The Lost King (2022)
Sexism. Ageism. Bureaucracy. A car park with a space reserved for a king. But is it really concealing Richard III (King/usurper)?
Philippa Langley is in a miserable job, a miserable marriage and battling long term health issues. In her despair she skives from work and hallucinates King Richard III. Or does she — is she really being haunted by the ‘lost king’? Surely, he was, as Shakespeare called him “determined to prove a villain”? Apparently so on both accounts — until, like Garbo, he talks and Langley starts to bring all the historical accounts together! Beware — ask him if “he really did kill his nephews?” then he leaves, hurt by your accusations. And will show concern — surely your historical evidence gathering is becoming an obsession?
Langley starts reading and researching and knows that she can find the remains of the lost king. All she needs to do is convince a lot of other people called Richard (who are not lost or usurpers/rightful heirs to the throne) to lend their professional expertise to her venture and… find him! (as well as showing sexist men everywhere that women can read maps!)
Wonderfully she does (under the R for Reserved space of a Leicester car park) and then the local University (a last-minute involvement) take the glory for the science, leaving Philippa to speak to the next generation about pursuing their historical and archaeological dreams.
At a time when Humanities subjects (especially History and Archaeology) are being thrown away by school and government curriculums; not to mention the many university departments (especially in the field of Archaeology) which are being dismembered and defunded quicker than an alleged usurping Plantagenet King at Bosworth Field with a crown on his visor… there are a lot of unfortunate stereotypes here. Archaeologists are unprofessional, lack social skills and wield brushes not tools and techniques. Nor do they liaise with communities or listen it seems — though they do like a nice slice of cake.
All the archeologists and University bureaucrats (the other ‘fake’ Richards) are resistant and unhelpful, until money and success beckon. Then they jump on the historical glory bandwagon eagerly. It is down to women (Langley and local Council) to get the job done. It also ignores a lot of the science, research connections and excavation techniques in favour of lots of digger shots, the finding itself and #MeToo-isms. Much of the debacle, depending on who you read and believe, seems to have been made up (and some real people are seeking to sue for maligning of their reputations and characters) — https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/lost-king-movie-controversy/
Which is a shame because the finding of the King (and his subsequent burial) is a great story and there’s still a big historical debate about whether they’ve even found and buried the actual king! https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/richard-iii-discovery-excavation-identification/
I loved the conceit of Richard III appearing and his dialogue with Philippa Langley (a fragile and moving Sally Hawkins) — her shock when she realises that he can talk!!! and fall off of bridges just to get her attention or for a conversation starter. As a secret Team Richard ‘fan’, I loved him appearing on horseback and then in battlefield glory to lead Langley to himself — then disappearing as he is found once more and given his proper recognition. Harry Lloyd as the maligned Richard III was terrific (acting for much of the time just through body language and facial expressions); though even he remained silent on the skeleton found with scoliosis in that Leicester car park…What I really want now is a Richard III movie after Langley’s scintillating facts about Richard III as bringer of peace, justice, literacy and efficient government — what a waste to get the Tudors instead it seems?!!!! (And maybe those nephews were illegitimate usurpers?)
In showing how 40+ women struggle to be seen, heard, taken seriously or respected, Sally Hawkins gives a terrific performance as an intelligent and considered woman battling basically all men called Richard (apart from the King) to get her point across and prove Shakespeare and the establishment wrong. In reality it was much more of a team effort (as well as the sub-plot of restoring a marriage being equally intriguing), I did enjoy the Ricardian meetings and the OTT play of Richard III which sparks the hunt and research, although these seem to play on Richard Curtis style stereotypes than reality. It was shocking too to see lovable Mark Addy play against type — this was very well done.
Leicester looks great and concretey at the same time, as does Leeds. Nonetheless no matter what you do to the overall story, the finding of the Grey Friars monastery is magical as is the fact that it included a grave with a body which had seen battlefield action or some kind of horrible violent death. More Richard III and Harry Lloyd please!
Don’t forget — for real archaeology…https://triskeleheritage.triskelepublishing.com/james-wright/
