Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #60530 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-05-01
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 97 minutes

Amazon.com
David Ward made his reputation on his original screenplay of The Sting, but his career as a director has been built on lightweight comedies filled with generous spirit and slight aspirations. King Ralph delivers on that level. After a freak accident kills every immediate member of the British royal family, a search of the royal bloodline uncovers an unlikely candidate: portly Las Vegas lounge singer John Goodman. How will this gauche, exuberant red-blooded American mix with the snooty aristocratic bluebloods? Blustery, big-hearted Goodman brings the common touch to the palace with the enthusiastic spirit of a beer-guzzling, burger-eating Everyman who hammers out a mean rock & roll piano--even at official functions. John Hurt plays his conniving rival, an overlooked lord who plots the King's demise, while Peter O'Toole brings quiet dignity to his role as the King's private secretary and guide through the maze of etiquette and diplomacy. Ward brings a distinctly American sensibility to the British setting--this is definitely slapstick over satire and Goodman is a veritable bull in the royal china shop. This is a modest underdog comedy where white hats and black hats are pretty rigidly defined, but Goodman brings a working class dignity to the role. Watch for Joely Richardson in a hilarious turn as a throaty foreign princess who puts the moves on Goodman. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

Goodman Sells A Spectacular Performance!
HM King Ralph is an exceptionally well done film, and is hilarious footage for the whole family. The movie King Ralph begins with the recent deaths of the entire British Royal Family. Britains then trace back Royal liniage to find that a Casino gambling American (Goodman) is next in line to the British Throne of Whindom. John Goodman brings laughs and spunk into the walls of Buckingham Palace, and an emotional ending leaves you ready to watch it again!

Corny but Fun
Probably the best Jon Goodman movie I have ever seen. The premise is implauable to say the least, but you still manage some pretty descent laughs.

A great movie
A very good movie indeed, but as a Finnish person I find it completely absurd to have the king of England arrange a reception to the royal family of Finland. Why, you ask? Because Finland hasn't got a king! Finland isn't a country of monarchy but a republic. Still they play the Finnish national anthem right. Doesn't make sense to me whatsoever. This might seem like a tiny and pointless detail to you, but I have to wonder why didn't they pick for example Finland's werstern neighbor Sweden instead, which IS a monarchy?

In spite of all this, the movie is really good. Recommended.