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
David Griffith	...	Strolling player (as Mark Griffith)

Directed by
Anthony Harvey

Writing credits
James Goldman		(play)
James Goldman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Joseph E. Levine	....	executive producer
Jane C. Nusbaum	....	associate producer
Martin Poll	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Douglas Slocombe

Film Editing by
John Bloom

Casting by
Paul Lee Lander

Art Direction by
Peter Murton

Costume Design by
Margaret Furse

Makeup Department
Bill Lodge	....	makeup artist
A.G. Scott	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Basil Appleby	....	production manager
Jim Brennan	....	unit manager
René Brun	....	production manager: France
Víctor Merenda	....	production manager: France
John Quested	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Al Burgess	....	second assistant director
Kip Gowans	....	assistant director
Patrick O'Brien	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Ted Clements	....	assistant art director
Peter James	....	set dresser
Gilbert Margerie	....	art director: France
Gus Walker	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Chris Greenham	....	sound editor
Gerry Humphreys	....	dubbing mixer (as Gerry Humphries)
Simon Kaye	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Browne	....	chief electrician (as Michael Brown)
Robin Vidgeon	....	assistant camera
Michael Walter	....	grip
Chic Waterson	....	camera operator
Keith Blake	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Bob Penn	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Robert Willoughby	....	special still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
David Baker	....	wardrobe
Vi Murray	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Lesley Walker	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Sidney Margo	....	music contractor (uncredited)
Robert Richards	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Pamela Carlton	....	continuity
Jilda Smith	....	production secretary
Emanuel Azenberg	....	play associate producer: Broadway (uncredited)
Walter Hyman	....	play producer: Broadway (uncredited)
Alan King	....	play producer: Broadway (uncredited)
Eugene V. Wolsk	....	play producer: Broadway (uncredited)

Production Companies

• AVCO Embassy
• Haworth Productions

Distributors

• AVCO Embassy (1968) (UK) (theatrical)
• BMG Video (1998) (UK) (VHS)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Embassy Pictures Corporation
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Momentum Pictures (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Nelson Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1981) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Universal Pictures (2000) (UK) (VHS)

Other Companies

• L. & H. Nathan Ltd.  costumes
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Solters & Digney  publicity

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:

The original Broadway stage production written by James Goldman opened at the Ambassador Theatre in New York on March 3, 1966 and ran for 92 performances. The cast included Rosemary Harris as Eleanor of Aquitaine, Robert Preston as Henry II, and Christopher Walken as King Philip of France. Rosemary Harris won the 1966 Tony Award (New York City) for Actress in a Drama. A 1999 revival starred Stockard Channing as Eleanor and Laurence Fishburne as Henry II.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: No such thing as a 'Christmas tree' in the 12th century.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Henry II: Come for me!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Woman of Substance: Katharine Hepburn Remembered (2003) (V)

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.