), I thought I would start another string about movies I like to watch, based on certain classifications I have in my own mind. To start, I like movies about the times when castles were king and page-boys wore their hair a certain way because cloth was too expensive to use for napkins. Why pay $12+ bucks a head for the mental equivalent of a Bazooka Joe cartoon when you can buy or rent most of these for the price of one ticket or less. Here are my Five Favorite - Medieval:1) In the mid-60's, this genre seemed to attract the best scripts and talent. The best of the best, IMHO, is "A Man for All Seasons" from 1966 with Paul Scofield as Sir Thomas More. The story takes place in 16th century England. More loves life yet has the moral fiber to lay down his life for principles. Concentrating on the last seven years of English chancellor's life, the struggle between More and his King, Henry VIII (Robert Shaw), hinges on Henry's determination to break with Rome so he can divorce his current wife and wed again, and good Catholic More's inability to go along with such heresy. More resigns as chancellor, hoping to be able to live out his life as a private citizen. But Henry will settle for nothing less than that the much respected More give public approval to his headstrong course. More wins as he loses. This movie won something like six academy awards and for a reason. Nothing fancy, just dialogue and acting. Watch for a young John Hurt as Richard Rich.
2) Just behind that one is "Beckett" from 1964. The movie opens with King Henry II (Peter O'Toole), who ruled England from 1154 to 1189 enters Canterbury Cathedral to do penance at the tomb of his former friend, Thomas á Becket (Richard Burton). Bare to the waist, the king kneels to receive a flogging from Saxon monks. He begins to reminisce, recalling at first the carefree, promiscuous adventures with Becket, then his favorite drinking and wenching companion. King Henry II of England has had trouble with the Church. When the Archbishop of Canterbury dies, he has a brilliant idea. Rather than appoint another pious cleric loyal to Rome and the Church, he will appoint his old drinking and wenching buddy, technically a deacon of the church, to the post. Unfortunately, Becket takes the job seriously and provides abler opposition to Henry than his predecessors were able to do. This leads to the famous "Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?" Burton at his best.
3) From 1968, "A Lion in Winter". Christmas 1183--an aging and conniving King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) plans a reunion where he hopes to name his successor. He summons the following people for the holiday: his scheming but imprisoned wife, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katherine Hepburn); his mistress, Princess Alais, whom he wishes to marry; his three sons Richard (first movie for Anthony Hopkins), Geoffrey, and John, all of whom desire the throne; and the young but crafty King Philip of France (who is also Alais' brother and played by Timothy Dalton). With the fate of Henry's empire at stake, everybody engages in their own brand of deception and treachery to stake their claim. Great dialogue again and only real actors can pull of this movie.
4) "The Taming of the Shrew" from 1967. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor that may be a biopic. Set in Padua, Italy in the late 1500s, two daughters of a local rich merchant Baptista are the focus of the story. Shy Bianca is courted by a number of good-looking and well-to-do young men, but Baptista announces that she cannot marry until the older daughter Katharine (Elizabeth Taylor) is wed. As Katharine is out-spoken and far from demure, none of the men in the town want to marry her, so Bianca remains unwed even though many suitors hover to woo her. When Lucentio (Michael York) arrives in Padua he sees the competition and poses as a servant, getting a job in the house where Bianca lives so he can be near to her and figure out to wed and bed the beauty. When Petruchio (Richard Burton) a rough-and-ready land owner comes to Padua shopping for a rich wife and lays eyes on Katharine, he falls in love with the fiery femme, and after a furious, aggressive, and combative courtship they marry, and move to Petruchios rustic mansion where their combative relationship continues challenging Katharines sense of honor. Back in Padua Lucentio confesses to Bianca that he is not a student but the son of one of the most respected men in town, and the couple decides to marry with Baptistas blessing. At the wedding all the couples and folks from the town arrive and Katharine, humbled from a new-found wisdom from her honeymoon with Petruchio gives advice to Bianca on how to be a successful wife. Burton and Taylor fight like cats and dogs, which may not have been acting for them.
5) Hamlet - 1990. The only one of my top five not from the mid-60's. Starring Mel Gibson (can you believe it) who does a very good job in the title role. I am no Shakespear expert, but I was surprised how well he did. Worth the rental or addition to your library.
[ July 14, 2009, 06:20 AM: Message edited by: Edwards Kings ]
