The Duke
Prime Studios was the Yorkshire production base for 'The Duke', which stars Academy Award winners Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren.
The comedy drama, filmed at locations in Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate, had its world premiere at Venice Film Festival in September 2020.
THE DUKE also stars Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk) and Matthew Goode (The Imitation Game).
Based on a remarkable true story of one man’s attempt to make a better world, THE DUKE is directed by BAFTA award winner Roger Michell (My Cousin Rachel, Notting Hill). The film is based on a script written by Richard Bean (One Man, Two Guvnors) and Clive Coleman and is produced by Nicky Bentham (Moon) of Neon Films.
Synopsis
In 1961, Kempton Bunton, a 60 year old taxi driver, stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. It was the first (and remains the only) theft in the Gallery’s history.
Kempton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition that the government invested more in care for the elderly – he had long campaigned for pensioners to receive free television.
What happened next became the stuff of legend. Only 50 years later did the full story emerge – Kempton had spun a web of lies. The only truth was that he was a good man, determined to change the world and save his marriage – how and why he used the Duke to achieve that is a wonderfully uplifting tale.
Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren star in 'The Duke'
Michell reunites with his creative team from My Cousin Rachel: Director of Photography Mike Eley, Costume Designer Dinah Collin and Editor Kristina Hetherington. Make Up and Hair Designer is Karen Hartley Thomas (The Personal History of David Copperfield) and Production Designer is Kristian Milsted (Killing Eve).
Pathé will release the feature film in the UK, France, and Switzerland. Previously announced sales include Australia (Transmission), Benelux (Paradiso), Canada, Germany, and Spain (eOne), China (Huanxi), Czech Republic (AQS), former Yugoslavia (MCF), Israel (Forum), Italy (BIM), Japan (Phantom), Middle East (Front Row), and Poland (Monolith).