The King and the Mockingbird is a surrealist animated film following a tyrannical king and a witty bird who helps a young couple escape his clutches. The kingdom of Takicardia is ruled by the tyrannical and cross-eyed King Charles XVI, a heartless ruler hated by his subjects.
The king falls in love with a painting of a beautiful shepherdess, but she loves the painting of a chimney sweep located on the opposite wall. At night, the paintings come to life and try to flee the palace by a non-cross-eyed, evil painting of the king that has taken over, disposing of the real king.
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A joyful talking bird helps the lovers navigate the dangerous palace and evade the new king’s police. The lovers and the bird escape to the lower city, a dark, industrial world. The king uses a massive robot to recapture them.
The bird gains control of the robot, destroying the palace and the evil king, enabling the creation of a new, free society.
The king and the mockingbird send a message that power is fragile, art is forever, if you draw, write or dream, this is it.
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It is the drama every artist who has ever been told “stay in lane” needs to watch before they pick up a pencil again, and also for people who think cartoon is not an insult, the film stops to breathe, to look at a bird and watch light on stone, that is the point.
Directed by: Paul Grimault
Cast: Jean Martin, Pascal Mazzini, Agnes Vials, Raymond Bussieres
Running time: 1 hour 21 minutes
Watch trailer here:
