King Ralph

There isn't anything in this movie that is offensive or rude or mean. The stripper never strips, the bad guy doesn't do anything vile, just *bad*. If you prefer modern American violence & crass language & glossy sexuality, you'll hate this movie. You'll think it's dull & stupid. If you're looking for something you can enjoy with your 5 year old daughter & your 95 year old grandmother, this is the movie. Every body gets what they deserve in the end. Yep, golly gee whilickers - it's a feel good movie!

John Goodman stars as the title monarch in this royal comedy.

Ralph is a Las Vegas lounge singer badly in the need for some

moolah when a group of British councilmen approach him one night

and bear him the news that Ralph is the new king of England

after the whole royal family has been wiped out in a freak

accident! Reluctantly, Ralph takes the job. At first, he seems

like a fish out of water, the fact being that he is an American

first of all, and that he is also a total slob! Being king might

not be so good after all.

This movie is funny because Goodman does a nice job being a

lovable slob trying his best to be the royal figurehead of the

Britain. Peter O'Toole is also good as Willingham, the

aristocrat whose job is to look after the newly appoi

When the entire British royal family is wiped out in an "awful" accident, the American bar entertainer Ralph Jones (excellent: John Goodman, he makes up for most of the boring parts of the plot) becomes the new King of England. After a few adjustment problems with his new job (clothing, manners etc.) he falls in love with a young woman he meets at a local strip club. Problems emerge when his secretary tries to marry him to the Finnish princess to seal a business deal for a few English companies. All in all, a good movie with some great lines but also some boring parts.

I LOVE this movie! I know that when it came out it was largely ignored...by both the critics and the movie going public...but I found this film to be just simply fun to watch...a wonderful movie to just get caught up into. It has no pre-texts of social or political idealism. It doesn't try to solve the worlds problems with it's message. And it doesn't aim to make us, the viewers, think overly hard about where the movie is leading us. It does, however, present us with totally believable characters who we quickly become emotionally invested in. Sure the opening plot structure is contrived but that is half of the charm of the film's setup. It is a good absurd introduction to the twists of the movie.

I must confess, being half Cherokee Indian and half English, I was drawn to this movie if for no other reason than I had always heard about that half of my family's history and imagined who they were and how they lived. As an American, I have also fallen prey to my own sometimes myopic world view. King Ralph was an enjoyable way to contemplate the place that a monarchy holds in the hearts of their countrymen.

I don't believe that there is anything inherently wrong with having a movie that doesn't try to enlighten or enrage us. I have always felt that too often Hollywood tries to insert a message or moral slant to a project just because they believe that to not include one makes the movie seem shallow or silly. I say whats wrong with having just a fun movie? To me King Ralph was just such a movie. Of course it had smatterings of political overtones and touches of social commentary, but I feel that this was used to propel the story rather than to try and impart some deeper philosophical meaning to us.

I confess that "King Ralph" is one of my favorite movies. Yes, the basic plot concept of the film has been done in MANY stories, both written and filmed, but the superb acting coupled with the not-so-subtle jabs at British Royalty push the plot right over the top. Never mind that John Goodman is brilliant (as usual), but the well-done and loosely-serious role of Peter O'Toole adds a much needed anchor to Mr. Goodman's highly-anticipated antics. The filming locations of the film as well provide a truly beautiful backdrop to the production, steeped strongly in tradition and British heritage. Two thumbs up for this light-hearted comedy that dares to poke at some of the more serious issues of royal responsibility and pressure.

Highly recommended for fun entertainment, I give "King Ralph" a 9 out of 10.