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

In his autobiography, Charlton Heston says that he had hoped to be cast as Thomas More in the 1966 movie version of Robert Bolt's play, but the part went instead to Paul Scofield, who had originated the role in the Broadway version.

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Connections

Version of Henry VIII (1911)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

A Pleasant Surprise

I watched this film with some trepidation as the 1966 version has long been a favourite of mine. I could not imagine an American actor portraying my hero, Thomas More. However, I enjoyed it very much. Charlton Heston's performance was a revelation. I thought he did a really good job of showing More's famous wit but at times, his anguish too. Vanessa Redgrave's Dame Alice seemed at times almost a caricature ('A printed boook!') Yes I know Alice was from Yorkshire but Redgrave's 'common touch' was a bit overdone! Ben Whitrow as Cromwell was wonderful. Genial yet sinister, loved it! As for Roy Kinnear, he was just perfect as the common man, I always thought it a shame that this part was left out of the 1966 film. Having seen the play a few times, this is truer to the stage version but I wouldn't compare the two films, they are both very good.