The Lion in Winter
 | Directed by Anthony Harvey Starring: Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins, John Castle, Nigel Terry MGM (Video & DVD), 1968, DVD Customer Rating: 212 reviews Recommend |
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Katharine Hepburn delivers an amazing (Variety), OscarÂ(r)-winning* performance 'that must be seen to be believed (Boxoffice) in this dazzling (Los Angeles Times) all-star film that is not to be missed. Behind the great stone walls of an English castle, the world's most powerful empire is in crisis. Three sons struggle to win their father's favoras well as his crown. King Henry II (Peter O'toole) and his queen, Eleanor (Katharine Hepburn), engage ina battle of royal wits that pits elder son Richard (Anthony Hopkins) against his brothers, while the cunning King Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) takes advantage of the internal fracturing in his bid to destroy their kingdom. *1968: Actress
In this 12th-century version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Henry II of England (Peter O'Toole) and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katharine Hepburn), meet on Christmas Eve to discuss the future of the throne. These two are having slight marital problems, as she is kept in captivity most of the year for raising a rebellion against him, and he flaunts his young mistress. Then there are the problems raised by their three treacherous and traitorous sons.
James Goldman won an Oscar® for the brilliant screenplay, based on his Broadway play. It is a tad wordy, as the action is kept to a minimum, but those words are sharp as daggers. The humor is wicked and black and delivered with very dry, dead-on precision. Sparks fly and the screen sizzles whenever Hepburn and O'Toole tango, which is often. Both were nominated for Academy Awards® for their vigorous performances. (She won; he didn't.) There's also an infamous homo-erotic exchange between Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) and Richard the Lionhearted (Anthony Hopkins). Both actors were making their feature-film debuts. — Rochelle O'Gorman
Title: The Lion in Winter
Sales Rank: 2755 in DVD
Actor: Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins, John Castle, Nigel Terry
Director: Anthony Harvey
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD), 2001-06-19, Theatrical Release: 1968-10-30
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC, Acpect Ratio 2.35:1
Languages: Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 134 minutes
Item Dimensions: 0.25 pounds
Package Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.6 inches, 0.2 pounds
- One of the Greatest Classics
- Lion In Winter (1968) is one of the greatest films ever produced. And compared to the later version with Glenn Close & Patrick Stewart, it shines so brightly. Kathrine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole are perfect together. It's nearly a "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe?" relationship set in the middle ages. The timing and the dialog are riveting, and the other… More reviews
- Lions Tigers and Bears, oh my!
- This movie has a nasty climax where a graphic verbal description of a previous child molestation event took place. I'd like to see historical proof that this occurred. The rising motion of the plot is generated by the many secret deals made between members of the same family in an effort to gain the edge that will ensure their selfishly motivated power… More reviews
- Fabulous Movie
- Superb movie. Magnificent acting by Peter O'Toole (how could he not have won an Academy Award for his role as Henry II in this movie?) and Katherine Hepburn (who did win an Academy Award for her role). Wonderful depiction of the era and the personalities in power. Dialogue is extraordinary--perhaps because the story was a play before it became a movie. O'Toole is at his… More reviews
- One of the Classics You Must See
- This is one of the few perfect movies. No special effects to make you forget there's no plot, just amazing acting by some of the best there have ever been. The plot is taken from the pages of history: The time of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, with Peter O'Toole, the star he is, as Henry and Katherine Hepburn at the top of her game… More reviews
- The Lion in Winter DVD
- I ordered this for my mother-in-law- it is probably her favorite movie, because she watches it at LEAST once a year. I know that she was thrilled to have gotten it, and the quality of the dvd is very good, too. It's a classic movie, and will be watched for years to come.… More reviews
