King Ralph
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King Ralph (first released on February 15, 1991) is a United States film starring John Goodman, who played the title role of Ralph Jones. The movie also starred Peter O'Toole as the King's private secretary Sir Cedric Willingham, Camille Coduri as Ralph's girlfriend Miranda Greene, and John Hurt as the British Lord Percival Graves, who schemed to get Ralph removed so that Parliament would name him King.
The film, effectively a well conceived and executed variation on the "fish out of water" theme, did not do as well at the box office as it might have, perhaps partly because of a poorly done co-promotion campaign with Burger King, which made the King seem malicious and destructive, rather than well-meaning but inexperienced.
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Synopsis
In this film, the entire Windom family, which in this film is the current ruling family of the United Kingdom, dies in a freak electrical accident. It had been the first time the entire family had been together in a number of years. As a result of the accident, it appears that there are no surviving members of the Windom family left.
The British government immediately commissions a search to find if there are any surviving Windom heirs left, in order to pass the title of monarch to them. After an extensive search, a researcher finally locates a living heir. His name is Ralph Jones. Willingham's assistant Duncan Phipps (Richard Griffiths), brings the news to Willingham. Willingham asks if Jones is everything they hopes for. But Phipps responds, "He has his strengths and weaknesses. You see, he's an American." Willingham has a look of horror on his face as he tells Phipps to quickly list the strengths.
In Las Vegas, Ralph Jones is working as a lounge singer/piano player in one of the main casinos. He is a slob who watches football on a portable TV screen while working. Phipps and Inspector McGuire (Niall O'Brien) watch the performance, and applaud with enthusiasm when he finishes. When Ralph returns to his room, he finds out that the casino had just fired him. Ralph meets Phipps and McGuire, who inform him that he is now the new King of England.
At first, Ralph is sceptical over Phipps' claims. Phipps tells Ralph that his grandfather, the Duke of Earl, had a brief affair with a hotel maid while visiting the states. This affair produced a child, Ralph's father. But since his father and grandmother have since died, Ralph is the only surviving Windom heir. Ralph is more concerned about his immediate future, and what he would do for money. Finally, Phipps shows him the Duke's ring. It is an exact copy of the only other ring of this type known to exist, which the Duke had given to his grandmother. Ralph clearly remembers the ring his grandmother had, and is finally convinced when he sees the Duke's ring.
Ralph is flown to London. There he meets Willingham for the first time, and begins the long period of adjustment to make him a proper British monarch.
Tagline: A comedy of majestic proportions
Quotes
Graves: "By what right can you order my arrest?!"
Ralph: "By the Treason Act of 1702, forbidding interference in the proper succession of a Monarch! Enacted by..." (mutters to himself) "Charlie, Charlie, James again." (Then looks up and announces) "William the Third!"
Trivia
- During his first date with Miranda, Ralph is playing Scrabble with her. When he plays the word "Yo" she protests saying that there is no such word. In the PC game version of Scrabble by Hasbro Interactive, "Yo" is in fact a word that can be played during the game.
- The film supposes that there is a Finnish royal family. But Finland only had Friedrich Karl von Hessen temporarily.