Apr 20, 2011

A Man For All Seasons

All the hullabaloo surrounding the Royal Wedding that is going on right now, for some reason made me think of Robert Zimmerman's awesome A Man For All Seasons from 1966 starring Paul Scofield as Sir Thomas More. If you aren't familiar with the film or the story it tells, you can read a little bit about Sir Thomas More here.  Or you can just enjoy the trailer for the film below. 


As much as make fun of myself for the low-grade crap that I'm constantly watching, I do have a secret high-brow side that I rarely let anyone see. With that in mind, I have to say that A Man For All Seasons is probably in my top 5 movies of all-time. There isn't anything about it that I don't love. And historical dramas often bore me to tears. Not this one though. Maybe it's because of the subject matter of this particular film.  King Henry VIII and his mechanisms of pushing England toward Reformation.  It's fascinating stuff, in my opinion.

Speaking of Hank, I think Robert Shaw's depiction of him in this film is the best ever.  Athletic and quick to anger or joy is something that was often written about Henry VIII.  So the traditional depiction of the fat oaf with the greasy turkey leg has always bothered me.  Shaw's Henry was dangerous, smart and larger than life.  And that's how I always pictured the man.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Yes, I need to see it again. Thanks for the reminder.

RW said...

The opening sequence, music / action / photography - where the runner gets his orders and heads to deliver the message to More from court - all this while the opening credits are rolling - is one of the very best pull-you-right-in to that world things I've ever seen. And my God the story hasn't started yet. They're still playing the opening credits! That starts it off perfectly. a beautiful film.

Slyde said...

Is THAT why you have such a love of musicals, afghans , and Judy Garland?

Unknown said...

Hells yes! Thanks for this....I, of course, being MUCH too young to know about this one.

Can't wait to check it out!

Bruce Johnson said...

For some reason, this film never got on my radar. it just got added to my netflix que.

sybil law said...

Never heard of it, but it's totally something I'd be into!

Verdant Earl said...

MikeB - Hey, long time no see. How ya doin?

RW - Totally agree. It's a perfect opening for the film.

Slyde - No, um, there are other reasons for that stuff...

Annabelle - Well, it premiered the year I was born so I didn't see it in the theaters either. ;)

Bruce - Coolio!

Sybil - It's wordy and elegant, but really powerful.

RW said...

"Well, it premiered the year I was born so I didn't see it in the theaters either."

Urp... I did.

There's no exploding robots so not many of the younger crowd will like it though. :-)

Verdant Earl said...

RW - You mean Welles as Wolsey wasn't an exploding robot? Now I don't get it at all. ;)