Henry V (1989 film)

Henry V
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Kenneth Branagh
Produced by	Bruce Sharman
Written by	Kenneth Branagh
Based on	Henry V by William Shakespeare
Narrated by	Derek Jacobi
Starring	Kenneth Branagh Paul Scofield Ian Holm Emma Thompson Alec McCowen Judi Dench Robbie Coltrane Brian Blessed Christian Bale
Editing by	Michael Bradsell
Release date(s)	8 November 1989 (1989-11-08)
Running time	137 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$9 million
Box office	$10,161,099 (US)

Henry V is a 1989 film adapted for the screen and directed by Kenneth Branagh, based on William Shakespeare's play The Life of Henry the Fifth about the famous English king. The film stars Branagh as the titular character and features a cast of numerous prolific English actors, including Derek Jacobi, Emma Thompson, Paul Scofield, Alec McCowen, Judi Dench, Robbie Coltrane, Ian Holm, Brian Blessed, and Richard Briers. The film also marks an early performance by Welsh actor Christian Bale.

Henry V received world-wide critical acclaim upon its release and has been considered one of the best Shakespeare film adaptations ever made. For her work on the film, Phyllis Dalton won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design and Kenneth Branagh, in his directorial debut, received Oscar nominations for Best Actor and Best Director.

Plot

Act 1

The film opens with Chorus (Derek Jacobi) in a modern setting, calling for a "Muse of fire" so that the actor playing King Henry might "assume the port of Mars" and that the audience's imagination will overcome any limitations the stage may present. He concludes, calling for a patience audience and asking the viewer "Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play!"

The scene then cuts to early 15th century England, where the Bishop of Ely (Alec McCowen) and the Archbishop of Canterbury (Charles Kay) conspire of a way to prevent the young King Henry V (Kenneth Branagh) from passing a bill that would potentially confiscate power from the church by convincing the King to invade France. Later, in the throne room, Canterbury gives the other noblemen a lengthy explanation as to why Henry V is rightful heir to the throne of France, citing old technicalities in French and English inheritance laws. The clergymen urge Henry to invade, as do his advisors Exeter (Brian Blessed) and Westmoreland (Paul Gregory), who believe war is the only way to obtain Henry's claim.

The King then calls in the French ambassador Mountjoy (Christopher Ravenscroft) representing the Dauphin, whom the French see as rightful heir to the throne. The Dauphin's message is condescending, claiming that Henry "savours too much" of his youth. To top it off, Henry is presented with a "treasure" of tennis balls from the Dauphin. This enrages King Henry who declares his intent to attack France, saying of the Dauphin, "His jest will savour but of shallow wit, when thousands weep more than did laugh at it." The ambassador is then dismissed as Henry and his advisors start preparations for their invasion.

Act 2

The scene then shifts to a London tavern, as a narrating Chorus informs us that England is fired up and preparing for war. There, Bardolph (Richard Briers) appears, trying to resolve a fight between the feuding Nym (Geoffrey Hutchings) and Pistol (Robert Stephens) over Mistress Quickly (Judi Dench), who was promised to marry the former, but wed the latter. A boy (Christian Bale) interrupts, informing everyone present that their friend Sir John Falstaff (Robbie Coltrane) is deathly ill and they stop quarreling to visit him, hinting that Henry somehow caused Falstaff's ill health. The scene then flashes back to happier times with John Falstaff and others in the tavern, where King Henry is seen ending his childhood friendship with Falstaff, saying "I know thee not, old man."

The scene cuts to the White Cliffs of Dover where Chorus informs us that three traitors have been found in the ranks of Henry’s advisors; Earl of Cambridge (Fabian Cartwright), Lord Scroop (Stephen Simms), and Sir Thomas Grey (Jay Villiers). Later, in Southampton, the King prepares for France and confronts the three traitors, who do not yet know he has discovered their treachery. Henry tricks them into pronouncing their own sentence by asking advice on a similar case, to which they show little mercy. The King then reveals his knowledge of their sedition and declares that all three are to be executed before ordering his fleet to depart for France.

Back in London, Pistol, Bardolph, Nym, Mistress Quickly, and the boy grieve the loss of Falstaff, who has passed away. Despite their sorrow, the men must finally leave for the war, bidding farewell to Mistress Quickly.

Meanwhile, Charles VI, the King of France (Paul Scofield) and his noblemen discuss the approach of King Henry's army. While the Dauphin (Michael Maloney) still believes Henry to be young and foolish, Charles and the Constable of France (Richard Easton) do not share his views, remembering Henry's warlike bloodline and their previous attempts at conquering France. They are interrupted when Exeter arrives in full armor bearing a message from King Henry, who has already landed in France. Henry demands that King Charles surrender the crown and all honors and lands that may come with it. If Charles refuses, Henry will take France by force. Charles responds by saying he will send Exeter back to his king with an answer in the morning.

Act 3

In the next scene, King Henry's forces are attacking the castle at Harfleur. Chorus informs the audience than an alarmed King Charles offered Henry a compromise that included small dukedoms and the hand of his daughter, Catherine, in marriage, which Henry refused. The siege thus ensues and Henry delivers a powerful speech, conjuring memories of the Englishmen’s warlike ancestors. Nim, Bardolph, and Pistol have a mixed reaction to the speech, turn to run while those around them charge before a Welsh Captain named Fluellen (Ian Holm) frightens them back into the fight.

Later, Fluellen and an officer named Gower (Danny Webb) discuss the mines that the English have dug in order to breech the walls of Harfleur. Fluellen believes the mines are being built incorrectly and belittles the Irish Captain MacMorris (John Sessions) who is in charge of their construction while praising Captain Jamy (Jimmy Yuill), the officer in charge of the Scottish troops. When MacMorris and Jamy arrive, Fluellen offers MacMorris advice on about digging the tunnels and offends him. The two nearly break into a fight before they are interrupted by retreating English troops.

King Henry then appears before the gates of Harfleur, calling upon the governor of the town. When the governor appears on the town's walls, Henry declares that no harm will befall Harfleur if the French surrender the city, but if Henry must fight his way in than the English will destroy the town, rape the women, and kill the children. The governor then reluctantly surrenders Harfleur, having been informed from the Dauphin that no French army can be mobilized in time to save the town. Henry then orders Harfleur to be fortified as a citadel from which to fight the French army.

In the French court, Charles’s daughter, Catherine (Emma Thompson), speaks in French with her maid Alice (Geraldine McEwan). Alice, having spent time in England, knows some of the language, so Catherine asks Alice to teach her some words. Catherine mispronounces them humorously, but is keen to learn them until they are interrupted by Charles and his entourage passing through the castle halls. King Charles, the Dauphin, and his advisors then hold an urgent meeting to discuss the English invasion. The French noblemen are hot to repel the English advance, feeling their national honor has been damaged by the incursion. Charles then orders his nobles to raise troops for an army, confident that with such great a force they can conquer King Henry's army and capture him as a prisoner.

The scene then cuts to Henry's army advancing through rain and mud. Pistol comes to beg Fluellen for the life of Bardolf, who has apparently robbed a church. Fluellen, however, is unforgiving and holds that Bardolf will hang for his crimes as any other soldier would. When Henry arrives, he is heartbroken to learn that Bardolf, an old friend, has committed such a crime, but sees the execution through. The French ambassador Mountjoy then arrives, declaring that the forces of King Charles will punish Henry and that he should begin thinking of a ransom with which to pay back the French once they've overtaken his army. Henry's response is mostly neutral, admitting that his army is worn and tired, but that he will continue to advance because he believes it is his right to conquer France and that his army will be victorious. His army then proceeds to make camp.

Chorus then transitions the scene to the French camp, where the noblemen eagerly await the upcoming battle. The French then start their preparations for battle, patronizing the weak English army and foolish King Henry.

Act 4

As Chorus narrates, the scene returns to the English camp. Henry talks briefly with his brothers, Gloucester (Simon Shepherd) and Bedford (James Larkin), and with old Sir Thomas Erpingham (Edward Jewesbury), before borrowing Erpingham's cloak, disguising himself from the common soldiers. Henry then tours the camp, pretending to be a soldier named Harry le Roy, in order to know the minds of his troops. The first person he meets is Pistol, who praises the King in his own strange way. Henry then comes to three common soldiers, Bates (Shaun Prendergast), Court (Patrick Doyle), and Williams (Michael Williams), who have a less than flattering opinion of the King. Henry defends the king, but Williams will not back down, so they agree to a quarrel, promising to fight each other after the battle.

The three soldiers eventually depart, leaving Henry to contemplate the isolation of power and lament the duties which lie on his head. He prays to God for strength of heart in his soldiers and begs forgiveness for the bloody method by which Henry's father, Henry IV, obtained the crown of England.

The next morning, the French overlook the battlefield and prepare to mount their horses. They expect an easy victory, observing how outnumbered and ragged the English army appears. Meanwhile, the English noblemen realize that they are outnumbered five to one, when Westmorland wishes for "one ten-thousand of those men in England who do no work today!" Henry overhears him and disagrees. He then delivers a morale-boosting speech, saying that they should be happy for their small army, which will have a greater share of honor. He goes on to say that anyone who fights with him, soldier or noblemen, will be his brother and concludes that any Englishman who stayed at home will think himself cursed for not being present at this fight. Mountjoy comes one last time for ransom, asking that Henry surrender or be defeated in battle. Henry rejects the offer and instructs the messenger to offer no more ransom.

A bloody battle ensues as the French forces charge at the English. Henry, having equipped his army with many long bow archers, is able to cripple a large part of the French force. During the combat, Nym is stabbed and killed while trying to rob the bodies of dead soldiers. The Constable of France is also slain, as the astonished French noblemen realize that victory will likely be in the hands of the English. They decide to continue the fight, rather than be shamed in surrender.

A small number of angered French soldiers ride into the English camp, looting goods and killing the young pages. Fluellen, who is first to arrive at the scene, becomes enraged, as this violated the chivalrous codes of warfare. Henry arrives furious, swearing that he had not been angry since arriving in France until that moment. Henry then confronts Mountjoy, who informs him that the English forces have in fact won the battle.

Cast

The cast includes many well-known actors: Derek Jacobi as the Chorus, Brian Blessed as Exeter, Ian Holm as Fluellen, Christian Bale as the Boy, Paul Scofield as the King of France, Judi Dench as Mistress Quickly, Richard Briers as Bardolph, Robert Stephens as Pistol and Emma Thompson as Princess Katherine. The actor Michael Williams plays the character "Michael Williams". Robbie Coltrane appears in a cameo performance as Falstaff.

• Chorus - Derek Jacobi
• Henry V of England - Kenneth Branagh
• Duke of Gloucester Brother to the King - Simon Shepherd
• Duke of Bedford Brother to the King - James Larkin
• Duke of Exeter, Uncle to the King - Brian Blessed
• Westmoreland - Paul Gregory
• Archbishop of Canterbury - Charles Kay
• Bishop of Ely - Alec McCowen
• Earl of Cambridge, Traitor - Fabian Cartwright
• Lord Scroop [sic], Traitor - Stephen Simms
• Sir Thomas de Grey, Traitor - Jay Villiers
• Sir Thomas Erpingham, Officer in King Henry's Army - Edward Jewesbury
• Fluellen, Officer in King Henry's Army - Ian Holm
• Gower, Officer in King Henry's Army - Daniel Webb
• Jamy, Officer in King Henry's Army - Jimmy Yuill
• Macmorris, Officer in King Henry's Army - John Sessions
• Bates, Soldier in King Henry's Army - Shaun Prendergast
• Court, Soldier in King Henry's Army - Pat Doyle
• Williams, Soldier in King Henry's Army - Michael Williams
• Bardolph - Richard Briers
• Nym - Geoffrey Hutchings
• Pistol - Robert Stephens

• Sir John Falstaff - Robbie Coltrane
• Boy - Christian Bale
• Mistress Quickly - Judi Dench
• Charles VI of France - Paul Scofield
• Louis, the Dauphin - Michael Maloney
• Duke of Burgundy - Harold Innocent
• Duke of Orleans - Richard Clifford
• Grandpre, French Lord - Colin Hurley
• Constable - Richard Easton
• Mountjoy, a French Herald - Christopher Ravenscroft
• Katharine, Daughter to Charles and Isabel - Emma Thompson
• Alice, a Lady attending on Katharine - Geraldine McEwan
• Governor of Harfleur - David Lloyd Meredith
• Messenger - David Parfitt
• Warwick - Nicholas Ferguson
• John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury - Tom Whitehouse
• Duke of Berry - Nigel Greaves
• Bretagne - Julian Gartside
• 1st Soldier - Mark Inman
• 2nd Soldier - Chris Armstrong
• Child - Calum Yuill

Production

Screenplay

The text of the play is heavily cut. In addition, Branagh incorporated flashbacks using extracts from Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2 in which Henry interacts with the character of Falstaff, who, in Shakespeare's Henry V, is never seen, merely announced to be deathly ill in Act 2 Scene 1, and dead in Act 2 scene 3. The scenes involve a brief summary of Henry's denouncement of Falstaff primarily with lines from Act 2, Scene 4 of Henry IV part 1 and a brief though important utterance of Henry's final repudiation of Falstaff in Part 2, "I know thee not, old man." The movie also uses Falstaff's line "do not, when thou art King, hang a thief" from Henry IV Part 1 but gives it to Bardolph, in order to highlight the poignancy when Henry later has Bardolph executed.

Filming

Henry V was made on an estimated budget of $9 million. The film was produced by Bruce Sharman with the British Broadcasting Corporation and Branagh's company Renaissance Films. Principle photography commenced on 31 October 1988 and concluded 19 December the same year. Sixty percent of production was shot on sound stages at Shepperton Studios, while many of the battle sequences were shot on fields adjacent to the Shepperton complex.

Style

Branagh's film is frequently compared with the 1944 film of the play directed by and starring Laurence Olivier. The visual style of Branagh's film is grittier and more realistic than that of Olivier's. For example, his film avoids Olivier's use of stylized sets, and, where Olivier staged the Battle of Agincourt on a sunlit field, Branagh's takes place amid rain-drenched mud and gore. Nearly all of the scenes involving the comic characters were also staged as drama, rather than in the broad, more slapstick way in which Olivier staged them, because Branagh felt that modern audiences would not see the humor in these scenes.

While the text of the Chorus' monologues are the same, the setting for them has been adapted to reflect the nature of the motion picture adaptation of the play. Unlike the other performers, who are dressed in clothing contemporary to the actual Henry V to reflect their characters, the Chorus is dressed in modern 20th century clothing. The opening monologue, originally written to compensate for the limitations of on stage theater to represent the historical scenes presented, is delivered on an empty motion picture sound stage with unfinished sets. The other chorus monologues are delivered on location where the relevant action is taking place. In all cases, the chorus speaks directly to the camera, addressing the audience.

Music and soundtrack

Henry V
Soundtrack album by Patrick Doyle
Released	8 November 1989
Recorded	1989
Genre	Soundtrack
Length	59:08
Label	EMI Records

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Filmtracks	link

The score to Henry V was written by then first-time composer Patrick Doyle. It was performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Simon Rattle. The soundtrack was released 8 November 1989 through EMI Classics and features fifteen tracks of score at a running time just under an hour. Patrick Doyle also appeared in Henry V as Court (credited as Pat Doyle), who is the first soldier to begin singing "Non Nobis, Domine" following the conflict at Agincourt.

1. "Opening Title/'O! for a Muse of Fire'" (3:34)
2. "King Henry V Theme/The Boar's Head" (2:46)
3. "The Three Traitors" (2:03)
4. "'Now, Lords, for France!'" (2:40)
5. "The Death of Falstaff" (1:54)
6. "'Once More Unto the Breach'" (3:45)
7. "The Threat to the Governor of Harfleur/Katherine of France/The March to Calais" (5:51)
8. "The Death of Bardolph" (2:22)
9. "'Upon the King'" (4:50)
10. "St. Crispin's Day/The Battle of Agincourt" (14:13)
11. "'The Day is Yours'" (2:34)
12. "'Non Nobis, Domine'" (4:09)
13. "The Wooing of Katherine" (2:24)
14. "'Let This Acceptance Take'" (2:50)
15. "End Title" (2:35)

Patrick Doyle was later awarded the 1989 Ivor Novello Award for Best Film Theme for "Non Nobis, Domine".

Release

Home media

A pan and scan VHS was released through CBS/Fox Video in 1990. MGM Home Entertainment later released Henry V on DVD 18 July 2000, preserving the widescreen format of the original theatrical presentation.

Reception

Box office

The film grossed over $10 million in the U.S. and at the time of its widest release played on 134 U.S. screens.

Critical response

Henry V received near-universal critical acclaim for Branagh's Oscar-nominated performance and direction, for the accessibility of its Shakespearean language, and for its score by Patrick Doyle. It currently holds a rare 100% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 83 out of 100, based on seventeen reviews--all positive. Henry V also ranks #1 on the Rotten Tomatoes list of Greatest Shakespeare Movies, beating Akira Kurosawa's Ran (1985) and Branagh's own version of Hamlet (1996), respectively ranking in second and third place.

Roger Ebert, noted critic of the Chicago Sun-Times, gave the film three-and-a-half out of four stars, highly praising Branagh's performance and writing, "There is no more stirring summons to arms in all of literature than Henry's speech to his troops on St. Crispan's Day, ending with the lyrical 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.' To deliver this speech successfully is to pass the acid test for anyone daring to perform the role of Henry V in public, and as Kenneth Branagh, as Henry, stood up on the dawn of the Battle of Agincourt and delivered the famous words, I was emotionally stirred even though I had heard them many times before. That is one test of a great Shakespearian actor: to take the familiar and make it new." Variety magazine also gave the film a positive review, calling Henry V "A stirring, gritty and enjoyable pic which offers a plethora of fine performances from some of the U.K.'s brightest talents."

Accolades

Award	Category	Recipients and nominees	Result
Academy Awards	Best Actor	Kenneth Branagh	Nominated
	Best Costume Design	Phyllis Dalton	Won
	Best Director	Kenneth Branagh	Nominated
British Academy Film Awards	Best Actor in a Leading Role	Kenneth Branagh	Nominated
	Best Cinematography	Kenneth MacMillan	Nominated
	Best Costume Design	Phyllis Dalton	Nominated
	Best Direction	Kenneth Branagh	Won
	Best Production Design	Tim Harvey	Nominated
	Best Sound	Campbell Askew, David Crozier, Robin O'Donoghue	Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards	Best Foreign Language Film	Kenneth Branagh	Won
	Best Actor		Nominated
European Film Awards	Best Actor	Kenneth Branagh	Won
	Best Director		Won
	Best Young Film		Won
Evening Standard British Film Awards	Best Film	Kenneth Branagh	Won
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists	European Silver Ribbon	Kenneth Branagh	Nominated
National Board of Review of Motion Pictures	Best Director	Kenneth Branagh	Won
New York Film Critics Circle Awards	Best New Director	Kenneth Brangah	Won
Sant Jordi Awards	Best Foreign Actor	Kenneth Branagh	Won

In popular culture

In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Defector", aired on New Years' Day 1990, when the film was still in theaters, the character of Data performs a sequence from Act 4, Scene 1, as Henry, and subsequently cites Branagh's performance as one of those he wishes to study closely. Interestingly, the Michael Williams character in this scene is played, under heavy makeup, by Shakespearean Patrick Stewart, who starred as Capt. Picard on the show and asked to play either Williams or John Bates in the scene.

In the Simpsons episode, "Boy Meets Curl", Homer gives a speech about curling similar to Henry V's St Crispin's Day speech while underscored by Patrick Doyle's music from the film.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Henry V (1944 film)
• List of historical drama films
• List of William Shakespeare film adaptations

External links

• Henry V at the Internet Movie Database
• Henry V at the TCM Movie Database
• Henry V at AllRovi
• Henry V at Box Office Mojo
• Henry V at Rotten Tomatoes
• Henry V at Metacritic
• A Word from Kenneth Branagh