| The King Chronicle | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Written by | Donald Brittain |
| Directed by | Donald Brittain |
| Starring | Sean McCann Gary Reineke Sandy Webster |
| Theme music composer | Milan Kymlicka Eldon Rathburn |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Producers | Adam Symansky Darce Fardy Peter Katadotis |
| Cinematography | Savas Kalogeras |
| Editors | Robert Benson Roger Hart Rita Roy |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBC Television |
| Release | March 27 (1988-03-27) – March 29, 1988 (1988-03-29) |
The King Chronicle is a Canadian docudrama television miniseries, directed byDonald Brittain and broadcast byCBC Television in 1988.[1] Blending both documentary and dramatic elements, the six-hour series was a portrait of former Canadian Prime MinisterMackenzie King, withSean McCann in the leading role.[2]
The first episode centred primarily on King's pre-political family background, the second focused on his early political career including theKing–Byng affair of 1926, and the third focused on his late political career including theConscription Crisis of 1944.[3]
The cast also includedGary Reineke as King's economic advisorOscar D. Skelton,Albert Millaire as prime ministerWilfrid Laurier,Sandy Webster as cabinet ministerJames Ralston,R. H. Thomson as military commander and diplomatAndrew McNaughton, George Merner asWinston Churchill, Richard Farrell as Governor-GeneralJulian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy,Patricia Collins asEvelyn Byng, Viscountess Byng of Vimy,Doris Petrie as King's mother Isabel, and Tom Harvey asFranklin Delano Roosevelt.[3]
The series was broadcast by CBC Television over three nights, from March 27 to March 29, 1988.[2]
The series received mixed reviews from television critics. Tony Atherton of theOttawa Citizen wrote that it functioned better as a documentary than as a drama, but ultimately concluded that "despite its length, and occasional tedium, The King Chronicle provides Canadians with fascinating portrait of a colorful historic figure, and a better understanding of themselves."[4] while Jim Bawden of theToronto Star praised McCann's performance but opined that "Brittain, a superb moviemaker, should not have written the script. He gets bogged down in the petty politicking of the day and doesn't pay attention to King's emotional battles within himself, reported in the diaries. Brittain's frustration at not being able to pin down the real King grows even as the mini-series dawdles to its end."[3]
Mike Boone of theMontreal Gazette was more positive, writing that "The King Chronicle brings this fascinating man out of the mists of our neglected history, casting harsh, revelatory light on the King character. Viewers will be treated to a thoroughly entertaining and informative account of three tumultuous decades in Canada's history, when events were quietly and slyly manipulated by a political genius. I wish Donald Brittain had been making TV series while I was wasting my youth watchingDavy Crockett. I might have begged my parents for a Mackenzie King hat. Brittain is a bona fide genius. The King Chronicle joinsCanada's Sweetheart, the brilliantChampions documentary trilogy and the On Guard for Thee series of Cold War analyses as precious TV records of complex events that have shaped modern Canada."[2]
TheToronto Star also asked three Canadian historians for their views of the series.Jack Granatstein called it awful and riddled with errors,Bruce Hutchison was charitable about the need to condense a 55-year political career into a six-hour film but was critical of McCann's performance as not really capturing how King actually conducted himself, whileBernard Ostry praised the series for demystifying King but lamented the inability to provide deeper context for some of his actions.[5]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominees | Result | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini Awards | 1988 | Best Dramatic Miniseries | Adam Symansky | Nominated | [6] |
| Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series | Gary Reineke | Nominated | |||
| Sandy Webster | Nominated | ||||
| Best Sound in a Dramatic Program or Series | Jean-Pierre Joutel, Louis Hone, Julian Olson, Adrian Croll, Hans Oomes | Nominated |