The King
Author: Denee Savoia
Thursday, March 2, 2006
Directed by: James Marsh
Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Pell James, William Hurt
4/5
Sex, violence and general depravity pervade pop culture nowadays like smog in a metropolis, which makes it pretty difficult for anyone wishing to genuinely shock the public.
Nonetheless, Writer/Director James Marsh has done a pretty good job of it, with his debut feature The King.
“It was very much our intention to provoke and shock at the end,” he says. “I wish more films provoked people.”
Starring Gael Garcia Bernal in his first English-speaking role, The King follows 21-year-old Elvis Sandow, a recently discharged Naval officer, as he heads home to Texas to find his father.
But as luck in America’s bible belt would have it, Elvis’s dad (William Hurt) is now a Pastor with a family of his own, and wants nothing to do with Elvis, who he regards as nothing more than a stark reminder of his sinful past.
Things get interesting from here on in, as Elvis embarks on an illicit affair with Pastor Sandow’s virginal teenage daughter Malerie (Pell James), who incidentally has no idea she’s being deflowered by her half-brother.
I should mention here that Bernal’s depiction of Elvis is flawless. He brings to the role a balance of charisma and ambiguity that works perfectly with the script, since a lot of the dramatic tension exists because we’re not quite sure of his motivation. Is he lustfully naive, or is his scheme a cold and calculated act of retribution-
The incestuous transgression is followed by a heady concoction of blackmail, fratricide, revenge, betrayal and murder. But it’s Elvis’s final request in the last scene before the credits that left me, and will no doubt leave you, stunned beyond belief.
“It was quite conscious to end up with something that was really kind of horrifying and devastating and yet had a big question that remained unanswered,” explains Marsh.
That questions toys with one of Christian Theology’s fundamental beliefs, and while Marsh realizes the potential it has to shock and offend certain sections of the community, he argues that his strict Christian upbringing gives him license to do so.
“I welcome open and honest discussion with Christian people about this,” Marsh says, “I grew up in that background, and I know my bible pretty well. My parents converted to that kind of Christianity when I was a child. I was suddenly exposed to a whole new set of rules and regulations, most of which were totally counterproductive to my entire upbringing and educational and welfare, so I was able to make a comparison. I know the mentality, and I can discuss it with anyone who wants to discuss it on that level.”
His grudge is palpable, but Marsh denies any animosity.
It’s no about an attack on religion by any means, he says. “We’re not saying it’s right on wrong, we’re just saying, well, here are some consequences.”
“In dramatic terms, it works well,” he adds. “It can operate just as a straight forward narrative. You don’t really need to know anything about Christian theology, but there are some questions about the nature of people believing in things they can’t prove and acting on those beliefs, that can lead to some rather interesting and dramatic situations.”
What: The King
When: In cinemas now
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