Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		2.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

King Ralph Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 3, 2022

Many Americans may not fully grasp the majesty and grandeur of the English throne, but its stature, and rigidness, are given a cavalier and very American spin in King Ralph, a kingly comedy about a Vegas lounge singer who suddenly finds himself enthroned as the King of England. The film is jovial and light but with the expected serious touch to ground the comedy. Hardly a classic but in no way a disappointment, the film serves as a prime example of lighthearted fare that casts a good idea and reels in an agreeable, and rewatchable, little jaunt in the classic "fish out of water" style that ultimately leads king and country to find a middle ground between rigid adherence to custom and the footloose flamboyance of its new head of state.

It’s portrait day for the House of Wyndham, but wet turf plus unsafe electrical procedures equals a freak accident that electrocutes the entire English royal family. Quickly, the (manual) search is on through reams of paper and countless boxes of historical records to seek an heir to the throne. After a long time, a man is found: an American named Ralph Jones (John Goodman), an overweight Las Vegas entertainer who is everything but royal. The crude and slovenly Ralph is thrown into the royal fray and doesn’t fit in very well. His first weeks as king are hit-or-miss. While he begins to feel the pressure and demands a life outside of the crown, he falls for a local down her luck lass named Miranda (Camille Coduri) who is everything the crown says he should not be pursuing. Meanwhile, a jealous Lord from the House of Stuart (John Hurt) plots to humiliate Ralph into relinquishing the throne in disgrace so he might step in and take the royal reigns for himself.

The film quickly maneuvers through a fairly fun, yet still predictable, series of follies as Ralph attempts to adjust to life under the crown. The contrast of a slovenly American attempting to fit into the grace and grandeur of English royalty offers the viewer a collection of entertaining charades as cultures clash, as personalities attempt to dominate above custom, as a nation eagerly watches how two distinct worlds will collide. The film puts Ralph to the test in several ways, first challenging him with little things -- re-learning how to walk and carry himself, becoming accustomed to the proper attire and crown -- and later expanding as he struggles with the suffocating realities of the position, where he is prohibited from engaging in the world's excesses and seeing a young local lady, especially one who is, predictably, from the proverbial "wrong side of the tracks." None of this is a dramatic stretch or thematic challenge, but it's all agreeably assembled and capably presented, resulting in one of the fairer comedies from the early 90s.

The film is helped along by a spirited cast that plays up the roles in a way that is exaggerated, but not off-putting. Goodman is obviously the star, and for good reason. He's a natural fit for the part, at least as it is scripted, wielding an impressive stature but also externalizing the internal strife that is at once pulling him into his own comfort zone while also gradually drawing him into the dual realities of kingship. On the one hand, every need of his is met. On the other, none of his needs are met. He doesn't have to worry about work, but he is preoccupied by the lack of freedom that is the tradeoff for a life of a king. Essentially, he lives on the bread of the throne but dies by the lack of feeding of his creature comforts. Gradually, he fits into the role, but not before a deliciously villainous John Hurt attempts to steal the throne. Hurt is equal parts greasy and sophisticated, playing the role with reserved aplomb. Supporting cast is terrific, including the surprisingly grounded and real Camille Coduri as Ralph's local love interest and Peter O'Toole in a comfortably stately role.

King Ralph Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

King Ralph arrives on Blu-ray with the usual stable of issues generally associated with budget catalogue releases from Mill Creek. Fortunately, the image is nowhere near so problematic as some of the studio's worst efforts, but there is certainly room for improvement. The picture deals with a smorgasbord of common ailments, including, but not limited to, black crush, compression issues, sloppy and chunky grain, and some print pops and other signs of wear. None of these reach into the "egregious" category, but they do hinder the image. There are some signs of de-graining as well, leaving the picture somewhat flat and inorganic, but again not to a completely debilitating extent (one can still see the potential and original filmic roots within the flaws). Details are adequate, with Ralph's shabby appearance clear and the transformation into a royal revealing decent clarity to complex garments and regal furnishings within the palace. Colors are serviceable, lacking nuance and real depth but finding decent contrast and realism.

King Ralph Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Mill Creek brings King Ralph to Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack, which is more or less standard issue for the studio and movies hailing from this era. The presentation is adequate if not a little underwhelming, lacking any real muscle or depth and simply conveying audio essentials into a passably satisfying presentation. Music offers decent front end stretch and really only ever comes alive during the "Good Golly Miss Molly" number partway through the film. Otherwise, this one is fairly bland, which is mostly due to the straightforward an unimaginative nature of the sound design itself. The film is primarily driven by dialogue, which is always intelligible and grounded in a center-imaged area.

King Ralph Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No supplements are included. The main menu screen offers only options to play the film and toggle subtitles on and off. This release does ship with the studio's popular "retro VHS"-style slipcover that mimics the look of a rental box and video tape from the 1980s.

King Ralph Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is a fun little film and one of my personal favorite "guilty pleasures." It's simple minded but it plays well and holds up decades after its release. It's too bad that the Blu-ray is so-so. The absence of supplements is no surprise, and neither are the middling audio and video presentations a surprise. Still, this one comes recommended on the strength of the film and the affordable price point.