King Ralph (1991)

Pretty Good

Fantastic!

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

In more recent years the star of The Big Lebowski may have performed more as supporting star, but doing so in great films like The Artist and Argo, I knew this film wasn't going to be good, but I was interested to see him in the days of Roseanne as the big leading star. Basically the entire British royal family are gathered together for a group photograph, and a freak accident kills them all, so the British government get to work tracing the next successor to the throne, and the end result is an unconventional choice, as the only living heir. An American easygoing slob named Ralph Hampton Gainesworth Jones (John Goodman), a Las Vegas lounge singer and piano player, is informed that he is the new king of England, he first sees it as a joke, but Duncan Phipps (Richard Griffiths) and Inspector Thomas 'Tommy' McGuire (Niall O'Brien) explain that Ralph's grandfather, the first Duke of Warren, had an affair with a hotel maid in America, this produced Ralph's father, and he is convinced by a ring matching his. Flown to London he is introduced to all the staff of the British palace, and he is schooled in all history of the British empire and English culture and traditions, including well known meals like "bangers and mash", and the dessert "spotted dick", and although he can relax getting whatever he wants and many other luxuries he comes to realise that being king is hard. In his time as king, while guided by courtier Sir Cedric Charles Willingham (Peter O'Toole), he learns how to play cricket, meets Prime Minister Jeffrey Hale (For Your Eyes Only's James Villiers), doing a knighthood, and the various other royal duties, but Lord Percival Graves (John Hurt) is against an American being the king of England and the Commonwealth, and he is scheming to cause a scandal and force him out. Graves sees his opportunity to cause a scandal and either an abdication or sabotage with Ralph and exotic dancer Miranda Greene (Doctor Who's Camille Coduri) getting very close and slowly falling in love, and the plan is to catch the two of them kissing in a photograph, as he may be required to marry someone of royal descent, and they do get the photograph. Ralph has eventually learnt to be a serious king, and following a bad encounter with the woman he is told to marry, Princess Anna of Finland (Joely Richardson), and causing a breakup with Miranda, he prepares a serious speech to abdicate himself from the throne, he first exposes Graves as a traitor for his scandalous acts, and he informs the government that there is in fact another true heir to the thrown, it is Cedric. In the end, Cedric becomes the new king of England, Ralph makes up with and reignites his romance with Miranda, he is made the third of Duke of Warren, and fulfils his dream to be a rock star with a state of the art studio, he has a young with his duchess, and with a great salary they have a palace of their own in the country, Ralph Jr. may be another heir in the future. Also starring Leslie Phillips as Gordon Halliwell, Julian Glover as King Gustav, Rudolph Walker as King Mulambon of Zambezi and Judy Parfitt as Queen Katherine. Goodman is certainly charming and lovable as the lousy king, and the supporting cast of well known British stars like O'Toole and Hurt are good value as well, of course the story is completely ridiculous, has many predictable moments and characters, and it definitely makes Great Britain and living there look a little silly, it does have amusing bits, but overall it is an average comedy. Okay!

John Goodman is Ralph, an American lounge singer who is the last distant relative of the royal family of Wyndham who are electrocuted by a photographer in a freak accident. He is told by some British detectives that he is the grandson of a duke who had a fling with a hotel maid, and now he is the king. He is flown to England and given a crash course in their history and culture. He meets a stripper, Miranda Greene at a club and asks her out. She hides in the background while he assumes the throne. He becomes popular, as a plain speaking blue collar guy. A marriage to a Princess Anna of Finland is arranged but he hears her deep voice and is quickly turned off. He instead hooks up with Miranda and eventually abdicates the throne. In between, he plays cricket, imitating his hero, Babe Ruth, and sings Good Golly Miss Molly, while playing a harpsichord. Goodman reminds me of John Candy, with the same affable manner. King Ralph works as a light comedy.

King Ralph is directed by David S. Ward who loosely adapts the screenplay from the novel Headlong written by Emlyn Williams. It stars John Goodman, Peter O'Toole, John Hurt, Camille Coduri, Richard Griffiths and Leslie Phillips. Music is by James Newton Howard and cinematography by Kenneth MacMillan.When the entire ruling family of the United Kingdom is killed by a freak accident, the search begins for any surviving heirs to the throne. One is found in Las Vegas, Ralph Jones, an easy going slob like lounge singer. Getting Ralph to take his role seriously is one thing, learning him the graces of the monarchy is another! Standard fish-out-of-water (bull-in-a-china-shop) premise that's boosted by the ebullient John Godman as the hapless title character. The makers try hard to garner laughs from a roll call of by the numbers scenarios, enter Ralph being introduced to cricket, cuisine, tea drinking, walking with a straight back and talking eloquently. Things are further muddied when Ralph meets and forms a relationship with a failed stripper with a heart (Coduri). A big no no for the King of England, who must marry into royal stock. Around Goodman is a ream of quality thespians from Britain and Ireland, all adding some dignity to the weak script whilst simultaneously looking for all they are worth that they are coasting for the money.It's hardly a stinker of a movie, it does have charming moments, but all involved deserved better and even back on release the formula was looking frayed around the edges. 5/10

After the entire royal family is killed in a freak accident, they begin to look for the closest living heir to the throne.Enter Ralph Jones; a loud Las Vegas entertainer who definitely doesn't look part of the royal family.Sir Cedric Charles Willingham who makes it his job to transfer Regular Ralph into King Ralph.However, there are other plans for King Ralph hidden in the shadows.This is one of those films that hasn't aged well, and was a vehicle for Goodman, who was at the height of his popularity thanks to 'Roseanne'. The set up is simple and quite effective, and although the laughs are not of the belly nature, it raises the spirits for it's running time.Supported by an eclectic cast of Brits, Goodman does the part well, instantly likable and full of empathy.All Hurt needed was a sneer to be a full on pantomime villain, but never overacts during the movie and O' Toole is a s good as ever.Not a massive hit when first released back in 1991, King Ralph is one of those movies that will please most people when it's on TV, and will raise a smirk or two.