The episodic version of my film King Lear is now streaming on Amazon US and Amazon UK.
King Lear in Episodes
After 60 years as King, Lear commits the most fatal, consequential and disastrous act of his life.
Failing
to secure his fortune on the road, Edmund intends to steal his brother
Edgar's inheritance and usurp his father Gloucester's authority, killing
both if necessary.
Goneril
decides the time is ripe to destroy her father's remaining power. Lear
reacts violently, precipitating the battle she wants. Storming out to
take refuge with Regan, he begins to understand how he wronged Cordelia,
his youngest daughter.
Edgar,
in disbelief, flees in terror when Edmund tells him their father,
Gloucester, wants to have him killed. Regan and Cornwall arrive at
Gloucester's where Regan plans to meet her sister Goneril to plot Lear's
total destruction.
Kent,
serving Lear in disguise, arrives at Gloucester's. Seeing Oswald, he
is enraged and tries to kill him. Stopped by Cornwall and protesting
vehemently, he is put in the stocks. Edgar, fleeing for his life,
decides to become a beggar in disguise.
Arriving
at Gloucester's Lear is enraged to find Kent stocked. When Regan and
Cornwall appear the confrontation builds as he attacks Cornwall. It
reaches its zenith after Goneril arrives. Lear rails against his
daughters and is forced out into a wild storm, followed by Kent and
Fool.
Kent,
having lost Lear in the storm, searches desperately for him. Lear,
halfway to insanity, rails against nature, himself and all of mankind.
Kent finally convinces Lear to seek shelter against the fiercest storm
he has ever seen.
Gloucester
mistakenly confides to Edmund his support for Lear. In the storm Lear,
Kent and Fool find Edgar disguised as a madman. Lear's mind finally
cracks and he befriends Edgar as a soul brother. Amidst their ranting
and raving Gloucester arrives to give them shelter.
Edmund
betrays Gloucester. Lear, in his madness, puts Regan and Goneril on
trial for their brutal behavior. Gloucester is captured and endures
Cornwall's revenge.
Edgar,
in disguise, comes upon his blind father, who wants to die. Now
intimate, Goneril and Edmund plot Albany's demise. During a brutal
confrontation between Goneril and Albany a messenger tells of
Gloucester's blinding and Cornwall's death.
Kent
hears Cordelia has arrived with an army. Learning Lear is at Dover in a
state of madness, she orders a search for him. Oswald defies Regan's
demand to read Goneril's letter to Edmund. She orders her guard to kill
him but he escapes.
Staged
by Edgar, Gloucester survives a suicide attempt. Lear appears, totally
mad. After a grotesque, frightening scene he runs off pursued by
Cordelia's search party. Oswald tries to kill Gloucester, Edgar kills
him and then finds Goneril's note to Edmund.
Lear
is brought to Cordelia's tent. After a short respite, he is awakened.
Though at first lost in confusion and shame, he finally recognizes
Cordelia and they are reunited. To Kent's grief, Lear still does not
recognize him fully.
After
assuring Regan he loves her, Edmund and Goneril plot to kill Albany and
marry. The British army defeats the French in battle. Edgar takes
Gloucester to a safe haven. Lear and Cordelia are taken prisoner.
Edmund tells his captain to murder them.
The
evildoers fight among themselves. Edgar appears and challenges Edmund
to mortal combat. Goneril poisons Regan and after Edmund is wounded
fatally kills herself. Kent wants to bid Lear good night. Suddenly
they see him in the distance carrying the dead Cordelia, utterly
heartbroken.
