Review of A Man for All Seasons (1966) by Stuart K — 31 Mar 2010
From Oscar winning director Fred Zinnemann, best known for High Noon (1952) and From Here To Eternity (1953), comes this adaptation of Robert Bolt's 1961 stage play, which had started on BBC Radio in 1954.
The film would have a brilliant lead role, and a brilliant supporting cast to it's name. It's a low-key story, but still quite powerful. It focuses on Thomas More (Paul Scofield) who is caught in a struggle with Henry VIII (Robert Shaw), who wishes to divorce Catherine of Aragon, and marry Anne Boleyn instead.
Cardinal Wolsey (Orson Welles) wants the Pope to grant them a divorce, and he needs More's help, but More being a devout Catholic refuses. More is made Lord Chancellor of England by Henry, but one comment regarding Henry is picked up by Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern), who uses one of More's old acquantances from Cambridge, Richard Rich (John Hurt) to spy on More and his family.
It's a fairly straight forward story, and to the point as well. It's beautifully shot by Ted Moore, and Georges Delerue's traditional score is good on the ear, but it's Scofield's restrained, down to earth, human role as More which makes the film all the more engaging.
It's a pity there wasn't more of Shaw's powerful Henry VIII, who nearly steals the film from Scofield.
This review of A Man for All Seasons (1966) was written by Stuart K on 31 Mar 2010.
A Man for All Seasons has generally received very positive reviews.
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