ONE of the upcoming flicks to appear at Swan Hill Showbiz Cinemas will examine a heart-warming and surprising true story of a historical art theft.
Pathe, Ingenious Media and Screen Yorkshire present a Neon Films production The Duke, directed by Roger Michell and starring the legendary talents of Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren.
Written by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman and produced by Nicky Bentham, the film takes audiences back to 1961 when 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.
In a heart-warming performance from Broadbent (Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Iris), Kempton sends ransom notes saying he will return the painting on condition that the government invests 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.
Showbiz will be hosting advance screenings today (Friday), Saturday and Sunday before the official opening on March 31.
