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Summary: I've watched this 8 times
Review: A wonderful tale of court life in 12th century England. This movie has wonderful acting and costume design. If you liked "A Man for all Seasons" you will like this movie.
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Summary: V:tM players, and SCAdians, take note
Review: Katherine Hepburn plays Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most famous women in medieval history. She is portrayed here in that period she was under house arrest by her husband, who has her there because she and her sons tried to take his throne. This Christmas, she tries to maneuver herself free and her favorite son, Richard, to the throne, while her husband, Henry, tries to outwit her by keeping his own favorite the heir, his heir's mistress for himself, the French king at bay, and his wife at arm's reach. It's a very politically convoluted plot, with many twists and turns. Do you like political roleplaying? Are you interested in this period of history? This is your movie.The acting is absolutely incredible, with depth and humanity given to even the most unsympathetic characters, like Prince John. Keep an eye out for Timothy Dalton, who appears here as a nearly adolescent French king with remarkable political acumen. The DVD version of the movie doesn't include a lot of fun stuff, only an audio commentary, but the picture quality is excellent to make up for it.
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Summary: "Outstanding."
Review: One of the most brilliant costume-dramas ever put on film, "The Lion in Winter" one of the finest films of its genre. The dialog is sharp, delivered with dead-on precision by the films's excellent cast. Katharine Hepburn, in one of finest screen performances, plays the cold and withering Eleanor of Aquitaine to a hilt, and Peter O'Toole also delivers one of his best performances as King Henry II. Both were nominated for Oscars, and while Hepburn deservedly won, O'Toole was criminally deprived of his rightful award. The rest of the cast is great, with Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton in their debut screen performances. While everything here is outstanding, including John Barry's marvelous music score, it's the sharp scripting that makes "The Lion in Winter" the masterpiece it ultimately is.
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Summary: a true classic!!
Review: If you love sharp verbal jabs, this is your movie! Wit abounds and the cast is second to none. Dialogue is quick and cutting. The setting is completely authentic. I can't say enough good things about it!
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Summary: "Off to Rome then?" "That's where they keep the Pope."
Review: The best thing about British drama is it's so damn funny -- intentionally funny, too. There are so many one-liners, double entendres, and turns of the phrase in this gem that one might forget it's almost a tragedy. King Henry (O'Toole) holds Christmas for Wife (Katherine Hepburn) and three sons. King of France stops by for lunch. Not everyone gets along. O'Toole and Hepburn dazzle -- the chemistry between them is a palpable as that of Hepburn and Tracy, and only slightly different. Anthony Hopkins (still with his Welsh accent) and Timothy Dalton (when he was still a young man of promise) help out. There's a token (and rather inept) battle scene early on, but the real blood-letting takes place inside the walls of Henry's castle. And it's unforgettable. There's not a lot of extra stuff on the DVD: a very sparce commentary by Anthony Harvey, and a chapter selection. A shame, since after viewing this masterpiece you really do hunger for more. Fantastic.
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Summary: What family doesn't have its ups and downs?
Review: How can you beat The Lion in Winter? Hepburn, O'Toole, Hopkins, Dalton, Terry (of Excalibur fame), and a marvelous Jane Merrow all join together to bring you a most delightfully twisted tale of a dysfunctional royal family at Christmas. The dialogue in this movie is over the top. Pass the brandywine, and turn up the speakers so that you can't miss a bloody word!
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Summary: Best Christmas film ever.
Review: A family gets together for the holidays and reminice about old times and make plans for the future. Mom (Elinore of Aquitane) is let out of her prison for the holidays and her husband graciously shows off how their foster daughter has blossomed. Henry's three sons (Richard the Lionhearted, Prince John, and the other one) vie for parental attention while their guest (The King of France) seems to have the best time of all, getting caught up in all the hilarity.
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Summary: EMOTIONAL INTENSITY DEFINED!!
Review: Along with Mel Gibson's "Hamlet," Liam Neeson's "Ethan Frome," and Frank Langella's "Dracula," this is a phenomenal masterpiece to be enjoyed time and time again. This movie is proof that it is the story and not the effects that make a masterpiece. The scenery and background music fit nicely into the superb story. What makes this movie is that instead of heroes and villains, we have HUMAN BEINGS WITH BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS. King Henry II, Eleanor, the eventual King Richard the Lion Hearted, Geoffrey, and the eventual King John all display actions that are reprehensible at times. But despite their faults, we are never allowed to forget that they are all human. Each character has his or her moments where we can feel deep sympathy for them. Another phenomenal aspect of this movie is that there is non stop emotional intensity with a minimal of violence. Another thing I must say is that rather than the traditional romances that all have a happy ending formula, we have a more original and memorable formula. We are seeing the aftermath of King Henry II's and Eleanor's marriage. From the content of their disputes, it is obvious that they once adored each other. The ending is original, and it offers a wonderful mixture of sorrow and humour. This movie defines emotional intensity. At times you will laugh, at times you will cry, at times you will feel suspense and fear. But you will never be bored or restless. Perhaps one day the movie industry will realize that action and effects may have their place. BUT THE SCRIPT IS WHAT MAKES THE STORY!!
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Summary: We've all got knives...it's 1183 and we're all barbarians!
Review: Yes, the acting is brilliant in this film; Hepburn's performance as the complicated Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine is not to be missed and O'Toole's Henry is noble, horrible, and exasperating all at one time. But the dialogue is what captivated me, held me glued to the screen in fascination. The interplay between the self-interested characters and their verbal swordplay often made me want to laugh and cry simultaneously. The characters hate each other with such love and hurt each other with such a combination of glee and anguish. This movie is truly wonderful to watch. All of what man is capable of is shown here, the bad and the good. And you'll leave from the movie with some of the most quotable quotes in the history of Hollywood.
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Summary: For lovers of Medieval history, Shakespere, and Great Acting
Review: I'll keep it reasonably brief, since many other reviews have delved into the plot and character portrayals effectively already. First, for the lover of all thing medieval - the cinematographic portrayal of "real" castle life is supurb. 1183 is a time when, as someone greater than I said, life was "nasty, short and brutish". The sense of this is well portrayed in the film. One will notice the general starkness of the furnishings, the drafy breezes flowing behind the tapestries, the ice in the water the King uses to wash his face, the chickens before the palace door, the dogs in the hallway, the mudddy castle courtyard. There is very little of the romantisized view of medieval life to be found here - and that is fairly rare. The cinematography plays to this, portraying the starkness without making it seem boring (which it easily could have!) The dialog also supports this well, reinforcing that the age of 50 was a rarely seen thing in those days, and that monarchs made abuse of their power and position (like adultery) a routine 'given' that was hardly even factored into consideration, despite Henry's 'passion for peace' and the joys of deciding peasant squabbles. And although there are some minor anachranisms to be found in the film, most are there in an almost Shakesperean manner - Hepburn's 'knives' speech to her children, that "it's 1183, ... and we're barbarians" comes to mind - who would utter such a speech, except in an aside comment to the audience in a play from the Great Bard. The lyrical style of the excellent dialog (again, another kudos for the scriptwriter here!) also heakens back to the Immortal Bard - and yet is somehow ever more real, and relevant in it's way than Shakesperes plays themselves are. The (for the film's publishing time) avant guarde treatment of Richard's homosexuality also hearkens back to a more realistic view of homosexuality and it's 'place' within society, as reflected by the morals of the 12th century (Although Hopkins does not play that part of his role well - one of his few failings in this film). Finally - view this film for the acting - especially the complex portrayals of Henry and Elanor. There are more moments than I can reasonably count in this film, where the movement and facial expressions so closely match, and enhance, the dialog that the feeling of the 'reality' of these complex exchanges only grows stronger with repeated viewings of the film. Not to shortchange any of the major players here (except perhaps Hopkins, who does seem wooden and uncomfortable with the homosexuality portions of his role), Geoffery, Alaise, and even John (who'se part is unsympathetic at best, but portrayed well by Nigel) offer a level of complexity of character rarely seen in film these last 15 or 20 years. Geoffery's portrayal of the 'Middle Child Syndrome' is especially gifted in this dialog with his mother, in the 'easy answers' exchange. So for fans of history, Shakespere and great acting, add this film to your collection today!
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