A Man for All Seasons (1988)

King Henry VIII wants to divorce his wife, and seeks the approval of the aristocracy. Sir Thomas More is a man of principle and reason, and is thus placed in a difficult position: should he... See full summary »

Director:

Charlton Heston

Writers:

Robert Bolt (play), Robert Bolt (screenplay)

Stars:

Charlton Heston, Vanessa Redgrave, John Gielgud

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Charlton Heston	...	Sir Thomas More
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Lady Alice More
John Gielgud	...	Cardinal Wolsey (as Sir John Gielgud)
Richard Johnson	...	Duke of Norfolk
Roy Kinnear	...	The Common Man
Benjamin Whitrow	...	Thomas Cromwell
Adrienne Thomas	...	Margaret More
Martin Chamberlain	...	King Henry VIII
John Hudson	...	William Roper
Jonathan Hackett	...	Richard Rich
Nicholas Amer	...	Chapuys (as Nicolas Amer)
Milton Cadman	...	Cranmer
Valerie Minifie	...	Woman Litigant
Geoff Owen	...	Chapuys' Assistant
Brian Badcoe	...	Chamberlain

Storyline

King Henry VIII wants to divorce his wife, and seeks the approval of the aristocracy. Sir Thomas More is a man of principle and reason, and is thus placed in a difficult position: should he stand up for his principles, risking the wrath of a corrupt King fond of executing people for treason? Or should he bow to the seemingly unstoppable corruption of King Henry VIII, who has no qualms about bending the law to suit his own needs?

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Plot Keywords:

judiciary | judicial system | judicial | liberty of conscience | religious persecution | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un hombre para la eternidad

Filming Locations:

Dorney Court, Dorney, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Agamemnon Films, British Lion Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vanessa Redgrave had been due to play Margaret in A Man for All Seasons (1966), but had to withdraw due to commitments to the stage production of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie". She has a brief cameo as Anne Boleyn instead.

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Connections

Version of The Tudors: The Act of Treason (2008)

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Soundtracks

Original Tudor Music
Composed by Henry VIII (as H.R.H. Henry VIII)

User Reviews

There can be no "Man For All Seasons' without a Thomas More".

While this television remake of "A Man For All Seasons' is closer to the script of the play,it falls far below the masterpiece original film version. The main problem is the miscasting of Charlton Heston as Thomas More. His performace ranges from Bombast to boredom. Never a strong actor all his flaws show here,especially when compared to Paul Scofield's masterfully poignant performance in the original film.Roy Kinear as Common Man holds best of show honors. He is a delightfully sly narrator and covers the role of Matthew with ease. Vanessa Redgrave is as strong as Wendy Hiller as More's wife Alice but Adrianne Thomas' Lady Margaret falls far short of Susanna York's memorable portayal.Even the great Sir John Gielgud is miscast here. As Cardinal Wolsey his voice is indeed imposing but his slight frame in no way conveys the "full fed prince of the church" that Wolsey was. Over all it is a good effort at preserving the play, but for emotional power,well developed relationships and emotional passion...see the original film.