Rating: 
Summary: Henry and Eleanor Picnicing on Each Other...
Review: When Katharine Hepburn utters the line "There's going to be a Christmas Court" you can see the wheels start grinding in her head. She thanks Henry for letting her out of jail for the festivities. Her children bicker and snipe at each other throughout the holiday. Henry kisses his mistress in front of his wife, and he can't decide which son should marry the mistress. This is certainly not the first or last dysfunctional royal family, but it is the most witty and entertaining! Settle back and enjoy the carnage. Verbal duals. Manipulation. Treason. Rebellion. Possible execution. Painful memories. An evening in the dungeon. Just an evening of fun and games with Henry, Eleanor and the boys. Henry, an infamous womanizer and King of England, must decide which son should inherit his crown. He's old and tired at 50. Eleanor prefers professional soldier Richard; Henry wants the ineffectual John. Caught in the middle is a third son, Geoffrey who asks "What's the nothing Geoffrey gets?" Philip, King of France and brother to Henry's mistress Alys, arrives with an ultimatum -- the marriage of Alys to one of the Princes, or return of lands in France. Sparks fly in several scenes between O'Toole and Hepburn as they rehash past indiscretions. Stellar performances by newcomers Timothy Dalton and Anthony Hopkins -- it was the film debut of both actors and they couldn't have done better. Another favorite of mine for years, John Castle -- young, incredibly handsome, understated -- plays Geoffrey as "all gears and wheels" pitting one prince against the other. Nigel Terry, later King Arthur in "Excalibur" is John, the young king-in-training getting a fencing lesson from his father. You'll have to see this film to see who almost wins the crown. And you will never see so many blue eyes darting at each other as in the dungeon scene. Favorite lines abound -- you almost expect to hear a referee saying Point, Match Point, after each line. The royal castle in 1183 includes chickens in the courtyard, livestock at the front door, and rough, almost monastic, fabric for the clothing. Very few jewels and velvets worn by royalty in those days. I love this film -- it will make you realize your own family isn't so bad after all.
Rating:
Summary: Epic tale with wicked dialogue
Review: Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn are expertly cast in this deft drama of 12th century conflict within the court of Henry II of England. Hepburn plays Eleanor of Aquitaine, who meets with her husband on Christmas Eve to discuss the future of the throne. The barbed conflict between them is certainly understandable, given the fact that she has headed a rebellion against him, mothered three traitorous sons, and resents his many and highly visible mistresses.
Movies these days are plot-based, usually with lots of action to keep the short attention-spans on modern viewers on the alert, so Lion in Winter may be too slow for your average 25yo film fan. But just pour yourself a glass of zinfandel, put on your comfy slippers, sit back with the cat in your lap, and enjoy the black and wicked humor within the dialogue between these two superb performers. It's a match made in heaven. Both were nominated for Oscars for their roles; she won, he didn't.
It's a Golden Oldie well worth watching.
Rating:
Summary: Watch the English Royal Family Verbally Joust for Christmas
Review: I like a good action flick, especially period pieces with lots of sword fights and axes flying, dismembered limbs and gushing blood, like in the Lord of the Rings movies. Here is a movie with none of that, except in the emotional and verbal sense. I didn't think I would like all that talking and lack of action, but I couldn't stop watching this film!
The screen writer uses words as filet knives and we get to watch the English royal family cut each other to ribbons before our eyes! It is frightening and, at times, hilarious. The manipulation and back stabbing are stunning.
All the actors are terrific as King Henry (Peter O'Toole) and Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katherine Hepburn), his normally imprisoned wife, try to determine which of their three conniving sons will sit on throne once Henry dies. I've never had so much fun watching people skewer each other with words. This is the best movie of its kind, with dialogue exceeding that found in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf and even All About Eve.
A top rate script with a top rate cast equals a very enjoyable time. Absolutely riveting.
Rating: 
Summary: This Lion's a winner ( eatcher heart out Gene Shallet)
Review: It just goes to show that you don't need a nightmarish moustache and Groucho hair to quip with the best of 'em. Anyway, If you are like me, you probably saw this movie on a free movie cable station at 2:00AM when you should have been studying for finals. If you are not like me, then you probably did better on the final but missed out on an amazing movie. COMPLETELY overlooked, it is probably one of the most poetic yet gritty movies of its kind. It's real and honest in it's interpretation of the duty, vices, deprivation, predation, ambitions, and intrigue of court life. Plus you spend the whole time going..."hey is that a young Anthony Hopkins?...is it? Hey...that's Timothy Dalton..." and making other interesting observations like: "...was everybody in Medieval Europe just a little gay?" You'll enjoy this film as it is presednted on DVD as opposed to how I first encountered it: interrrupted every 12 minutes by commercials for "trucking school", "starving third world kids", and that other stuff they reserve for the average late night viewer (apparently unemployed trucking enthusiasts with a humanitarian streak) Where was I? Oh yes, a wonderful movie with captivating dialogue, great setting, and perfect performances.
Rating:
Summary: This Lion still has bite
Review: This is where I fell in love with the written word. More importantly, it's where I recognized that acting gave life to these words. James Goldstone's brilliant screenplay and the sharp direction of Anthony Harvey (a long time editor for Stanley Kubrick with Dr. Strangelove and Lolita to his credit)brought these characters to life for me. The film (like the original play)centers around Christmas. Henry, King of England, is being circled by his vulturous children Richard The Lion Hearted (Anthony Hopkins in his first film role), Jeffrey and John. During the holidays Henry always trots out his Queen (Katherine Hepburn) for show. They despise each other almost as much as they love one another. Queen Elenanor is pushing for the brutal Richard to be king while King Henry has been grooming his sniveling pouting son John. Everybody over looks the manipulative Jeffrey (who, ironically enough is the most like both his parents). Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn light up and burn the screen with their powerful and withering performances. Hopkins plays Richard as a stiff, stoic individual which is perfect for the character. His best scenes include the interaction between O'Toole and Hepburn. Nigel Terry (who later starred as King Arthur in John Boorman's Excalibur)displays a spoiled and petulant character to John. Lord knows why Henry wants him to be King. Timothy Dalton (also in his first role and a long way from James Bond)brings a cat like grace to King Philip of France. He's hardly recognizable to those who know him from the Bond films. What transpires is the Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe of the 12 century (yes, amazon says this, too but they're not the only ones to realize it). The witty, barbed dialog does occasionally crowd the little bit of action in the film but the dialog is so witty and well delivered that it doesn't matter. Very little has been said by John Barry's uncharacteristic score. Best known for his Bond film scores, Barry delivers a musical score rich with the traditional music of the time but also oddly contemporary given the music that inspired him. It's a brilliant score that, sadly, was not recognized as such when the film was first released. Given that Harvey got his start as film editor for Kubrick, I would have expected a film that was rich in the use of montage; instead Harvey's unobtrusive use of editing only enriches the scenes. Douglas Slocombe's cinematography demonstrates why he's the master that Spielberg and other contemporary directors have used over the years. His natural use of light and shadow enriches the drama adding an additional subtext to the project. The DVD transfer has a fair amount of analog artifacts in the way of scratches and spots on the film this despite the fact that this is a fresh print drawn from the original negative. Still, the colors are vibrant and dance across the screen capturing your attention. The mono sound is very good although there is a considerable amount of tape hiss and other analog artifacts. That's not a problem though as the use of No Noise or one of the other digital filter systems might have robbed the music and dialog of some of its vitality. There isn't an insert card nor is there much in the way of extras. Harvey provides an enlightening commentary on the film and the original theatrical trailer is included as well. There really didn't need to be many extras to make this film an essential addition to a DVD collection.
Rating: 
Summary: "We could tangle spiders in the webs you weave."
Review: Watching Anthony Harvey's "The Lion in Winter" is like watching an advanced workshop on the art of acting. Of course, you would not expect any less from a production that casts two legends of the screen - Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn - in its lead roles. So convincing are the legendary performers in their roles and so authentic is the recreation of the period that history truly does feel like its coming alive as you watch the film. King Henry II of Britain (O'Toole) comes to the realization that he must finally decide which of his sons will succeed him as King. He is leaning towards naming John (Nigel Terry) as his heir to the throne, but his estranged wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine (Hepburn) favors Richard (Anthony Hopkins) instead. Further complicating the situation is the scheming of the son left out of the equation, Geoffrey (John Castle) and the arrival in Britain of King Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) who was promised the hand of Henry's sister, Alais (Jane Merrow) in marriage. As all the players jockey for position amongst each other, Henry tries to stay one step ahead of them all while dodging venomous barbs from Eleanor. "The Lion in Winter" is dialogue-dense and not a film for the action-adventure enthusiast. It is a film build around political intrigue and the difficult decisions that determine the destinies of nations. There are no epic swordfights or grand battles between warring armies on open fields. Instead, there are battles of the mind as strategies are formed and countered. The performances are solid throughout but Hepburn must be singled out. She is so regal as Eleanor that one could easily mistake her for a true monarch. If ever there was an actress born to play royalty, it was Hepburn.
Rating:
Summary: Shall we hang the holly, or each other?
Review: What a treasure this movie is. Based on a (then unsuccessful) play by James Goldman, The Lion in Winter has some of the best dialogue ever written for the screen Regardless of the plot, or the historical accuracy of the piece, you just watch the film over and over, listening to the words like music. It is a rare instance of all the right things coming together at the right time - a great script and a great cast. This is definitely one of Katherine Hepburn's best roles even though she made it when she was quite past her prime. Next to Lawrence of Arabia, this is Peter O'Toole's best film. It is also Anthony Hopkins first film. It reads as a textbook as to how a movie should be made. They, quite simply, don't make 'em like this anymore. The plot concerns a (fictional) Christmas court held in 1183. Henry II takes his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, out of prison to help him great the young French king Phillip. Their three sons - John, Geoffrey, and Richard Coeur de Lion - are there as well. What ensues is an exercise in political machinations by the most dysfunctional family you have ever seen in your life. It has inspired me to learn more about the personages actually involved.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful, enjoyable, and accurate portrayal
Review: This film is a spectacular dramatic portrayal of the dynastic squabbles of the Angevins toward the end of Henry II's dynamic but troubled reign. Aside from bringing out one controversial subject (Richard I's possible homosexuality), it also has a poignant, if disturbing, portrayal of the often forgotten and little mentioned middle son, Geoffrey of Brittany (if he had survived the tournament in Paris, there likely would never have been King John!). Topping it off is the humorous and tragic figure of Eleanor (although she did bring a lot of her troubles on herself); and of course, Henry is again marvelously played by Peter O'Toole. As a medievalist, I cannot recommend this enough. Although one should be wary of taking all of it seriously, as with any film production, it is a surprisingly accurate rendition of the period.
Rating:
Summary: The Lion in the Winter:
Review: I read the the play "Lion in the Winter" some time ago and I loved it. I had wanted to see the movie for a long time and finally got my chance when it was on TCM. This movie is not for those with short attention spans. It is extremely wordy. In fact there isn't much action at all. But that because its all good talk. The extrordinary thing about both the play and movie is how it can be both very dramatic and hysterically funny. In the movie Katherine Hepburn(Who deservedly won her 3rd Academy Award here.) and Peter O'Toole(Who in my opinion was truely robbed, would'nt be the first. :p) just work extrordinarily well together. They have a wonderful chemistry which makes the whole film work well. Of course the stories amazing, but had not the two leads been so as well it would not work. They're both very sharp,precise,poigant, and witty. Ah, words can't describe.! Just go see the darn movie.! :D
Rating:
Summary: Stunning--Simply Stunning
Review: Beyond the blisteringly effective performances--the great Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, in particular, will make you cringe at the fraternity and sorority of complete non-talents that dominate Hollywood's acting pool today--"The Lion in Winter" benefits from what is probably the sharpest dialogue produced by an American or British film production in the last 50 years. Superficial comparisons to "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" notwithstanding, this film is at heart a domestic drama with nice bits of dark comedy, as O'Toole's King Henry takes up where he left off in "Becket." Aged but still formidable, Henry squares off against his estranged wife, Eleanor (Hepburn), who matches Henry's thirst for power and sense of strategy so perfectly, their lashing out at one another is inevitable. You'll laugh and cry with them, and if you're particularly perceptive, you'll understand that in spite of the venom, there is genuine, if enraged, love between the two. Terrific performances by Anthony Hopkins, Nigel Terry, Timothy Dalton, and the rest of the cast make "The Lion in Winter" a feast of drama, as does John Barry's understated score.
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