The University of Leicester’s ex-deputy registrar has initiated a lawsuit against the creators of the upcoming movie The Lost King, alleging that it portrayed him as contemptuous, condescending, and sexist.
Lee Ingleby portrayed Richard Taylor in the movie, which tells the story of the unearthing of Richard III’s remains in a parking lot in Leicester in 2012, over 500 years after his passing. During a court session in London on Thursday, Taylor’s lawyer, William Bennett KC, argued that the character was depicted as deceitful, cunning, and focused solely on money.
In the movie, Taylor, who departed from the university in 2013, is depicted as being confrontational towards Philippa Langley, a non-professional historian played by Sally Hawkins. Langley leads the excavation but is dismissed by the academic society when they attempt to claim acknowledgement for the findings.
Steve Coogan portrays Langley’s spouse in the film, and also contributed to the screenplay alongside Jeff Pope. Stephen Frears directed the movie, and previously worked with Coogan and Pope on the 2013 release Philomena. Taylor has filed a lawsuit against the creators of the film, as well as Baby Cow production company and Pathe distributors.
In his written statement, Bennett stated that the significant context of the film is the theme of good versus bad.
Ms. Langley is depicted as a determined hero fighting against adversity, while the opposing character is portrayed as a conceited villain.
He goes to great lengths to conceal her involvement and instead claims recognition and credit, which rightfully belonged to both her and the university.
Bennett stated, “The film has a simple plot and is focused on action, making every word and action significant.” He went on to criticize Taylor’s portrayal of Richard III, claiming it portrayed mockery of his disability and connected physical deformity to immorality.
After the movie was released, the University of Leicester stated that there were several aspects of the film that they disputed, such as Taylor’s depiction. They stated that it did not accurately represent what happened during that time period. According to their records, Taylor was an active and professional colleague who worked cooperatively and fairly on the project.
In October 2022, during an interview with the BBC, Taylor expressed her frustration, stating that she is unfairly portrayed as a mean, conniving, and deceitful person. This is already problematic, but it becomes even worse when false accusations of sexism and mockery of Richard III’s disabilities are added on top, which could be considered defamatory.
Andrew Caldecott, representing Baby Cow and Pathe, stated in written arguments: “The film is a feature, not a documentary. The average viewer would understand that it is a dramatization rather than a documentary. Fictional films based on real events are not a novel concept.”
Caldecott mentioned that the movie declares itself to be “inspired by a true story” and also noted, “This is not an exact representation in terms of dialogue… and should be interpreted as Ms. Langley’s interpretation.”
He rejected the portrayal of Taylor as a misogynist in the movie, stating that his main concern is Langley’s amateur status and lack of historical expertise rather than her gender.
Caldecott stated that the film explicitly condemns Mr. Taylor and the university for disregarding Ms. Langley during the excavation and after finding the body, and failing to properly acknowledge her contributions. However, his main intention appears to be using the discovery for the university’s financial gain.
It cannot be reworded.
According to Caldecott, the depiction of Taylor did not mock Richard III’s disability, nor does it mock disabled individuals in general.
Upon the film’s release, the production team addressed the concerns raised by University of Leicester and Taylor by stating that the events have been thoroughly recorded over the course of 10 years. They also mentioned that Philippa’s memory of the events, supported by their research, differs significantly.
In June 2023, the university seemed to have reduced its assertions regarding its role in the discovery. Pro-vice chancellor Philip Baker stated in a press release about the university’s expansion, “We participated in the successful excavation, identification, and reburial of Richard III, and we are now spearheading the Dickens Code project, which aims to decode the author’s shorthand texts.”
The University had previously stated that they were at the forefront of the investigation of Richard III’s remains. Taylor currently holds the position of chief operating officer at Loughborough University. According to his biography on the university’s website, he played a pivotal role in the successful discovery of King Richard III’s remains.
Source: theguardian.com
