the madness of king george goes down easily and is a very likable and charming adaptation of the play that doesn't stretch itself cinematically, but still manages to be entertaining and fun for the majority of its run time. the only problem is that the centerpiece of the movie, which happens to be a power struggle between to men who are determined to get their own way, feels slight and rather inconsequential when all things are considered. the narrative of the film isn't engaging enough to stand on its own and relies on the execution of elements around it to lift the film up and be engaging enough to be entertaining for the whole run time. the madness of king george finds that in the performances here which are very very good. this film tells the story of king george whose mental health is declining with his age and his continued struggle to continue ruling even through the titular madness. the film focuses on the struggle to oust the massively unpopular king and the absurdity of the situation, as a whole. there is a tragic element to the story but the film excises that to emphasize the dark humor and the more absurd elements of the film. this is almost a double edged sword though. the movie is simultaneously made far more entertaining because of the absurdist humor and that tone that it pulls off very well and less engaging because it looses the dramatic edge which was at the heart of the story and made it more interesting. there is a balance that could be struck there but i don't think the film quite strikes that balance. it undermines itself by excising too much of the tragedy at the heart of this story. when it does attempt to hit these notes at the end, it doesn't quite work very well. but, luckily for the film, it stars nigel hawthorne. hawthorne is brilliant as the titular king george. he brings a lot of energy to the film and keeps it moving forwards and entertaining when the story fails to do so. he also gives a very complex and interesting performance, as well. he is able to pull of the arrogance and the pride that makes the character unlikable and unpopular in the universe of the film but is also able to create some sympathy for the character when the narrative requires that of him. it is the heart of the film and one of the main reasons the film works so well overall. in the end, the madness of king george is entertaining and diverting but never becomes something more than that. it has many themes but none of them really take root and the film never goes deeper than the surface when exploring them. it is a tightly paced entertaining film that isn't particularly memorable but still enjoyable.