Sexual Politics and Gorgeous Costumes
by Charity Bishop | Charity’s Place | November 16, 2003
This film is more about sexual politics than anything else. The costuming is gorgeous, but the script falls short. It fails to set up conclusive history for the characters, so anyone unfamiliar with Charles II won’t be able to follow it.
In the 1600s, Parliament overthrows and beheads the king. His son Charles (Rufus Sewell) and those loyal to the crown, including his mother (Diana Rigg) and best friend George Villiers (Rupert Graves) have fled to France, where they remain in exile, plotting their return to power. Through various political maneuverings George returns to England. The government imprisons him. Not long thereafter, the government invites Charles to return to claim the throne, since the common people are rebelling in the lack of a monarchy. Parliament fears losing control and thus will accept the lesser of two evils.
