12th century England was a hotbed of successors, sex, underhanded plots and power. King Henry the second (O’Toole) is trying to find that successor from his three sons. He summons them to his castle home in order to pick but Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katherine Hepburn) his wife is a strong willed and bold woman that might have something to add. The problem is that Henry has kept Eleanor in prison for ten years while he has been playing the field. Now they will battle to decide who the next king will be and if anyone can come on top in the decision.
Stage plays were big in the sixties and it was seen as a real feat to adapt these into bold film productions. This is the height of this movement and is a spellbinding study in the art of acting, writing and directing. O’Toole is amazing as the King with much to lose if he isn’t skilled in his tactics. He is brash, tender and at times, uncontrolled but he adds natural tenure to his role and is intimate and angry because of it. Hepburn is equally as good with the swift spite and nastiness of a great written piece. She is very artful in her tennis match and equals O’Toole by giving as good as she gets. Casting at its finest for the leads actually would make the job harder for the other actors but not so here. Hopkins is in fine form as the brash son, who undulates to the battle and leaves no truce unturned. Dalton is also excellent as the face of the future and the man wanting to better the French position. He has often been derided for his acting in franchises (I like his Bond over all the others) but here he proves that an actor can know balance and place in an ensemble piece.
Anthony Harvey the director is to be commended for his skill in holding this all together by allowing the performers room but also allows the audience time to enquire, engage and enjoy. The other things to watch out for are the visuals that are so well captured in time period, light hues and natural vision. The place comes to life as a over cast England, a cold imposing castle and a darkly surreal world of truth and lie. It is a joy to watch and to play out. The DVD has a few extras that are quite good but the commentary by the director is excellent and is very much worth a listen.
