The Duke

A warm-hearted, working class comedy-drama set in 1961 based on the true story of Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent), a 60-year old taxi driver, who stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London.

It was the first (and remains the only) theft in the Gallery’s history. Kempton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition that the government agreed to provide television for free to the elderly. Only 50 years later did the full story emerge – a startling revelation of how a good man set out to change the world and in so doing saved his son and his marriage.

“What a lovely, rousing, finally moving film this is.” ~Xan Brooks, The Guardian

“A funny-moving story enjoyably retold with classic British understatement and just the right twist at the end.” ~Deborah Young, The Hollywood Reporter