The Knights, played by Mark Dignam, Michael Aldridge, Leo McKern, and Paul Rogers appeared by permission of the Old Vic Theatre Co.
Among the changes to the play which were made for the film, two are particularly notable.
1. Eliot wrote an introductory scene showing the conflict between Becket and Henry II, providing context for the rest of the movie, which consisted of the original play.
2. Eliot greatly reduced the knights' final speeches and added one shorter one. This was requested by Hoellering who wrote that in stage productions, "these speeches amused the audience instead of shocking them, and thereby made them miss the point-the whole point of the play." See the book "The Film of Murder in the Cathedral" (1952), Faber and Faber Limited, London.
1. Eliot wrote an introductory scene showing the conflict between Becket and Henry II, providing context for the rest of the movie, which consisted of the original play.
2. Eliot greatly reduced the knights' final speeches and added one shorter one. This was requested by Hoellering who wrote that in stage productions, "these speeches amused the audience instead of shocking them, and thereby made them miss the point-the whole point of the play." See the book "The Film of Murder in the Cathedral" (1952), Faber and Faber Limited, London.
Janet Butler's debut.