Helen Mirren hopes The Duke will become part of ‘canon of great British films’
Dame Helen Mirren says she hopes her new movie The Duke will become a national favourite and make its way into “the canon of great British films.”
The Oscar-winning actress stars alongside fellow screen veteran Jim Broadbent in the true story of the theft of a valuable portrait from The National Gallery in London.
Dame Helen plays the wife of Kempton Bunton, played by Broadbent, a 60-year-old taxi driver who allegedly stole Goya’s painting of the Duke Of Wellington in 1961.
It was directed by the late Roger Michell, famous for films including Notting Hill and Venus, who died in September aged 65.
Bunton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition the Government invested more in care for the elderly, having long campaigned for pensioners to receive free television.
Dame Helen said that the “quintessentially British” story could not be made in other countries.
“I hope it will become, not a cult film, but it will become a favourite in the canon of great British films,” she told the PA news agency.
“It was made by a great British director, it has a great British actor in it, Jim (Broadbent) and it’s a wonderful British story.
“It certainly couldn’t be made in America, or France, or Germany, or Italy; it’s a quintessentially British story.”
She added: “I know people are going to love it, everyone who has seen it loves it.”
Broadbent added that the production experience had been “the best of my life” and paid tribute to Michell as “the most wonderful director.”
“The experience of making the film was absolutely delightful, the best filming experience I’ve had, I think,” he told PA.
“Roger Michell… was the most wonderful director, he was absolutely stress free the whole shoot… no trouble, no difficulty or anxieties.
“It was a treat and it felt great. One of Roger’s many talents was getting a great cast together.”
Co-star Anna Maxwell added of Michell: “He was such a brilliant and kind director and so phenomenally able, he always had the best people and they were incredibly loyal to him and that means the whole crew.”
The Duke will be released in UK cinemas from February 25.
