The story of the friendship turned to conflict between Henry II and Thomas Beckett was successfully transferred to the screen in this film. Peter O'Toole seems rather consistently overwrought in his performance while Richard Burton is convincing as Beckett the jaded courtier but somewhat less so as the saintly Archbishop of Canterbury. In any event it remains a very good story and a good opportunity to see these two famous drinking buddies perform together at the height of their careers.