‘Hyde Park on Hudson’ treats the leaders of the world as real people

When Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln first hit movie theaters, the epic film was praised for its fine focusing on the prolific life of the influential president. Rather than giving us a typical biopic, featuring a soup-to-nuts story, we were given a restricted timeline around the passing of the 13th amendment. The results were splendid.

In Hyde Park on Hudson, the exquisite little film about Franklin D. Roosevelt playing host to the king and queen of England, we’re given an even tighter focus. The movie is not interested in the New Deal or anything of great importance throughout the four terms of the iconic American president. Instead, most of the action falls within the parameters of a weekend visit from the royals of the UK. They eat hotdogs, commiserate over alcohol, take in the lush countryside and then call it a day. It’s simple filmmaking about a simple story, and within these 90 minutes, there’s such great beauty.

Roosevelt is portrayed by the talented Bill Murray, doing his best impression, but never letting it overshadow his deep character work. It’s a performance focused less on physicality and much more on broad gestures that seem to suggest FDR rather than impersonate him.

His cousin, Daisy, is brought to life by Laura Linney, one of our generation’s finest actresses. She’s brought to FDR’s summer residence on the Hudson River as an afterthought; she was simply the one cousin who was available to keep the president company. Roosevelt shows Daisy his stamp collection and takes her on fast car rides through the billowing fields of the local countryside. They fall in love. The fact that FDR is married to Eleanor (Olivia Williams) doesn’t seem to matter. Daisy is not his first extramarital affair, and Eleanor is too busy with her own projects (and potential love interests?) to pay too much attention.

When Bertie (Samuel West) and Elizabeth (Olivia Colman), the royal couple, come over from England, they’re met with the unrefined relaxation of the Hyde Park property. Watching them settle into the residence is one of the many treats of Hyde Park on Hudson. They’re obviously fish out of water, preferring the stateliness of their palaces rather than the homeliness of Roosevelt’s house. Think of what would happen if the servants of Downton Abbey dined with the Crawleys.

The movie, written by Richard Nelson and directed by Roger Michell, feels like a passing thought, a footnote of history blown up to exaggerated proportions. To be honest, those assessments are accurate. There’s not much learned about the administrative qualities of Roosevelt or the leadership qualities of George VI (he’s the same king portrayed by Colin Firth in The King’s Speech). And yet, Hyde Park on Hudson succeeds by treating these real-life characters as studies in human emotions. Just as William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is less about the historical time period and more about the attraction of revenge, so it is with Michell’s film. We learn about love, loss, nervousness and overcoming the odds by having the leaders of the free world make nice for a couple of days. Delete their official titles and insert “regular” characters, and we have a lovely weekend at the country, like an Ingmar Bergman film or Stephen Sondheim musical.

This may be the first historical picture where history is secondary. We come to know and appreciate these characters on a personal level, almost forgetting about their professional responsibilities. That takes courage on the part of the filmmaker and screenwriter, and it also requires a winning cast to make us want to stick around. Hyde Park on Hudson’s ensemble is superb. From Murray’s understated performance to Williams’ sold turn as Eleanor, this picture makes them feel like real people. Linney is especially effective, offering a down-home side to the “official” goings-on of the estate. Watch how Colman’s demeanor changes as the film progresses. She holds onto her manners and decorum with a firm grasp, unwilling to let these Americans change her like they’ve apparently changed her husband. Each of these actors shines in their respective roles.

The cinematography and art direction are breathtakingly beautiful. It’s a pure joy to watch FDR scale the country roads of his Hudson River property.

Hyde Park on Hudson is as fleeting as a summer wind, but somehow it teaches more lessons than many traditional biopics.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Hyde Park on Hudson

• 2012

• Directed by Roger Michell

• Written by Richard Nelson

• Starring Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Samuel West, Olivia Colman, Elizabeth Marvel and Olivia Williams

• Running time: 94 minutes

• Rated R for brief sexuality

• Rating: