Henry V - Criterion Collection
 | Directed by Laurence Olivier Starring: Laurence Olivier Criterion, 1946, DVD Customer Rating: 23 reviews Recommend |
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Olivier mustered out of the navy to film this adaptation of Shakespeare's history. Embroiled in World War II, Britons took courage from this tale of a king who surmounts overwhelming odds and emerges victorious. This sumptuous Technicolor® rendering features a thrilling recreation of the battle of Agincourt, and Sir Laurence in his prime as director and actor.
If Kenneth Branagh's 1989 version of Shakespeare's tale of conquering greed reflects the post-Vietnam era, Laurence Olivier's version very much mirrored his time. When Olivier gave us his colorful adaptation in 1945, it was vivid, full of pageantry, and most definitely geared toward war. Pretty flags and white steeds, shining armor and theatrical emphasis figure into Olivier's attractive but decorous version, liberally adapted for a pro-war stance. He used the French as comic relief; they appeared foppish and foolish. Their presence implied no threat. If you had not read the play, you would not have to wonder who was going to win. Of course, Olivier wanted England to believe in the justness of war — his country was in the midst of one. The propaganda gets in the way only because it has been filtered through so many decades. His Henry remains, however, a handsome cinematic spectacle. Olivier's performance is gentle and elegant, his imagery rich and colorful. It was considered such a superb film he was awarded an honorary Oscar. He followed this with adaptations of Hamlet and Richard III. — Rochelle O'Gorman
Title: Henry V - Criterion Collection
Sales Rank: 29632 in DVD
Actor: Laurence Olivier
Director: Laurence Olivier
Studio: Criterion, 1999-06-22, Theatrical Release: 1946-06-17
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Special Edition, NTSC, Acpect Ratio 1.33:1
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Audience Rating: Unrated
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 137 minutes
Package Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.6 inches, 0.25 pounds
- Great film,but poor color.
- I tried three different copies of the Criterion "Henry V." In each one the colors kept fading in and out. This is the fault not of Olivier's film (whose Technicolor was superb) but of Criterion's transfer from film to DVD. Very disappointing! More reviews
- Highly Subjective Interpretation
- This is a highly subjective, heavily edited version of the Shakespeare play. The playtext was cherry-picked to portray Henry as a pure, virtuous, patriotic leader. However, Shakespeare's Henry was very, very different. In addition to his good qualities, Shakespeare's Henry also made political deals with the clergy, executed enemy prisoners (and his own soldiers), threatened innocent people with… More reviews
- Henry V (1944)
- Olivier inhabits the role of Henry with dazzling gusto in this rousing, energetic adaptation of William Shakespeare's play. The world was at war in 1944, and the gifted actor/director hoped the Bard's climactic tale of beat-the-odds triumph would comfort and inspire embattled England. Filling shoes once meant for William Wyler, Olivier's direction of his actors and the… More reviews
- Unique
- I read the play "Henry V" earlier this year and found parts of it very stimulating and other parts somewhat distracting. I looked forward to see the Olivier film version but I was concerned that it might move along too quickly for me to follow. As I sat back to watch the movie on TCM, I was treated to some background on how the film was produced… More reviews
- Sir Laurence Olivier. What Else Need Be Said?
- Besides Sir Laurence Olivier of course, the best thing about this movie is that it alternates between appearing as real and as a play in the Globe Theatre. Only Sir Laurence Olivier could manage this so smoothly and convincingly. That said, it may help to understand what happened before Henry V. Henry IV usurped the crown from Richard II. (Henry IV is of course Henry… More reviews
