Henry V (1989 film)
| Henry V | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
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| 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 |
| Running time | 137 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $9 million[1] |
| Box office | $10,161,099 (US)[1] |
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, 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 Shakespearean film adaptations ever made.[2][3] 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 Director and Best Actor.
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[edit] 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.
[edit] Adaptation
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.
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.
Nearly all of the scenes involving the comic characters were staged as drama, rather than in the broad, almost slapstick way in which Olivier staged them, because Branagh felt that modern audiences would not see the humor in these scenes.
[edit] Casting
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.
[edit] Production
The film was produced by Bruce Sharman with the British Broadcasting Corporation and Branagh's company Renaissance Films. The film's budget was an estimated $9 million.[4]
[edit] Music and soundtrack
| Henry V | |
|---|---|
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| 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.[5] 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.[6]
- "Opening Title/'O! for a Muse of Fire'" (3:34)
- "King Henry V Theme/The Boar's Head" (2:46)
- "The Three Traitors" (2:03)
- "'Now, Lords, for France!'" (2:40)
- "The Death of Falstaff" (1:54)
- "'Once More Unto the Breach'" (3:45)
- "The Threat to the Governor of Harfleur/Katherine of France/The March to Calais" (5:51)
- "The Death of Bardolph" (2:22)
- "'Upon the King'" (4:50)
- "St. Crispin's Day/The Battle of Agincourt" (14:13)
- "'The Day is Yours'" (2:34)
- "'Non Nobis, Domine'" (4:09)
- "The Wooing of Katherine" (2:24)
- "'Let This Acceptance Take'" (2:50)
- "End Title" (2:35)
Patrick Doyle was later awarded the 1989 Ivor Novello Award for Best Film Theme for "Non Nobis, Domine".[7]
[edit] Release
[edit] 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.[1]
[edit] Critical reception
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[2] and a Metacritic score of 83 out of 100, based on seventeen reviews--all positive.[8] 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.[3]
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."[9] 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."[10]
[edit] Awards and nominations
| 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 |
[edit] 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.[11]
[edit] 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]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Henry V. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ a b "Henry V (1989)". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1029042-henry_v/. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ a b "Greatest Shakespeare Movies". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/guides/greatest_shakespeare_movies/1029042-henry_v/. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ Henry V (1989) - Box office / business
- ^ Clemmensen, Christian. "Henry V soundtrack review". Filmtracks.com. http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/henry_v.html. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ Patrick Doyle Biography (1953-). Filmreference.com. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ Patrick Doyle (1953-). Filmtracks.com. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ Henry V. Metacritic. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (15 December 1989). "Henry V". Chicago Sun-Times. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19891215/REVIEWS/912150302. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ Variety Staff (31 December 1989). "Henry V". Variety. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117791604?refcatid=31. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ Henry V (1989). Amazon.com. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
[edit] 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
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