King of Texas

The plays of William Shakespeare have made many transitions into film over the years, some have been more successful than others but it's always been interesting to see how a modern writer can view these classics. Here the play of King Lear is set in America's old West around the time of the Battle of the Alamo. With the strong cast of actors lead by one of England's modern Shakespearian actors, Patrick Stewart, the audience is shown just how universal and timeless these plays are.
The powerful rancher John Lear decides to pit each of his daughters against each other for their inheritance, but when he realizes that he's double crossed by his eldest daughter, Lear's empire crashes down around him. This story plays off as if it truly is a part of American history, the characters seem like that have always been apart of time period. Stewart comes across like a real cattle baron that we've all read about in history class, and with that strong believable presence the rest of the cast follows suit and delivers performances that come off as superb.
It always amazes me how much undisturbed land there is in the west, that film makers are still able to make westerns that are authentic looking without having to rely on special effects. Even though the story itself is adapted from an English play in this setting it's very believable as an American tale of the West. There isn't a whole lot of action in the story, it's more substance of character than gunfights and explosions, but the tale is realistic and enjoyable to watch.