"Charles II: The Power & the Passion" (2003) TV mini-series

Director:

Joe Wright

Writer:

Adrian Hodges (writer)

Release Date:

21 March 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The chronicle of Charles II's time on the throne, his 10 year exile from Oliver Cromwell's England, and his triumphant return.

Plot Keywords:

King | King Charles II | TV Mini-Series | British History | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 4 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Martin Turner	...	Charles I
Rufus Sewell	...	King Charles II
Ian McDiarmid	...	Sir Edward Hyde
Rupert Graves	...	George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham
Michael Pober	...	Tutor
Ryan Nelson	...	Young Monmouth
Diana Rigg	...	Queen Henrietta Maria
Sean Biggerstaff	...	Henry, Duke of Gloucester
Helen McCrory	...	Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine
Richard Rowlands	...	Sir Roger Palmer
Charlie Creed-Miles	...	James, Duke of York
Peter Wight	...	Ormonde
Garry Cooper	...	General Monck
Martin Freeman	...	Lord Shaftesbury
Joel Sugerman	...	Antwerp Servant
Sarah Cameron	...	Young Girl
Nick Bagnall	...	Hopkins
Jan Nemejovsky	...	Victim #1 (as Jan Nemesovsky)
Curtis Mathew	...	Victim #2
Vitezslav Bouchner	...	Victim #3
Christian Coulson	...	James, Duke of Monmouth
Robert East	...	Arlington
Dorian Lough	...	Clifford
Tabitha Wady	...	Anne Hyde
Shirley Henderson	...	Catherine of Braganza
Predrag Bjelac	...	Portuguese Courtier (as Pedja Bjelac)
Robert Cavanah	...	Rochester
Alice Patten	...	Lady Frances Stewart
Alan Williams	...	Preacher
Graham McTavish	...	Captain
Robert Orr	...	Cobden
Albert Welling	...	MP #1
Robert Russell	...	Queen's Physician
David Bradley	...	Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey
Ryan James	...	Footman
David McKail	...	Lord Mayor
Richard Bremmer	...	Solomon Eccles
Arthur Whybrow	...	Elderly Man
Jenny Galloway	...	Woman
John Comer	...	Angry Man
Anne-Marie Duff	...	Minette
Thierry Perkins-Lyautey	...	Louis XIV
Emma Pierson	...	Nell Gwynn
Pip Torrens	...	Charles Hart
Max Stewart	...	Inn Keeper
Lukas Trebicky	...	Rope Dancer
Carl Odoms	...	Barbara's Servant
Shaun Dingwall	...	Earl of Danby
Donald Douglas	...	Lord Coleraine
Thomas Q. Napper	...	Sir Peter Lely
Simon Woods	...	Captain Churchill
Cyrille Thouvenin	...	Monsieur
Mélanie Thierry	...	Louise de Kéroualle
Wilfred Prager	...	De Ruvigny
Kristina Madericova	...	Minette's Maid
Jochum ten Haaf	...	William of Orange
Rob Jarvis	...	Kirkby
Eddie Marsan	...	Titus Oates
Anthony O'Donnell	...	Israel Tonge
Robert Bowman	...	Godolphin
Andrew Woodall	...	Essex
Rhys Meredith	...	Coleman
James Greene	...	Lord Stafford
Barbora Lukesová	...	Delphina
Daniel Brown	...	Sergeant
Simon Treves	...	MP #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Brian Caspe	...	Doctor Taylor (2003)
Piers Stubbs	...	Voice
James Babson	...	(uncredited)
Adam Bradley	...	Shrewsbury's Second (uncredited)
Minja Filipovic	...	Anne of Braganza (uncredited)
Zuzana Hodkova	...	Lady in Waiting to Queen Henrietta Maria (uncredited)
Manouk van der Meulen	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Joe Wright

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Adrian Hodges		writer

Produced by
Katrine Dudley	....	associate producer
Delia Fine	....	executive producer: A&E Network
Kate Harwood	....	producer
Laura Mackie	....	executive producer: BBC
Lee Morris	....	associate producer
Emilio Nunez	....	supervising producer

Original Music by
Robert Lane		(as Rob Lane)

Cinematography by
Ryszard Lenczewski

Film Editing by
Paul Tothill

Casting by
Nancy Bishop
Kate Dowd
Janey Fothergill

Production Design by
Sarah Greenwood

Art Direction by
Ian Bailie		(supervising art director)
Martin Maly

Set Decoration by
Katie Spencer

Costume Design by
Mike O'Neill

Makeup Department
Libuse Barlova	....	hair stylist: CZ
Libuse Barlova	....	makeup artist: CZ
Karen Hartley	....	hair designer
Karen Hartley	....	makeup designer
Tomás Kuchta	....	hair stylist: CZ
Tomás Kuchta	....	makeup artist: CZ
Debbi Salmon	....	hair stylist: UK
Debbi Salmon	....	makeup artist: UK
Aaron Sherman	....	prosthetic makeup artist

Production Management
Pavel Nový	....	production manager
Zbynek Pippal	....	unit manager
Katerina Pokorova	....	assistant unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Fry	....	first assistant director
Sarah MacFarlane	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Liz Ainley	....	property buyer
Radek Balaz	....	stand-by props
Lindsay Brunnock	....	stand-by art director
Tony Chance	....	storyboard artist
Jarda David	....	construction stand-by
Marketa Korinková	....	design assistant
Lenka Kourilova	....	property buyer: Czech Republic
Vaclav Kriz	....	dressing prop man
Jirí Matolín	....	head of construction
Jakub Rozsy Pal	....	stand-by props
Tomas Rotnagl	....	art department coordinator
Stanislav Suva	....	scenic artist
Pavel Tatar	....	draftsman
David Voborsky	....	assistant art director
Dennis Wiseman	....	property master

Sound Department
Colin Cooper	....	foley mixer
Lee Crichlow	....	sound effects editor
Paul Cridlin	....	boom operator
Paul Hamblin	....	dubbing mixer
Graham Headicar	....	sound effects editor
Catherine Hodgson	....	sound effects editor
John Taylor	....	production sound mixer
John Taylor	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Dominik Janda	....	special effects crew (2003)
Miroslav Miclik	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Alan Church	....	visual effects producer
Simon Giles	....	visual effects supervisor
Steve McGillen	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Pavel Myslik	....	stunt coordinator
Andreas Petrides	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Simon Baker	....	Steadicam operator
Richie Donnelly	....	focus puller
Richard Fischer	....	electrician
Tim Fleming	....	assistant camera
Michael Houzvicka	....	electrician
Hynek Jecha	....	electrician
Zdenek Mrkvicka	....	assistant camera
Jaromir Simek	....	gaffer
Miroslav Vojkuvka	....	key grip

Casting Department
Nancy Bishop	....	casting: Prague

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Iveta Trmalova	....	wardrobe supervisor
Sarka Zazvorkova	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Chris Beeton	....	colorist
Scott Hinchcliffe	....	on-line editor
Bridgette Williams	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Julian Kershaw	....	orchestrator
Steve Parr	....	music mixer
Steve Parr	....	music recordist

Other crew
Christine Buttner	....	titles
Andrew Connor	....	production accountant
Steve Dent	....	horse supplier
Annie Gilhooly	....	production coordinator
Andrew Hill	....	assistant production accountant
Manda Levin	....	script editor
Petra Novotná	....	horse master
Andreas Petrides	....	sword master
Gordon Ronald	....	production executive
Carol Saunderson	....	script supervisor
Roman Spacil	....	fight arranger
Vera Thompson	....	script translator
Nathan Woods	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• A&E Television Networks
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2003) (UK) (TV) (original airing)
• Just Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Flash Barrandov (special effects)
• Hypnosis VFX Ltd. (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Czech Anglo Productions  production services: Czech Republic
• Macwell  computer services provided by
• Panavision  camera equipment provided by

Also Known As:

Charles II (UK) (short title)
Charles II: The Power and the Passion (UK) (DVD title)
The Last King (USA)
The Last King: The Power and the Passion of Charles II (USA) (DVD title)

Runtime:

235 min | USA:188 min

Country:

UK

Language:

Portuguese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating) | Singapore:M18 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Barrandov Studios, Krizeneckeho namesti, Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

A&E Television Networks

Trivia:

Shirley Henderson's elaborate hairstyle for Catherine's arrival initially took two hours to create.

Quotes:

King Charles II: As you intend on poetry, Rochester, why not provide it yourself?
Rochester: A short epigram in your honour then, Your Majesty.
[pause]
Rochester: "We have a pretty, witty King, Whose word no man relies on. Who never said a foolish thing, Nor ever did a wise one"
King Charles II: Be just, Rochester. The wise words are my own, the deeds are my ministers'.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Charles II' (2003) (TV)

Excellent

I have got this film on DVD and have watched it so many times that I know most of the words. The continuously gorgeous Rufus Sewell plays the king himself. He plays the part to perfection. He shows the audience the trauma of decision making for a king can be, trying to please all people and all religions, while trying to please his own family and court/ministers plus dealing with huge problems like money and religion.

Helen Mcrory (Barbra Villiers) plays her character VERY VERY well. She is cunning and conniving towards the queen, it shows that she (and other women) can easily make the king fold through being a woman, which of course is not expected in Kings.

The film does tend to focus on his mistresses and sex life, however this is the entire idea of the story, if you want a film about what life in general was like around this time then research it. The whole idea of this story was to try to understand his emotions, seeing what made him tick, trying to view Charles as a person rather than a king.

It does skip a couple of scenes but obviously what the directors have skipped is not important, you have to just guess that time has moved on and so have people around Charles. Or the imagination is up to you I suppose. Its definitely worth watching this film and a good choice to buy this film.