The Duke

“The Duke is set in 1961 when Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent), a 60-year-old taxi driver, stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. It was the first (and remains the only) theft in the Gallery’s history. Kempton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition that the government agreed to provide television for free to the elderly. What happened next became the stuff of legend. Only 50 years later did the full story emerge – a startling revelation of how a good man set out to change the world and, in so doing, saved his son and his marriage.”

The fascinating true story of Kempton Bunton not only holds a place in England’s history, but also its pop culture, about a theft of a painting that is still being talked about sixty years after it happened. This gem from Sony Pictures Classics has a stellar cast, and a heartfelt story that will make you smile all the way through.

The events of The Duke were foreign to me, not only literally, but a story that I had never heard of to my knowledge, even after watching Dr. No countless times, I never understood why Sean Connery stopped and smirked at the portrait of the Duke of Wellington. It’s a story that was fifty years in the making, as in 2012 new information came to light from a Freedom of Information request that changed the entire thinking of the story of Kempton Bunton and his role in the theft of the infamous painting.

While the title of the film refers to the title of the painting, the heart of the story isn’t about that at all, but about Kempton Bunton, an elderly and relatively poor activist whose dreams for society and his fellow man were so much bigger than himself. He campaigned for free television licenses, believing that television should be free, especially to veterans and the elderly, to better connect them to the world around them. His ideas and speeches went unheard, not until he finds the painting in his possession that he is able to anonymously make demands of payments that could go toward buying a television license for everyone. Not knowing a lot of in depth detail of Kempton Bunton’s real life, I can only imagine much of the story takes certain dramatic licenses, but the loss of his daughter in the film, decades earlier, is the drive for a lot of his actions and beliefs, and has caused a rift between him and his wife. His need to not only talk about his pain, but share it with the world translates to his other ideologies and views of mankind in general, which he discusses rather eloquently at length at one point in the film. The Duke has a lot of laughs, but the best part of the film is most definitely its heart, that gives you a healthy dose of optimism that many of us need.

Jim Broadbent, for me, was one of those actors who I’d always recognize in films but never knew well enough to recall any previous roles. That ends with The Duke. His portrayal of Kempton Bunton is simply wonderful. He has great comedic timing, and able to invoke emotion so easily in his performance, and his chemistry with Helen Mirren was fantastic. Helen Mirren’s character keeps Kempton down to Earth the majority of the time, living in the real world, but finds herself in need of some of his optimistic world view to overcome her own obstacles. It’s a duo I would pay to see again, wonderful in its delivery and execution.

The Duke isn’t going to astonish you with special effects in the traditional sense, but what it does do is take you on a journey into 1961 England. The sets and look of the film really stand out as something quite unique in bringing the feel of the time period to life. Even several home-movie reels make their way into the film in some really interesting segments that place Kempton Bunton in the footage, done very well and a lot of fun to watch.

Video

The Duke is presented in 1080p High-Definition Widescreen 2.39:1. This transfer looks exceptional on this Blu-ray disc, with very vivid colors and detailed clarity. The look of 1961 wouldn’t be the same without the accurate colors, somewhat muted for the look of the period, but is contrasted nicely at times when they really want them to pop.

Audio

The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. For the most part, The Duke will rely heavily on the center channel to deliver clear and concise dialogue. The surrounds are utilized nicely for atmospheric effects, bringing the streets of London to life with bustling activity all around. The score also sounds exceptional here, with no defects of note in any of the audio.

Special Features

No digital code is included with this release, only a few short extras that give you a deeper look behind the story of the film.

• Making The Duke
• The Duke Theatrical Trailer

It’s exceedingly rare when a film based on a true story surprises me, especially focusing on a historical true story I’d never heard of. The Duke does that in more ways than one, and is a moving film from start to finish.