It seems that every now and then Henry VIII and his wives pop back up in a historical retelling. Yes these are either stuffed to the gills costume dramas or are a bed hopping teenage romance on TV. John Walsh's Monarch is neither. This take on the most fearsome of English kings is more like Hammer House of Horror meets The Downfall.
Set in one night, with a handful of players this economic drama bristles with first feature optimism from a director who went on you carve out a career in ground breaking documentaries. Great to see this getting a second look and with a spit and polish normally reserved for big Hollywood blockbusters, Monarch and its central performance from TP McKenna will now be preserved for future generations. Despite the film's humble origins, TP's performance can sit comfortably alongside, those of Richard Burton, Keith Michell and Robert Shaw.
Set in one night, with a handful of players this economic drama bristles with first feature optimism from a director who went on you carve out a career in ground breaking documentaries. Great to see this getting a second look and with a spit and polish normally reserved for big Hollywood blockbusters, Monarch and its central performance from TP McKenna will now be preserved for future generations. Despite the film's humble origins, TP's performance can sit comfortably alongside, those of Richard Burton, Keith Michell and Robert Shaw.