Becket (1964)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Peter Glenville

Writers:

Jean Anouilh (play)
Lucienne Hill (play)

Release Date:

11 March 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

An age of rampant lusts, abandon, runaway passions. An age brought bristling to life by two of the most exciting stars of our time!

Plot:

An English king comes to terms with his affection for his close friend and confidant, who finds his true honor by observing God's divine will rather than the king's.

Plot Keywords:

England | King Henry II | Thomas Becket | Tomb | Monk

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 12 wins & 22 nominations

Cast

Richard Burton	...	Thomas à Becket
Peter O'Toole	...	King Henry II
John Gielgud	...	King Louis VII of France
Gino Cervi	...	Cardinal Zambelli
Paolo Stoppa	...	Pope Alexander III
Donald Wolfit	...	Bishop Folliot
David Weston	...	Brother John
Martita Hunt	...	Empress Matilda
Pamela Brown	...	Queen Eleanor [of Aquitaine]
Siân Phillips	...	Gwendolen (as Sian Phillips)
Felix Aylmer	...	Archbishop of Canterbury
Percy Herbert	...	Baron
Inigo Jackson	...	Robert de Beaumont
Niall MacGinnis	...	Baron
Christopher Rhodes	...	Baron

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and violence.

Runtime:

148 min | Argentina:150 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Hungary:14 | USA:Not Rated | USA:PG-13 | UK:PG | Finland:K-16 | Portugal:17 | Sweden:15 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Paramount Film Service

Trivia:

Peter O'Toole played the same character, Henry II, four years later in 1968's The Lion in Winter (1968). He received Oscar nominations for both films.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Both Henry II and Becket enter the peasants house with a falcon (for hunting). However only Becket leaves the house with his, meaning Henry II forgot his falcon.

Quotes:

King Henry II: Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Sinister Saga of Making 'The Stunt Man' (2000) (V)

2 movie giants in their prime!

This movie is a classic. It is so wonderful, my praises can't do it justice. The acting is second to none. The dialogue is incredible. The story magnificent. It's truly a masterpiece. I have seen this movie at the very least 25 times. It is one of those movies you can watch again and again. This movie has so many memorable scenes. Only Casablanca can be compared in that way. And it stands up over time, some great old flicks get outdated, this one has not. It's a rare movie. You can read the other posts about the storyline. If this movie was released today, it would win every academy award. DO NOT MISS THIS MOVIE. You will never see 2 actors this great starring together ever again. One of the all time best films.