The Young Mr. Pitt

Robert Donat is another of that rare breed of actor who rarely made a duff film - but this rather drudging effort comes pretty close. He portrays William Pitt, who became Prime Minister to King George... Robert Donat is another of that rare breed of actor who rarely made a duff film - but this rather drudging effort comes pretty close. He portrays William Pitt, who became Prime Minister to King George III at the tender age of just 24, and who had to deal with the fallout from the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars and the mysterious illness that afflicted his King. Donat tries hard, but though Pitt was doubtlessly a patriot, he was also relatively charm free - a solitary, almost aloof, figure who makes for quite a difficult part to play with any kind of passion or enthusiasm. Robert Morley fares slightly better as his Whig opponent Charles Fox, he has more of a character to work with - and the best parts of the film are when the two engage in a bit of parliamentary hustings. Despite some decent contributions from Felix Aylmer and Raymond Lovell, John Mills is just a bit too annoying as the effervescent William Wilberforce and much of the time this is little better than an historical chronology in which Donat features all too infrequently, and statically, to inject much life into this biopic.