My Kingdom is a 2001 British crime film directed by Don Boyd and starring Richard Harris, Lynn Redgrave and Jimi Mistry. It premiered at the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival on the eve of 9/11 and like many films that year was consequently compromised commercially. It was subsequently previewed in Los Angeles to heighten nomination opportunities for the performance of Richard Harris later that year and was well reviewed by Variety.
The film, co-scripted by Boyd with The Guardian journalist Nick Davies and drawing on both their researches into the London and Liverpool criminal underworld (which in Boyd’s case included the Kray brothers), brought Boyd into conflict with its principal lead Richard Harris, who wanted to rewrite the script. The film was released in the United Kingdom by Tartan Films receiving mixed reviews while generally acknowledging a fine performance from Harris who was nominated for a British Independent Film Award. Harris acknowledged his approval for the final film at a valedictory event held at the Cambridge Film Festival months before his death.
Yet another film inspired by ‘King Lear’; this time set in the world of drug running and violence in rundown Liverpool. This makes it as quirky a setting as Imperial Japan (Ran) or the wild West (Broken Lance) but it doesn’t quite come off. Yes, the parallels are there. Richard Harris as Sandeman gives up control of his gangster empire to his two unlikeable daughters while effectively ‘banishing’ the youngest; there is a character who has his eyes put out as Gloucester did … and yet, behind this inspiration the story is thin indeed.
Beautifully shot and atmospheric in its detail of the bleak Merseyside setting, this film disappoints with largely poor acting and a cop-out ending – where we should have had fire and brimstone, we had a whimper. Richard Harris however is excellent, as ever, in a towering performance which makes me grieve that we never got to see him play Lear for real. There are few actors who could put this complex character across (a variant on the one he played in ‘Trojan Eddie’, sure, but a meaty role none the less). He’s let down by the script but with what he has to work with he is impressive and the one reason to see this film.
Ran is a 1985 epic historical drama film directed, edited and co-written by Akira Kurosawa. The plot derives from King Lear and includes segments based on legends of the daimyo Mori Motonari. The film stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-period warlord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favour of his three sons: Taro, Jiro, and Saburo. Taro, the eldest, will receive the prestigious First Castle and become leader of the Ichimonji clan, while Jiro and Saburo will be given the Second and Third Castles. Hidetora is to retain the title of Great Lord and Jiro and Saburo are to support Taro. However, Saburo is exiled after criticizing his father’s lecture about unity. Hidetora’s servant Tango is also exiled for defending Saburo.
Following the division of Hidetora’s lands between his remaining two sons, Taro’s wife, Lady Kaede, still bitter about Hidetora killing her family and taking their land, successfully urges him to usurp control of the entire Ichimonji clan. When Taro demands Hidetora renounce his title, Hidetora leaves and travels to Jiro’s castle, only to discover that Jiro is only interested in using Hidetora as a titular pawn. As Hidetora and his retinue wander, Tango warns Hidetora of Taro’s new decree: death to whoever aids his father. Hidetora takes refuge in the Third Castle, abandoned after Saburo’s forces followed him into exile. Kyoami, the court fool, then jokes about Hidetora’s predicament, only to be thrown out of the Third Castle.
Later, Hidetora and his retinue are attacked by Taro and Jiro’s combined forces. Taro is killed by a bullet fired by Jiro’s general, Kurogane. Hidetora is allowed to survive and succumbs to madness as he wanders away from the decimated castle. Kyoami and Tango, still loyal to Hidetora, find him and stay to assist. Hidetora is haunted by visions of the people he killed in the past. They take refuge in a peasant’s home only to discover that the occupant is Tsurumaru, the brother of Lady Sue, Jiro’s wife. Tsurumaru’s eyes were gouged out by Hidetora’s forces and was left impoverished due to Hidetora’s siege. With Taro dead, Jiro becomes the Great Lord of the Ichimonji clan, and moves into the First Castle. Lady Kaede manipulates Jiro into having an affair with her, and demands that he kill Lady Sue, and marry her instead. Jiro orders Kurogane to do the deed, but he refuses, seeing through Kaede’s perfidy. Kurogane then warns Sue and Tsurumaru to flee. Tango encounters former spies and before killing them, he is informed that Jiro is considering sending assassins after Hidetora. Tango rides off to alert Saburo. As his madness grows, Hidetora runs off into a volcanic plain.
After Saburo’s army enters Jiro’s territory to find Hidetora, Jiro hastily mobilizes his army. After a truce, Saburo learns from Kyoami of Hidetora’s potential location. After Saburo leaves, Jiro attacks Saburo’s smaller forces, suffering losses, and orders his remaining forces to retreat after learning of another army marching on the First Castle. Saburo finds Hidetora, who partially recovers his sanity, and reconciles with Saburo. However, Saburo is killed by one of Jiro’s snipers. Hidetora dies from grief. Tsurumaru and Sue arrive at the ruins of a castle, but inadvertently leave behind the flute that Sue gave him when he was banished. She gives him a picture of Amida Buddha for protection while she attempts to retrieve the flute. However, she never returns.
As the First Castle is besieged, Kurogane learns of Sue’s death, and confronts Kaede. After she confesses her plot was revenge against the Ichimonji clan, she is killed by Kurogane. Jiro, Kurogane, and all Jiro’s men subsequently die in battle. A funeral procession is held for Saburo and Hidetora. Meanwhile, left alone in the castle ruins, Tsurumaru trips, dropping the Amida Buddha image Sue had given to him. The film ends with a distant shot of Tsurumaru silhouetted against the castle’s landscape atop the ruins.
