 11:44 pm

   Outstandingly done story of the famous Lost Company. Not a happy story, well it couldn’t very well be now could it, but very compelling and well acted and directed. A must for those who have an interest in and wish to better understand that time period of history.
   Rating: 5 / 5

4. 
   James P. Quinlan Says:
   April 12th, 2010 at 12:56 am

   All the King’s Men is a poignant and graphic account of village males ripped from a pastural, buccolic life of another time into the horrors of the 20th century’s World War I.

   This could easily be a companion piece to the film Galippoli where the futility of the ‘well laid plans of mice and men ‘ come to naught in the early battles on the continent [Ypres,Passendale].

   I was impressed with the strides taken to re-create this incredible saga with fidelity of authenticity and realism.
   Rating: 4 / 5

5. 
   Jean H. Laprime Says:
   April 12th, 2010 at 2:58 am

   A thoughtful speculation on one of the great mysteries in WWI’s forgotten war in the Dardanelles.
   Rating: 4 / 5