Jake Wardle presents his top ten movie monarchs…
As some of you might possibly have gathered, this weekend sees the mandatory celebration of all things Royal, as her Maj Queen Elizabeth II makes it 60 years of waving and feigning interest in the activities of provincial townspeople. What better way, then, to celebrate this milestone than by examining the great movie monarchs? There were more than enough to choose from, and while King Kong didn’t make the cut due to questions on his eligibility, I think you’ll agree that like a great ruler, this list of the top ten Movie Monarchs is just, fair and courageous…
10. Marie Antoinette (Marie Antoinette, 2006)
Sure, Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst) is a horrible queen. While the French people starve she contents herself with eating, playing and dancing around to anachronistic punk classics, and frankly, she deserves everything she gets. But it’s not really her fault, blame the mass poverty on her husband, Louis XVI, and take Sofia Coppola’s Antoinette for what she is: a young adult having more fun than the rest of France put together. Plus she has great taste in music.
9. George VI (The King’s Speech, 2010)
An obvious one, maybe, but for many people Colin Firth’s stuttering George VI has become the definitive screen royal, and for making the Royal Family seem like, you know, real people, The King’s Speech deserves its place here. ‘Bertie’ seems a reluctant monarch, which coupled with his affliction makes him far easier to sympathise with than may have otherwise been the case.
8. King Mongkut of Siam (The King and I, 1956)
He may initially come across a little bullish, arrogant, maybe a tad murderous, but King Mongkut (Yul Brynner) earns his place as a great movie monarch by displaying his capacity to change, as under the guidance of Anna (Deborah Kerr) he becomes an altogether more likeable Monarch, and a nifty dancer. If you can ignore the slavery, mass oppression and his three dozen wives, Mongkut is a perfectly solid ruler.
7. Elizabeth II (The Queen, 2006)
Another obvious one, but once again thoroughly deserving of its position, Helen Mirren’s Queen Elizabeth II gives us an insight into somebody who we don’t know as much about as we think. Mirren’s queen is vulnerable, self-doubting and once again, sympathetic. That she’s at her most engaging when alone, be it walking her dogs or connecting with a slain deer, says a lot about Mirren’s performance.
6. Cleopatra (Cleopatra, 1963)
Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) may be a tad unhinged, but she’s brilliant all the same. Having all the powerful men of Rome wrapped around her little finger, staying in her position and getting exactly what she wants until the very end, there’s no denying she’s good at her job. Even her suicide is executed, in the words of her servant, ‘extremely well’.
5. Henry V (Henry V, 1989)
To say Shakespeare had a fairly good grasp of Monarchs would perhaps be an understatement, and Kenneth Branagh’s 1988 adaptation is a prime example. Remembered mostly for the speech at Agincourt, Henry grows from a tempestuous boy to a great ruler, leading his country to victory even when vastly outnumbered, with only a speech.
4. Elizabeth I (Shakespeare in Love, 1998)
Elizabeth I has the distinction of being portrayed equally well by two different actresses, and while Cate Blanchett’s vulnerable, brave interpretation is impressive, it’s Judi Dench’s strong, witty Elizabeth that wins it, displaying both the strength and the justness that Liz the 1st is remembered for, despite appearing on-screen for less than ten minutes.
3. Aragorn (The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King, 2003)
Although not technically king until the very end of the saga, everybody in Middle Earth recognizes Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) as the rightful heir, and when things start to get a little hectic he’s exactly the chap you want to lead you. Headstrong, inspiring and unfathomably handsome, Aragorn is the kind of Monarch that could never really exist in the real world. We can only dream.
2. The White Witch (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2005)
She may be undeniably wicked, but as long as you’re on the side of evil, The White Witch (Tilda Swinton) is your dream queen, not only taking control of the Kingdom and sending it into eternal winter, but actually managing to (briefly) kill the Messiah of the resistance, this queen gets things done. She would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for those meddling kids.
1. Mufasa (The Lion King, 1994)
It doesn’t matter that he’s a lion. Mufasa (James Earl Jones) takes decency, leadership and strength to almost impossible levels, while also managing to be the perfect father and a hero to all his kingdom, making a strong argument for the global installation of lions as head of state. Couple this with the dulcet tones of James Earl Jones and the saddest death since Bambi heard that gunshot, and there can be no question that Mufasa is the greatest screen monarch.
Who is your favourite movie monarch? Feel free to let us know in the comments…
Jake Wardle
Originally published June 4, 2012. Updated April 10, 2018.
