The Lion in Winter (1968)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Anthony Harvey

Writers:

James Goldman (play)
James Goldman (screenplay)

Release Date:

30 October 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Tagline:

The most significant reserved seat attraction of the year!

Plot:

1183 AD: King Henry II's three sons all want to inherit the throne, but he won't commit to a choice. They and his wife variously plot to force him.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Throne | Mistress | King Henry II | Queen

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Peter O'Toole	...	Henry II
Katharine Hepburn	...	Eleanor of Aquitaine
Anthony Hopkins	...	Richard
John Castle	...	Geoffrey
Nigel Terry	...	John
Timothy Dalton	...	King Philip of France
Jane Merrow	...	Alais
Nigel Stock	...	Capt. William Marshall
Kenneth Ives	...	Queen Eleanor's guard
O.Z. Whitehead	...	Bishop of Durham
Fran Stafford	...	Lady in Waiting
Ella More	...	Lady in Waiting
Kenneth Griffith	...	Strolling player
Henry Woolf	...	Strolling player
Karol Hagar	...	Strolling player

Runtime:

134 min | UK:137 min (70 mm version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Abbaye de Montmajour, Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

Company:

AVCO Embassy

Trivia:

Katharine Hepburn is the only movie star to win four Academy Awards (2009) for her leading roles in Morning Glory (1933), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968), and On Golden Pond (1981).

Goofs:

Factual errors: There was a Christmas Court at Caen in 1182, but not one at Chinon in 1183.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Henry II: Come for me!

Movie Connections:

Version of The Lion in Winter (2003) (TV)

O'Toole And Hepburn Are Superb In Intense Historical Drama

Historical pageantry aside, the movie plays like a medieval version of Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey into the Night." It is a very cinematic rendition of James Goldman's famous stage play. Great acting and excellent dialogue are the film's strongest cards. The dialogue has a strange, modern flavor to it that comes close of bringing down the fourth wall. But it is a brilliant script, full of wicked, quotable lines. Not entirely realistic, but fun nevertheless. The acting is sensational. It is truly sad to know that O'Toole did not get the Oscar for his performance as Henry II - he dominates a film filled with strong acting. It is fun to see Hepburn acting naughty. A very young Anthony Hopkins and future 007 Timothy Dalton, are excellent in supporting roles. Anthony Harvey directs with great gusto. Don't be dissuaded by the film's period setting, the movie is lots of fun.