Lion in Winter, The (1968)

Lion in Winter, The (1968)

“I’ve built an empire — and I must know it’s going to last.”

Synopsis:
In 1183 England, King Henry II (Peter O’Toole) — living with his mistress Alais (Jane Merrow) — summons his imprisoned wife (Katharine Hepburn) back home to his castle, so they can determine who among their living sons — Richard (Anthony Hopkins), Geoffrey (John Castle), or John (Nigel Terry) — will be named as his successor; meanwhile, Merrow’s half-brother Philip II (Timothy Dalton) arrives for a diplomatic visit from France.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Historical Drama
  • Inheritance
  • Katharine Hepburn Films
  • Marital Problems
  • Peter O’Toole Films
  • Play Adaptations
  • Royalty and Nobility

Review:
Katharine Hepburn won her third Best Actress Oscar (sharing it with Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl) for her stand-out performance as Elinor of Aquitane in this adaptation of James Goldman’s play — which, for the record, is not necessarily historical accurate. As a royal drama, however, it plays out beautifully, with Hepburn making a truly majestic entrance by boat:

… and O’Toole – who played a younger version of the same character in Becket (1964) — appropriately larger-than-life from beginning to end. He’s arrogant and emotional, pig-headed yet practical — and it’s easy enough to understand how and why beautiful young Alais (Merrow) loves him and remains loyal.

The entire storyline is about power and succession (topics which remain of enduring interest to current viewing audiences). These particular two narcissistic monarchs equally “love” and loathe their children, despairing over who can or should replace them (no one, naturally; they should live forever) and ultimately shaping their offspring into differently problematic pieces-of-work. Richard’s alleged homosexuality is turned into a significant plot point regarding a dalliance with Philip II (Dalton):

… while “idiotic” John is played for disturbing laughs, openly reviled as a gullible “pustule”:

… and Geoffrey simply seems to be struggling with major Middle Child syndrome. (I can’t really figure out why he wouldn’t be a reasonable option.)

To its credit, given that we know how history turned out, we’re kept on our toes throughout the entire film, wondering what will happen next — and things wrap up in a reasonably satisfying manner. This well-acted historical drama remains worth a look.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Katharine Hepburn as Elinor of Aquitane
  • Peter O’Toole as King Henry
  • Anthony Hopkins as Richard
  • Fine supporting performances by Timothy Dalton, John Castle, and Nigel Terry as Philip, Geoffrey, and John
  • Douglas Slocombe’s cinematography

  • Effectively authentic historical sets
  • John Barry’s score

Must See?
Yes, as a fine film and for the powerhouse performances. Listed as a film with Historical Importance in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

  • Genuine Classic
  • Noteworthy Performance(s)
  • Oscar Winner or Nominee

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One thought on “Lion in Winter, The (1968)

  1. Superb film with some of the best acting I have ever seen. It’s also a Christmas classic, being set at Christmas featuring THE family Christmas from hell. One of my favourite films of all time.

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