King Ralph is a 1991 American comedy film starring John Goodman in the title role of Ralph Jones. The movie also stars Peter O'Toole as the King's private secretary, Sir Cedric Willingham, Camille Coduri as Ralph's girlfriend Miranda Greene, and John Hurt the British peer Percival Graves, who schemes to get Ralph removed in order to claim the throne himself.
The story is loosely based on the 1980 novel Headlong by Emlyn Williams.[1] Very little of the story survived the transition to the screen; characters were changed and the story made into a comedy. The film was a minor box office hit but was received negatively by critics.
Plot[]
The entire British Royal Family who are the house of Wyndham is electrocuted and killed in a freak accident outside Buckingham Palace while having a royal portrait taken following a rainstorm. Sir Cedric Willingham leads a search for any surviving heirs to whom to pass the crown. After days of searching, a living heir is found: American Ralph Jones.
Shortly after being fired from his job as a lounge singer in Las Vegas, Ralph is informed by Cedric's assistant secretary Duncan Phipps that he has royal heritage. His grandmother Constance had a brief affair with the first Duke of Warren while a hotel waitress in the US. Constance had a son, Ralph’s father. Since he, his father and grandmother are dead and Ralph is sole heir to the throne. A ring is given as proof, a duplicate of the ring she used to wear that the Duke had given her.
Ralph is flown to London where Cedric gives him a crash course on royal etiquette. On his second day, he goes to a strip club and meets Miranda Greene, a timid exotic dancer and aspiring fashion designer. He dares her to go out on a date with him if the British press proves his claim to the monarchy.
Meanwhile, Lord Percival Graves is opposed to having an American on the throne and attempts to declare the reigning House of Wyndham at an end and replace it with the House of Stuart, of which he is patriarch. Prime Minister Geoffrey Hale states that Ralph's succession is legitimate unless he commits a heinous act. With this in mind, Graves bribes Miranda to stir up controversy by having a public relationship with Ralph.
Despite warnings by Cedric not to commit a mistake similar to that of King Edward VIII, Ralph sneaks out of the Palace to have a date with Miranda in Hyde Park. The next day, she returns Graves' money, but he already has photographs of her with Ralph. To protect Ralph's reputation, Miranda breaks up with him.
Despite Ralph's inability to understand British culture and his awkwardness at formal affairs, he makes a positive impression on King Mulambon of Zambezi during his state visit. They share concerns about the role of leadership they have assumed and the economic interests of their nations. Ralph accumulates a small but loyal following.
It is arranged for Ralph to marry Princess Anna of Finland to continue the royal bloodline and guarantee jobs for the UK in Finland's newly discovered oil reserves in the Baltic Sea. On the night of the Finnish Royal Family's visit, Ralph is sickened by Princess Anna's unusually deep voice, her bizarre sexual preferences, and her nonchalant acceptance of arranged royal marriage.
Miranda attends the royal ball as a set-up by Graves, and photos of her kiss with Ralph are shown to Anna's father King Gustav. This, along with Ralph's impromptu performance of "Good Golly, Miss Molly", results in Finland turning down the UK in favor of Japan for the offshore equipment contract.
Ralph accepts a stern scolding from Cedric and plans to set things right. Miranda confesses her role in the scandal and he cuts off contact with her. Becoming suspicious about his situation, Phipps tells Ralph that Cedric is also an heir to the throne (his great-grand-mother, a parlor maid, had a one-night stand with a British prince), but had turned it down.
Ralph addresses Parliament, apologizing for his recent actions. He then informs them he has organized with King Mulambon for Zambezi to purchase £200 million worth of British mining equipment and open three car engine plants in Britain, ensuring jobs for Miranda's family and thousands of other Britons. He then reveals Graves has been sabotaging his succession to the throne and has him arrested for violating the Treason Act 1702. Finally, Ralph announces he will abdicate and reveals Cedric as his successor. He accepts his duty as king, and makes Ralph the third Duke of Warren, with a lucrative annual stipend and his own recording studio in his country estate. Cedric warns that since he has no children, Ralph may have to be king again after Cedric dies.
Ralph marries Miranda and has a son (Ralph II) with her while fronting his own singing group Ralph and the Dukettes. They perform a cover of "Duke of Earl" as the credits roll.
Cast[]
- John Goodman as Ralph Hampton Gainsworth Jones, a former lounge singer from Las Vegas and heir to the British Throne. Bill Murray was considered for the titular role.[2]
- Peter O'Toole as Sir Cedric Charles Willingham, Ralph's advisor who is another heir to the British Throne.
- John Hurt as Lord Percival Graves, a peer who wants the House of Stuart to succeed the House of Wyndham.
- Camille Coduri as Miranda Greene, an exotic dancer King Ralph falls for.
- Richard Griffiths as Duncan Phipps, Cedric's assistant private secretary.
- Julian Glover as King Gustav, the King of Finland.
- Leslie Phillips as Gordon Halliwell
- Judy Parfitt as Queen Katherine, the wife of King Gustav of Finland
- Joely Richardson as Princess Anna of Finland.
- James Villiers as Prime Minister Geoffrey Hale
- Ann Beach as Miranda's Mother
- Jack Smethurst as Miranda's Father
- Niall O'Brien as Inspector Thomas McGuire
- Leo Jean as Grampy
- Gedren Heller as Punk Girl
- Ed Stobart as Dysentery
- Gareth Forwood as the Duke
- Rudolph Walker as King Mulambon, the King of Zambezi.
- Michael Johnson as Hamilton
- Caroline Paterson as Counter Girl, a girl who works at Burger King.
- Tim Seely as The King of the United Kingdom, Ralph's unnamed predecessor who perishes alongside his family in a photography-based accident.
- Alison McGuire as The Queen of the United Kingdom, the unnamed wife of the King of the United Kingdom who perishes alongside her family in a photography-based accident.
- Chantal Claire, Topaz Hasfal-Schou, and Charlotte Pyecroft as the Dukettes, the backup singers for Ralph.
- Jason Richards as Ralph II, the baby son of Ralph and Miranda, who will be heir to the throne of the United Kingdom.
Books[]
The story is loosely based on the novel Headlong by Emlyn Williams. Very little of the story survived the transition to the screen; characters were changed and the story made into a comedy. The film was a minor box office hit.
Gallery[]
- ↑ King Ralph (1991), AFI Catalog, American Film Institute
- ↑ Evans, Bradford (16 February 2012). "The Lost Roles of Bill Murray, Part Two".. Splitsider.