What is Sony Classics The Duke?
Sony Pictures Classics' film "The Duke" is a heartwarming and uplifting tale that tells the story of Kempton Bunton, a 60-year-old taxi driver and father of three. The film is set in London during the 1960s, and it captures the cut-throat world of art, where only the wealthiest and most privileged can afford to buy the most valuable paintings.
Kempton is an ordinary working-class man who is driven to commit an extraordinary crime. Frustrated by the art world's disregard for ordinary people, Kempton decides to steal "The Duke of Wellington," a painting by Francisco Goya that hangs in the National Gallery in London, and demand that it be used to help the elderly and disadvantaged in society.
As the film unfolds, we see Kempton's relationship with his wife, his loyal friends, and his troubled son. We witness the excitement and fear that he and his accomplice, his grandson, feel as they plan and carry out the heist. We also see Kempton struggling to avoid detection by the authorities and his eventual arrest, which leads to a lengthy trial.
Despite the film's somber subject matter, "The Duke" is ultimately a joyful and heartwarming tribute to the power of community and the importance of standing up for what you believe in. Directed by Roger Michell and starring Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren, and Fionn Whitehead, "The Duke" is a must-see film that reminds us of the value of compassion, empathy, and justice.
Frequently Asked Questions about sony classics the duke
In 1961, a 60-year-old taxi driver steals Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. He sends ransom notes saying that he will return the painting if the government invests more in care for the elderly.The Duke / Film synopsis
This highly entertaining comedy drama, starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, is based on the amazing true story of the theft of Goya's painting of the Duke of Wellington from The National Gallery in 1961. The National Archives holds the original documents which tell this incredible story.
History. Sony Pictures Classics (SPC) was formed in 1992 by Michael Barker, Tom Bernard and Marcie Bloom, and set up as an autonomous division of Sony Pictures to produce, acquire and/or distribute independent films from the United States and internationally.
Parents need to know that The Duke is an uplifting British underdog story that's based on real events and features strong language, including some racist slurs.
Marion Robert Morrison
Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), professionally known as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood's Golden Age, especially through his starring roles in Western and war ...
His most famous nick-name was the “Duke.” A local fireman at the station on his route to school in Glendale started calling him “Little Duke” because he never went anywhere without his huge Airedale Terrier, Duke. He preferred “Duke” to “Marion”, and the nickname stuck.
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes.
Sony Pictures Classics
| Type | Division |
|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | Hollywood, California, U.S. (1992) |
| Founders | Michael Barker Tom Bernard Marcie Bloom |
| Headquarters | New York City, U.S. |
Michael Barker
Michael Barker is the Co-President and Co-Founder of Sony Pictures Classics (with Tom Bernard) since January 1992. Sony Pictures Classics distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from the United States and around the world.
A duke is a member of a royal or noble group. In some places, dukes rule over certain regions, while in others duke is just an honorary title. In the U.K., a duke inherits his title from his parents.
History. Duke University was created in 1924 by James Buchanan Duke as a memorial to his father, Washington Duke. The Dukes, a Durham family that built a worldwide financial empire in the manufacture of tobacco products and developed electricity production in the Carolinas, long had been interested in Trinity College.
In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James Buchanan Duke established The Duke Endowment and the institution changed its name to honor his deceased father, Washington Duke.
