Shakespeare’s Lear at Home on the Range

In “King of Texas,” one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays becomes a rip-roarin’ western about a rancher who unlooses years of resentment and touches off a land war when he divides his holdings between two daughters.

A sharp-eyed transfer of “King Lear” to the Texas republic in 1842, the movie--premiering Sunday at 8 p.m. on cable channel TNT--blows the cobwebs off any preconceived notions about the original and invites renewed appreciation for Shakespeare’s insight into human nature.

The idea for a western “Lear” is said to have come from star and executive producer Patrick Stewart. He plays John Lear, a hero of the Texas war for independence who rules his vast ranch as though he were its king. Advancing in years and looking to the future, he orders his three surviving children--all daughters--to declare their love for him. They will be allotted land equivalent to their affections.

Older sisters Susannah (Marcia Gay Harden) and Rebecca (Lauren Holly)--Shakespeare’s Goneril and Regan--prove quite eloquent, but young Claudia (Julie Cox)--Cordelia in the original--decries the falseness of the proceedings and declares that she has nothing to say.

Lear’s reply--”Nothing will come of nothing, speak again,” in Shakespeare’s words--becomes “Nothin’ can come of nothin’. You’d best think again” in Stephen Harrigan’s wryly westernized screenplay, directed by Uli Edel.

Lear disowns Claudia but realizes his mistake when Susannah and Rebecca, suddenly powerful once they come into control of the ranch, turn around and punish him for years of fatherly neglect.

Rebecca’s opportunistic husband (Patrick Bergin) plots the takeover of a rich parcel across the border in Mexico, while Lear wanders into lonesome wilderness--gorgeously photographed by Paul Elliott. Rootless and muddled, Lear is accompanied only by the no-nonsense Alamo veteran who has become his truest friend (David Alan Grier, in an exceptionally clever re-imagining of Shakespeare’s wise fool).

Meanwhile, fellow rancher Westover (Roy Scheider) finds he has fostered similar discord between his sons, the half-brothers Emmett (Matt Letscher) and Thomas (Liam Waite).

Stewart touchingly charts Lear’s downfall, his body stooping as his spirit breaks. In madness he finds sanity, setting aside possessions for the bounty of the heart.

Growing stronger as Lear declines, Harden becomes almost heroic in her villainy. She’s a fiercely intelligent woman who, under different circumstances, could have made great contributions to this young land.

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“King of Texas” airs Sunday at 8 p.m. on TNT and repeats at 10 p.m. The network has rated it TV-14-L,V (may be unsuitable for children younger than 14, with advisories for coarse language and violence).