The year is 1183 AD – King Henry
II is getting on in years and must decide which of his three sons will inherit
his throne. The problem is, however, that they are all despicable and will each
most likely turn on him as soon as they have the power. But, a decision needs
to be made. The family joins together for Christmas, as Henry prepares to make
his announcement, each plotting and scheming to gain the upper hand.
The film is helmed by stage-director
Anthony Harvey,
which is very fitting as it is an adaptation of James Goldman’s
play (Goldman also wrote the screenplay for which he won an Oscar). Fresh off
the grand success of his musical work on the James Bond films of the 1960s,
composer John Barry provided
The Lion in Winter with a fantastic score (winning an Oscar). Brilliant
cinematographer Douglas Slocombe
(who would go in to shoot the Indiana
Jones films) and art director Peter
Murton also worked on the film.
Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn
star as Henry and Eleanor, each giving one of their career best performances
(and each receiving Oscar nominations, though only Hepburn came away with the
win). Anthony
Hopkins, John
Castle, Nigel
Terry, Timothy
Dalton, and Jane
Merrow are all strong in support.
The Lion in Winter is one of the
great ‘actor’ films in cinema history. Harvey just lets the performances
dictate the production – and they are masterful and powerful performances. The
film Becket
(which also features O’Toole as King Henry II, though earlier in history) is a
wonderful companion piece. This is an absolute must-see for fans of O’Toole and
Hepburn, as well as the craft of acting.
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