For nearly a decade, Gilbert and Sullivan’s collaborations have delighted the English people. But in 1884, as a London heat wave cuts into the theater trade, their latest work, "Princess Ida", receives lukewarm press. In an effort to reconcile their creative differences and drawing inspiration from Japanese culture, they went on to create the hit opera "The Mikado", one of the duo's greatest successes.
Directed by Mike Leigh
london, england
prostitute
musical
biography
cigar smoking
drink
lyricist
exhibition
playing piano
19th century
1880s
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.9 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
Jim Broadbent
W. S. Gilbert
Allan Corduner
Sir Arthur Sullivan
Timothy Spall
Richard Temple (The Mikado)
Lesley Manville
Lucy Gilbert
Ron Cook
Richard D'Oyly Carte
Wendy Nottingham
Helen Lenoir
Kevin McKidd
Durward Lely (Nanki-Poo)
Shirley Henderson
Leonora Braham (Yum-Yum)
Dorothy Atkinson
Jessie Bond
Martin Savage
George Grossmith
Eleanor David
Fanny Ronalds
Sam Kelly
Richard Barker
Crew
Mike Leigh
Director
Mike Leigh
Writer
Carl Davis
Original Music Composer
Simon Channing Williams
Producer
Nina Gold
Casting
Eve Stewart
Production Design
Lindy Hemming
Costume Design
Gary Yershon
Music Director
Eve Stewart
Set Decoration
David Crossman
Wardrobe Supervisor
Jacqueline Durran
Assistant Costume Designer
Ben Howard
Floor Runner
Popular Reviews
30 reviews
Will Poole
9.0★ · 12/03/25
What a shame leigh can only get a decent budget for his period stuff. This is brilliant and a modern drama of this scale and budget would be even better
What a shame leigh can only get a decent budget for his period stuff. This is brilliant and a modern drama of this scale and budget would be even better
Josh
5.0★ · 10/07/25
You could shave half an hour off this movie by cutting people exchanging pleasantries.
You could shave half an hour off this movie by cutting people exchanging pleasantries.
Lucas Ernstberger
8.0★ · 02/28/25
A nigh three hour period piece about classical music and opera filled with British witticisms and a great Jim Broadbent performance… it’s very me
A nigh three hour period piece about classical music and opera filled with British witticisms and a great Jim Broadbent performance… it’s very me
Alex Teichman
8.0★ · 02/10/25
Need much much more Timothy Spall in my life
Need much much more Timothy Spall in my life
Greg Mako
9.0★ · 12/13/24
Laughter, tears, curtain
Blown away by this. One of the only biopics I’ve seen where its main interests are not its titular subjects. It instead chooses to evoke their spirit by showing in detail the laborious process of collaboratively making theatre/art and the sacrifices, fears, triumphs, power struggles and ego comes along with it. You could mistake this for being one of Mike Leigh’s least dark works but the details portray a cruel and harsh society. His dialogue and characters are compelling as usual but in a much more traditional way that I’m used to from him, and certainly never before surrounded by this much extravagance.
I’m sure this has been much discussed but I appreciated the portrayal of the characters using cultural appropriation as ignorant and stupid as opposed to malicious. I believe there’s truth to that, especially in a time where something like pens were a novelty afforded only to the most wealthy. Sometimes the only way to shake yourself from a creative funk is discomfort and diversity of artistic expression.
Incredibly dense and definitely too long but I love communities like this and their pursuit fills my spirit.
Laughter, tears, curtain
Blown away by this. One of the only biopics I’ve seen where its main interests are not its titular subjects. It instead chooses to evoke their spirit by showing in detail the laborious process of collaboratively making theatre/art and the sacrifices, fears, triumphs, power struggles and ego comes along with it. You could mistake this for being one of Mike Leigh’s least dark works but the details portray a cruel and harsh society. His dialogue and characters are compelling as usual but in a much more traditional way that I’m used to from him, and certainly never before surrounded by this much extravagance.
I’m sure this has been much discussed but I appreciated the portrayal of the characters using cultural appropriation as ignorant and stupid as opposed to malicious. I believe there’s truth to that, especially in a time where something like pens were a novelty afforded only to the most wealthy. Sometimes the only way to shake yourself from a creative funk is discomfort and diversity of artistic expression.
Incredibly dense and definitely too long but I love communities like this and their pursuit fills my spirit.
