Indie prodco Woodcut Media and distributor Woodcut International is pleased to announce a brand-new doc special The Three Kings of 1936 (1 x 90’), greenlit by 5 in the UK.
The special is scheduled to TX on 5 on Saturday 7th March, 9pm.
The Three Kings of 1936 marks the 90th anniversary of one of the most extraordinary and turbulent years in the history of the British monarchy. The film explores the whirlwind of events of 1936, starting with the shocking death of George V in January, and his son Edward VIII, the most world’s most eligible bachelor, taking the throne. Edward had a secret – he was in love with American divorcee Wallis Simpson. His abdication in December rocked the world and the monarchy. His younger brother, the shy and nervous George VI succeeded him. All this was against the backdrop of the gathering storm of war in Europe and unrest on the streets of Britain.
The documentary attempts to understand the motivations of those at the heart of the story, and to gauge the impact on the average Briton. It shows how, although traumatic, the events of 1936 gave Britain the wartime monarch it needed. The Three Kings of 1936 features documents from the archives, rarely seen photographs, alongside interviews with historians which bring the drama of the year vividly to life. Julie Montagu, the Countess of Sandwich, an American who married into the British aristocracy, gives valuable insights into how Wallis Simpson must have been baffled by the British. Celebrated actor David Suchet shows how his beloved grandfather James Jarché took a series of secret pictures of Edward and Mrs Simpson at a West End nightclub.
Woodcut Media’s Jonathan Mayo is Series Producer, alongside Executive Producer, Kate Beal. Worldwide sales are being handled by Woodcut International.
Jonathan Mayo said: ‘We tried to capture just how shocking the events of 1936 must have been. The British public were used to their monarchs reigning for decades – and then they had three in one year! Our interview with David Suchet is especially powerful – he acts out how his grandfather Jimmy took the clandestine photographs of the King – it’s a special performance just for us that makes 1936 seem very close and very real.’
