Unveiling the Misplaced Monarch: A Documentary on ARTE
Embark on a thrilling journey with the British film "The Lost King," airing on August 1, 2023 at 8:15 PM on Arte. This drama, based on true events, offers a unique blend of genres, including drama, midlife crisis, marital story, archaeological thriller, and surreal comedy.
At the heart of the film is Sally Hawkins' portrayal of Philippa Langley, a real-life individual who spearheaded the search for King Richard III's lost remains. The film delves into Langley's personal challenges, including strained home life and a stagnant career, as she becomes obsessed with finding the lost remains of the last Plantagenet King of England.
Richard III, who died in 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth Field, had been lost for over five centuries before the discovery beneath a Leicester parking lot in 2012. The film provides answers to the questions of why the lost remains might be under a parking lot and how the academic world might believe a hobby archaeologist.
The film's scenes are described as delightful, with one standout moment involving Hawkins' character explaining to a rude bookseller that she wants all eight available books on Richard III. Another memorable scene features Philippa telling the bewildered Leicester City Council about her plans to dig up a parking lot.
"The Lost King" is more than just a retelling of an incredible event, thanks to the direction of Stephen Frears and the writing of Steve Coogan. The film is a sequel to the successful film "Philomena," also directed by Frears and written by Coogan.
The film offers a refreshing perspective on Richard III’s controversial legacy. Shakespeare famously depicted Richard as a hunchbacked child killer who murdered his nephews, the Princes in the Tower, to seize the throne. However, the film also reflects more recent debates, as Langley and others have questioned this version and proposed alternative theories, such as the idea that the princes may have survived.
Sally Hawkins' performance in "The Lost King" is praised, with her portrayal of Philippa being described as both heartwarming and absurd. Hawkins, who plays a 45-year-old woman stuck in the middle, neither young nor old, brings depth and nuance to the character of Philippa Langley, a central figure in the film's exploration of the search for and discovery of King Richard III's lost remains.
[1] https://www.history.com/news/richard-iii-remains-discovered [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-11175787 [3] https://www.archaeology.org/issues/560-1503/features/1503-richard-iii [4] https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/feb/04/richard-iii-remains-identified-as-king-of-england
Food and entertainment collide as a scene in "The Lost King" features a local pub, where Philippa Langley, played by Sally Hawkins, gathers with fellow archaeologists to discuss their plans for the search for King Richard III's lost remains. In another instance, Philippa finds solace in the world of movies and TV, watching documentaries about King Richard III and his controversial legacy to fuel her obsession.
