Best movie of this year hands down!

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Timothy West was excellent in the role of a king who had a short but very successful reign. The man was King Edward VII, formerly the playboy Prince of Wales, who became the grandfather of Europe. He was a sophisticated man who enjoyed wine, women and a good cigar. West gives him that gravitas that he must have nurtured offstage until the death of his mother Queen Victoria, when he was 61. Monarchy seemed to fit him like a glove and so it seems with West. Although his domineering mother kept him off centre stage as Prince of Wales, he did blossom as king. Victoria, as a charming monarch with a cold determination, is played superbly by a Annette Crosbie and the Princess of Wales/Queen Alexandra is Helen Ryan, who had a copyright on roles as the elegant consort representing the best of Edwardian England. There are excellent actors appearing in the movie: Michael Hordern (Willam Gladstone), John Gielgud (Benjamin Disraeli), Felicity Kendall (the Princess Royal), Charles Dance (Prince Edward), Francesca Annis (Lilly Langtry), etc. I was greatly impressed with this series. Movies like this fine one are a great way to stimulate interest in history. It is one of many home-grown, British television shows that have done just that for me.

But I am obsessed with the Victorian and Edwardian monarchies. Most of the acting was excellent, although I have to say, most of the portrayals of Victoria's daughters were extra flattering, physically. They even had Vicki as slim as a girl with Willie full-grown, when in fact she had assumed a rather massive size at a rather young age, just like her mother. Victoria too appeared far slimmer than she actually became at a much younger age.I thought the actor playing Bertie was especially good. As well of course the role of the Queen. I think Willie was portrayed as a little more lucid than he actually was. Alex was well portrayed and was indeed fierce and fiery on the subject of Prussia, nearly causing international crises more than once.Such a shame how Victoria put Bertie in such an untenable position for decades. What a crazy old bat she turned out to be, no matter if she retained some wisdom.It is so sad in retrospect to see now blind they all were to the dangers of Germany for so long. Sometimes, when I am feeling especially cruel, I almost wish Victoria had lived to see what horrors her beloved Willie wrought.Overall from everything I have read, this series is very true to actual events and attitudes.

I remember watching this series when it first came out and really enjoyed it very much. Annette Crosbie was absolutely wonderful as Queen Victoria. It was truly sad to lose her when she had to die in the series. I also remember Helen Ryan being wonderful as Princess and later Queen Alexandra. Of course Timothy West did a fine job as Prince Albert Edward and later King Edward VII. I must admit I felt that Robert Hardy was sadly miscast as Prince Albert. Felicity Kendal was great as the Princess Royal and Empress Frederick. Francesca Annis was lovely as Lillie Langtry. It really was sad when the series inevitably had to end as it grew on you with every episode. It has rarely been repeated which is truly a sad endictment of television today. It should be as it is very good indeed.

Upon seeing this drama, I found the first few episodes to be really slow - a step-by-step account of the birth and childhood of the prince, containing all the dry and mundane details of the politics of the time and a lengthy show of his education. The young prince is portrayed as a sensitive, handsome boy under too much pressure from his parents and tutors. Whether everyone would agree with this representation I don't know - we never see him having fun with his brothers + sisters for example, and his natural apathy never comes across. Personally, I skipped the early episodes and only watched them after i'd watched the rest of the series, as I wanted to get on with the story.Although the drama picks up after the death of Prince Albert, the main problem with it is that is that the writing is so restrained. We see much of Bertie as a respectful son, husband and a cheerful friend, but NEVER as an adulterer (we never see any first-hand evidence of this, although his 'letters' are sometimes alluded to), we seem him playing cards a lot of the time and being a nice brother to Vicky. Too many scenes are devoted to sympathising with him over his mother's refusal to give him any real duties (She says he is too frivolous and irresponsible - though we don't SEE him doing anything very bad so this totally UNBALANCES the drama).As the lead, Timothy West portrays Edward as an intelligent idealist, not a reckless, fun-loving rake, and this, combined with the rather one-sided writing, means that West doesn't nail the character, and as a main character Bertie is rather bland. Annette Crosbie is a formidable Queen Victoria, we see how she jealously coveted her beloved husband and deeply resents Bertie - but this is about as much scope as the writing gives to her, so we are again denied a fully rounded character.By far my favourite portrayal was that of Queen Alexandra - the only character who the writing gave full justice to. We see her in-depth as a wife and mother, her tact and ability to dispel a bad atmosphere, her kind but simple nature, and her close bond with her sister Dagmar. Helen Ryan's performance is brilliant, she really gets Alexandra's personality off to the audience, even in her speech and movements. She is the only character with whom Bertie has a deep, complex relationship.As you can imagine, most of the series is filmed on tape in a studio, though the sets and costume are all very fine and sumptuous. The direction is generally okay, although sometimes I found that emotional scenes (still playing music in the background) would abruptly cut, and then we'd be on to the next scene, which seemed a bit crude.One of my main problems with the series is the concept itself. Of all the many Kings and Queens of England, why make a 13HOUR long series on... Edward the Seventh? It seems a bit of an odd choice to me. And then to subsequently leave out controversial aspects of his life just takes out all the fun and action. The King himself was a very lively, adventurous personality with a strong need for sexual and emotional fulfilment - I think he's be bored to pieces watching a drama like this.Ultimately, if you like history and have the time, 'Edward the King' is a quiet, compelling drama and will give you something decent to watch. Despite its flaws, you cam see they have taken the time and effort to recreate the Victorian age. However, it's not big on action and might not appeal to many of a younger generation. Though it lacks the dramatic intensity of dramas like 'Elizabeth R' and 'I, Claudius', anyone with an interest in the era and some patience will enjoy this.