One dark and stormy night, King Henry VIII lay bleeding on the floor of a country manor house. Surrounded by his shifty-eyed entourage, the ruthless ruler struggled with his own sanity. In this fascinating period piece, John Walsh seamlessly merges historical fact and foreboding drama. Set in the winter of 1547, Monarch takes place over one night. After an injury on the road forces the king to stop in an empty house, his inner circle of aides whisper of assassination. Filled with shadowy scenarios of political manoeuvring and paranoid plotting, Monarch is a sixteenth-century film noir that gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of history's most colourful and controversial characters. The film is anchored by T.P. McKenna's brilliant, bellowing performance as a leader haunted by flashbacks and ghostly visitations from the many wives he murdered in his notorious obsession to sire a male heir.
This is an impressive debut from Writer / Director John Walsh, who is a well known documentary film maker in the UK.
This is an impressive debut from Writer / Director John Walsh, who is a well known documentary film maker in the UK.