When Margaret Suckley passed away in 1991, her private journals and diaries revealed an affair with her cousin and then President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in 1939. That alleged affair has been adapted by writer Richard Nelson for the film Hyde Park on Hudson. Of course, Hyde Park refers to the home of FDR and serves as the setting for much of the film. While the relationship and romance between Margaret (Laura Linney) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (Bill Murray) is the primary focus of Hyde Park on Hudson, another storyline, featuring a visit from England's King George VI (Samuel West) and his wife, Queen Elizabeth (Olivia Colman), consumes an ample amount of time.
As the film opens, Margaret is summoned to Hyde Park to act as a companion for FDR, even though his wife, Eleanor (Olivia Williams), and an assistant, Marguerite LeHand (Elizabeth Marvel), are also present. Roosevelt takes a liking to the rather innocent and naive Margaret and their relationship turns romantic during a drive out to the country. Margaret seems to believe that she is the only woman in the President's life, besides Eleanor, of course, which leads to a broken heart when she discovers his other affairs (no, that is not a spoiler). Margaret feels even more alienated when King George and Queen Elizabeth arrive and learns that she is not invited to a dinner in their honor.
After the dinner, FDR and King George have a private meeting and discover that they have similar reasons for wanting to spend time together and they both involve the impending war. Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth takes exception to the wallpaper in the room they are staying in, which negatively depicts British soldiers. She is even suspicious of the Roosevelt's decision to serve hot dogs as the primary menu item for a picnic lunch the following day. The Queen's concerns, bordering on paranoia, add much needed humor and provide a balance to the more dramatic material.
Laura Linney delivers strong work as the somewhat frumpy Margaret, who has limited life experience, which may have been why she was chosen to act as the President's companion. Bill Murray is also quite good, as usual, and is made to look very much like Franklin Roosevelt. His hairstyle and hair color, as well as his complexion, are eerily similar, but I do not think that his vocal stylings were quite right, but I have not heard FDR's voice on film for some time, so I could be mistaken. One scene, featuring FDR and King George, is quite effective and shows how understanding and supportive the President was towards the King's speech impediment (which was the subject of the award winning film The King's Speech). The aforementioned talented supporting cast deliver fine work, too.
I appreciate director Roger Michell's low key approach to the film, as well as the music, which is subdued and appropriate. However, while Hyde Park on Hudson is relatively short, with a run time of just over 90 minutes, the film does not always flow easily, which becomes distracting. In addition, since I am not a student of history, I cannot speak to how historically accurate the film is and I have no idea if the information in Margaret Suckley's diaries and journals has been verified. Whether the film is fact or fiction, or perhaps a mixture of the two, it is an entertaining period piece with much to offer.
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