Tuesday 2 April 2013

Hyde Park on Hudson


'Hyde Park on Hudson' relates the infidelity of United States President Franklin D Roosevelt (Bill Murray) with his distant cousin Daisy (Laura Linney) and others. It is mainly set around a pre-war visit to Roosevelt's country retreat by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, an occasion which provides the film with many opportunities for humour at the expense of royalty and British manners.

In some ways this is a rather slight film but Murray and Linney are always very watchable and the country setting provides for much gorgeous scenery (indoors and outdoors). FDR was a great Depression and war time President but this film indicates that as a man he was rather a sleazebag. The scene in which the intimacy of Roosevelt's and Daisy's relationship is sealed is crass, unnecessary and frankly at odds with Daisy's characterisation to that point. Otherwise the film is pleasant enough with its eccentric characters and historical references.

★★★

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