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House of Cards Trilogy, Vol. 2 - To Play the King | 
 enlarge | Director: Paul Seed
Actors: Ian Richardson, Michael Kitchen, Kitty Aldridge, Colin Jeavons, Diane Fletcher
Studio: BBC Warner
Category: DVD
List Price: $24.98
Buy New: $7.99
You Save: $16.99 (68%)
New (9) Used (8) from $7.84
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 46394
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 215 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: DE1767D
ISBN: 0790777622
UPC: 794051176721
EAN: 9780790777627
ASIN: B00009MGGZ
Theatrical Release Date: October 8, 1996
Release Date: August 26, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: ******BRAND NEW****** ** Over 1.5 million orders shipped worldwide and more than 500 000 items in stock, BUY FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE, ESTABLISHED SINCE 1998 - INETVIDEO ~~~
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Product Description
Ian Richardson (From Hell M. Butterfly) returns as villainous statesman Francis Urquhart in this acclaimed sequel to the Masterpiece Theater thriller House of Cards The sardonic statesman's Machiavellian schemes have brought him to the pinnacle of government but at the moment of his triumph an idealistic and determined young King stands in his way. How far will Urquhart go to maintain his grip on his growing power? As he threatens to expose a royal scandal he seems unstoppable but someone out there knows the secret that could bring him down. Brilliantly adapted by Andrew Davies (The Tailor of Panama Bridget Jones's Diary) from Michael Dobbs's best-selling novel this satirical trilogy took home a primetime Emmy a Peabody two BAFTAs and a Writers' Guild Award.Running Time: 200 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 794051176721
Amazon.com
In To Play the King, the second installment of this deliciously wicked political satire, Francis Urquhart (who rose to power in House of Cards) appears to have everything he wants. He is the prime minister, he has no immediate rivals, and everyone who knows of his crimes is either on his side or dead. But a new challenge arises when the queen dies and the new king (Michael Kitchen doing a perfect Prince Charles) proves to be a thorn in Urquhart's side. The king is troubled by the side effects of the prime minister's policies: homelessness, poverty, and an ever-widening gap between the haves and the have-nots. When he criticizes Urquhart in public, it becomes clear that the king must be dealt with, and quickly. Francis Urquhart may be a staunch defender of the monarchy as a concept, but an individual sovereign is fair game if he proves to be a threat. A fat princess, the king's ex-wife, scandal-mongering newspapermen, and a kidnapping all play their part when Urquhart sets his plan in motion, but somebody very close to the prime minister has information that could destroy him. With an Andrew Davies script that pokes fun at British politics and the antics of the royal family as well as a terrific cast led again by Ian Richardson, To Play the King maintains the high standard set by House of Cards. In Francis Urquhart, Davies and Richardson have created one of the screen's greatest villains, and his brazen scheming is a delight to watch. --Simon Leake
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 Even more "wow" effect! March 2, 2008
Beverley Strong (Australia)
Having just finished watching series 2 of The House of Cards trilogy, the end left me with my eyes wide open, saying "wow"!, not usually one of my favourite expressions. In this series, Francis Urquhart is Prime Minister of Britain and is battling with the King on most of his governments policies, urging him to adopt more lenient policies regarding benefits for the poor and disadvantaged while Urquhart's party is distinctly right wing. The character of the King, played to perfection by actor Michael Kitchen (Foyle's War etc.)is clearly based on Prince Charles, using his speech patterns and bodily gestures and that of his sister(in the show) is based on his real lfe aunt, Princess Margaret. I usually combine watching any form of TV with needlework but, on this occasion, couldn't bear to tear my eyes away from the screen with these mesmerising scenes being played out, with stunning performances from all of the cast and with Ian Richardson playing his "baddie" role as effectively as any Shakesperian actor. I cannot recommend this series more highly and am now awaiting the third and last in the series, The Final Cut.
Absolutely Brilliant September 4, 2006
Jeremy D. Weinstein (Walnut Creek, CA USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is the best of the three- the first two are great, the third is to be missed. The viewer is drawn into the villainy of an evil PM with Shakespeareian ease and expertise. I disagree with a comment of a prior reviewer that there is "no redeeming social value." In fact, the point - power corrupts, often irredeemably so- is probably too obvious to mention. Any failure of the subplots to tie together completely at the end is far outweighed by the brilliantly protrayed spectacle of evil.
Fantastic Series July 19, 2005
Jeremy Priest (Fairfax,VA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Ian Richardson is an absolute dynamo as Francis Urquehart, a proud and ruthless politician who puts Macbeth to shame in the ambitions department. The humor is witty and biting, and the show is riveting from start to finish. And Richardson is so convincing as the vile Urquehart that you just cant help rooting for him.
The Best from the Brits February 18, 2003
Quilterski (Central NY)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
To enjoy this series, you need to like subtle, stabbing humor, a phenomenal cast, unique camera perspectives, and a great script. I saw this series when it first aired (more years ago than I care to remember!) and never forgot it. Now my whole family is hooked too, and we re-watch every few months just because it is so incredibly well done. I love the way the cast plays to each other, and it seems as though they chose the perfect person for each role. I just wish the BBC would release it on DVD before my tapes fail!
 Top-Notch Acting, A Must See Production July 28, 2001
Peter Fennessy (Bloomfield Hills, MI USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is the second part of the "House of Cards" trilogy by Michael Dobbs and the continuing story of Francis Urquhart who, now Prime Minister, is engaged in a political struggle with the newly crowned king, a thinly disguised version of Prince Charles, and in a romantic liaison with a woman whom his wife chose for him and who is almost his equal in cold-bloodedness though not in utter and absolute villainy. In this second work we are no longer taken in by the superficial charm of Urquhart. His cleverness has given way to brutality, rage and deceit, and he has lost our sympathy. We look with a certain coldness even on his moments of remorse and hauntings of conscience. He begins, for all his political triumphs, to show his essential weakness, and his wife is now emerging as the strength of their partnership. The work is well worth seeing despite some weakness of plot and is fascinating because of the unusual conflict between HRH and the PM though most of all because of the continued stupendous acting of Ian Richardson. It is, however, not quite up to the same level as "House of Cards," the first part of the trilogy.
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