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{{short description|1964 film by Peter Glenville}} |
{{short description|1964 film by Peter Glenville}} |
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{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}} |
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{{Infobox film |
{{Infobox film |
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| name = Becket |
| name = Becket |
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| released = {{Film date|1964|3|11|df=y}} |
| released = {{Film date|1964|3|11|df=y}} |
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| runtime = 148 minutes |
| runtime = 148 minutes |
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| country = United Kingdom<ref>{{cite web|author=Variety Staff |url=https://variety.com/1963/film/reviews/becket-1200420680/ |title=Becket |publisher=Variety |date=1963-12-31 |accessdate=2022-03-20}}</ref> |
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| country = United Kingdom<br />United States |
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| language = English |
| language = English |
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| budget = $3 million |
| budget = $3 million |
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}} |
}} |
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'''''Becket''''' is a 1964 historical drama film about the historic, tumultuous relationship between [[Henry II of England]] and his friend-turned-bishop [[Thomas Becket]]. It is a dramatic [[film adaptation]] of the 1959 play ''[[Becket|Becket or the Honour of God]]'' by [[Jean Anouilh]] made by Hal Wallis Productions and released by [[Paramount Pictures]].<ref>''[[Variety Film Reviews|Variety]]'' film review; 4 March 1964, page 6.</ref> It was directed by [[Peter Glenville]] and produced by [[Hal B. Wallis]] with Joseph H. Hazen as executive producer. The screenplay was written by [[Edward Anhalt]] based on Anouilh's play. The music score was by [[Laurence Rosenthal]], the cinematography by [[Geoffrey Unsworth]] and the editing by [[Anne V. Coates]]. |
'''''Becket''''' is a 1964 British [[Historical drama|historical drama film]] about the historic, tumultuous relationship between [[Henry II of England]] and his friend-turned-bishop [[Thomas Becket]]. It is a dramatic [[film adaptation]] of the 1959 play ''[[Becket|Becket or the Honour of God]]'' by [[Jean Anouilh]] made by Hal Wallis Productions and released by [[Paramount Pictures]].<ref>''[[Variety Film Reviews|Variety]]'' film review; 4 March 1964, page 6.</ref> It was directed by [[Peter Glenville]] and produced by [[Hal B. Wallis]] with Joseph H. Hazen as executive producer. The screenplay was written by [[Edward Anhalt]] based on Anouilh's play. The music score was by [[Laurence Rosenthal]], the cinematography by [[Geoffrey Unsworth]] and the editing by [[Anne V. Coates]]. |
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The film stars [[Richard Burton]] as [[Thomas Becket]] and [[Peter O'Toole]] as [[Henry II of England|King Henry II]], with [[John Gielgud]] as [[King Louis VII]], [[Donald Wolfit]] as [[Gilbert Foliot]], [[Paolo Stoppa]] as [[Pope Alexander III]], [[Martita Hunt]] as [[Empress Matilda]], [[Pamela Brown (actress)|Pamela Brown]] as [[Eleanor of Aquitaine|Queen Eleanor]], [[Siân Phillips]], [[Felix Aylmer]], [[Gino Cervi]], [[David Weston (actor)|David Weston]] and [[Wilfrid Lawson (actor)|Wilfrid Lawson]]. |
The film stars [[Richard Burton]] as [[Thomas Becket]] and [[Peter O'Toole]] as [[Henry II of England|King Henry II]], with [[John Gielgud]] as [[Louis VII of France|King Louis VII]], [[Donald Wolfit]] as [[Gilbert Foliot]], [[Paolo Stoppa]] as [[Pope Alexander III]], [[Martita Hunt]] as [[Empress Matilda]], [[Pamela Brown (actress)|Pamela Brown]] as [[Eleanor of Aquitaine|Queen Eleanor]], [[Siân Phillips]], [[Felix Aylmer]], [[Gino Cervi]], [[David Weston (actor)|David Weston]] and [[Wilfrid Lawson (actor)|Wilfrid Lawson]]. |
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Restored prints of ''Becket'' were re-released in 30 cinemas in the US in early 2007, following an extensive restoration from the film's [[ |
Restored prints of ''Becket'' were re-released in 30 cinemas in the US in early 2007, following an extensive restoration from the film's [[Three-strip Technicolor|YCM separation]] protection masters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://old.post-gazette.com/pg/07075/769823-120.stm|title=Becket|website=old.post-gazette.com}}</ref> The film was released on DVD by [[MPI Home Video]] in May 2007<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057877/dvd|title=DVD details|publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> and on Blu-ray Disc in November 2008. The new film prints carry a [[Dolby Digital]] soundtrack, although the soundtrack of the original film, which originally opened as a [[roadshow theatrical release]], was also in stereo. |
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''Becket'' won the [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay]], and was nominated for eleven other awards, including for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and twice for Best Actor. |
''Becket'' won the [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay]], and was nominated for eleven other awards, including for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and twice for Best Actor. |
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==Background and production== |
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The original French play on which the film is based was given its first performance in [[Paris]] in 1959.<ref>Jean Anouilh, ''Becket'', Paris: Éditions de la Table Ronde, coll. "Folio", 1959, p.6.</ref> It opened on Broadway with [[Laurence Olivier]] as Becket and [[Anthony Quinn]] as King Henry II in a production directed by Peter Glenville, who later went on to direct the film version. The play opened in London in a production by [[Peter Hall (theatre director)|Peter Hall]] with [[Eric Porter]] and [[Christopher Plummer]]. [[Peter O'Toole|O'Toole]] was originally signed to play Henry II in the production, but broke the contract before rehearsals began to take the lead in [[David Lean]]'s film of ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]].''{{Citation needed|date=May 2016}} |
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The film was made at [[Shepperton Studios]], England and on location at [[Alnwick Castle]], [[Bamburgh Castle]] and Bamburgh Beach in [[Northumberland]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2016}} |
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[[Peter O'Toole]] went on to play King Henry II once more in ''[[The Lion in Winter (1968 film)|The Lion in Winter]]'' (1968) with [[Katharine Hepburn]] as Queen [[Eleanor of Aquitaine|Eleanor]]. |
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[[Siân Phillips]], who plays Gwendolen, was Peter O'Toole's wife at the time of filming.<ref>Sian Phillips: ''Public Places: The Autobiography'', Hodder&Stoughton, 2002</ref> |
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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Thomas Becket is an advisor and companion of the carousing [[Henry II of England|King Henry II]]. Henry appoints Becket as [[Lord Chancellor]] to have a close confidant in this position whom he can completely control. Henry is less interested in his royal duties than drunken forays in the royal hunting grounds and pursuing peasant women. He becomes increasingly dependent on Becket, a Saxon commoner, who arranges these debaucheries when he is not busy running Henry's court. This foments great resentment on the part of Henry's [[Normans|Norman]] noblemen, who distrust and envy this Saxon upstart, as well as Henry's wife [[Eleanor of Aquitaine|Queen Eleanor]] and Henry's mother [[Empress Matilda]], who see Becket as an unnatural and unseemly influence upon the King. |
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During the late 12th century, about 100 years after the [[Norman conquest of England|Norman conquest]] (1066), the Normans have removed the native ruling class, replacing it with a new monarchy, aristocracy and clerical hierarchy. |
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Thomas Becket is a [[Saxons|Saxon]] protégé and facilitator to the carousing [[Henry II of England|King Henry II]], who transforms into a man who continually invokes the "honour of God". Henry appoints Becket [[Lord Chancellor]] to have a close confidant in this position whom he can completely control. Instead, Becket becomes a major thorn in his side in a jurisdictional dispute. Henry finds his duties as king and his stale arranged marriage to be oppressive, and is described as the "perennial adolescent" by the [[Bishop of London]]. Henry is more interested in escaping his duties through drunken forays onto the hunting grounds and local brothels. He is increasingly dependent on Becket, a Saxon commoner, who arranges these debaucheries when he is not busy running Henry's court. This foments great resentment on the part of Henry's [[Normans|Norman]] noblemen, who distrust and envy this Saxon upstart, as well as the queen and Henry's mother, who see Becket as an unnatural and unseemly influence upon the royal personage. |
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Henry finds himself in continuous conflict with the elderly |
Henry finds himself in continuous conflict with the elderly Archbishop of Canterbury, who opposes the taxation of Church property to support Henry's military campaigns in France. During one of his campaigns in coastal France, he receives news that the archbishop has died. In a burst of inspiration, Henry exercises his prerogative to pick the next Archbishop, and informs an astonished Becket that he is the royal choice. |
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Shortly thereafter, Becket sides with the Church, throwing Henry into a fury. One of the main bones of contention is Thomas' [[excommunication]] of Lord Gilbert, one of Henry's most loyal stalwarts, for seizing and ordering the killing of a priest who had been accused of sexual indiscretions with a young girl, before the priest can even be handed over for ecclesiastical trial. Gilbert then refused to acknowledge his transgressions and seek absolution. |
Shortly thereafter, Becket sides with the Church, throwing Henry into a fury. One of the main bones of contention is Thomas' [[excommunication]] of Lord Gilbert, one of Henry's most loyal stalwarts, for seizing and ordering the killing of a priest who had been accused of sexual indiscretions with a young girl, before the priest can even be handed over for ecclesiastical trial. Gilbert then refused to acknowledge his transgressions and seek absolution. |
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The King has a dramatic secret meeting with the Bishop of London in his cathedral |
The King has a dramatic secret meeting with the Bishop of London in his cathedral. He lays out his plan to remove Becket through scandal and innuendo, which the envious Bishop of London quickly agrees to. These attempts fall flat when Becket, in full ecclesiastic garb, confronts his accusers and announces that as Archbishop he will petition the Pope for an ecclesiastical trial, causing Henry to laugh and bitterly note the irony of having his friend turn into his enemy. |
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Becket escapes to France where he encounters the conniving yet sympathetic [[Louis VII of France|King Louis]]. King Louis sees in Becket a means by which he can further his favourite pastime, tormenting the English. Louis provides refuge for Becket at the Abbey of Saint Martin while the English send emissaries to retrieve Becket. |
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The remainder of the film shows Henry rapidly sinking into drunken fixation over Becket and his perceived betrayal. The barons worsen his mood by pointing out that Becket has become a folk hero among the vanquished Saxons, who are ever restive and resentful of their Norman conquerors. There are comical fights between Henry and his frumpy consort, Eleanor of Aquitaine, his dimwitted son/heir apparent, and his cold-blooded mother, who repeatedly reminds her son that his father would have quickly had someone like Becket done away with for the sake of the realm. During one of his drunken rages he asks "[[Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?]]" His faithful barons hear this and proceed quickly to [[Canterbury]], where they put Thomas and his Saxon deputy, Brother John, to the sword. A badly shaken Henry then undergoes a penance by whipping at the hands of Saxon monks. |
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Becket then travels to the [[Holy See|Vatican]], where he begs the [[Pope Alexander III|Pope]] to allow him to renounce his position and retire to a monastery as an ordinary priest. The Pope reminds Becket that he has an obligation as a matter of principle to return to England and take a stand against civil interference in Church matters. Becket yields to this decision and asks Louis to arrange a meeting with Henry on the beaches at Normandy. Henry asks Becket whether or not he loved him and Becket replied that he loved Henry to the best of his ability. A shaky truce is declared and Becket is allowed to return to England. |
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Henry, fresh from his whipping, informs the barons that the ones who killed Becket will be found and justly punished. He then publicly proclaims to the crowd outside the church of his arrangement for Thomas Becket to be [[Canonization|canonized]] a saint. |
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Henry then rapidly sinks into drunken fixation over Becket and his perceived betrayal. The barons worsen his mood by pointing out that Becket has become a folk hero among the vanquished Saxons, who are ever restive and resentful of their Norman conquerors. During a drunken rage, Henry asks "[[Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?]]" His faithful barons hear this and proceed quickly to [[Canterbury]], where they put Thomas and his Saxon deputy, Brother John, to the sword. A badly shaken Henry then undergoes a penance by whipping at the hands of Saxon monks. |
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==Preservation== |
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The [[Academy Film Archive]] preserved ''Becket'' in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|title=Preserved Projects|url=http://www.oscars.org/academy-film-archive/preserved-projects?title=Becket&filmmaker=&category=All&collection=All|website=Academy Film Archive}}</ref> |
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Henry, fresh from his whipping, informs the barons that the ones who killed Becket will be found and justly punished. He then publicly proclaims to the crowd outside the church his arrangement for Thomas Becket to be [[Canonization|canonised]] as a saint. |
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==Cast== |
==Cast== |
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* [[Peter O'Toole]] – [[Henry II of England|King Henry II of England]] |
* [[Peter O'Toole]] – [[Henry II of England|King Henry II of England]] |
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* [[John Gielgud]] – [[Louis VII of France|King Louis VII of France]] |
* [[John Gielgud]] – [[Louis VII of France|King Louis VII of France]] |
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* [[Paolo Stoppa]] – [[Pope Alexander III]] |
* [[Paolo Stoppa]] (voice: [[Robert Rietti]]) – [[Pope Alexander III]] |
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* [[Donald Wolfit]] – [[Gilbert Foliot]], [[Bishop of London]] |
* [[Donald Wolfit]] – [[Gilbert Foliot]], [[Bishop of London]] |
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* [[David Weston (actor)|David Weston]] – Brother John |
* [[David Weston (actor)|David Weston]] – Brother John |
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* [[Martita Hunt]] – [[Empress Matilda]], Henry II's mother |
* [[Martita Hunt]] – [[Empress Matilda]], Henry II's mother |
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* [[Pamela Brown (actress)|Pamela Brown]] – [[Eleanor of Aquitaine]], wife of Henry II |
* [[Pamela Brown (actress)|Pamela Brown]] – [[Eleanor of Aquitaine]], wife of Henry II |
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* [[Siân Phillips]] – Gwendolen |
* [[Siân Phillips]] – Gwendolen – Becket's lover & a Welsh noblewoman who is a captive of Henry II |
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* [[Felix Aylmer]] – [[Theobald of Bec]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] |
* [[Felix Aylmer]] – [[Theobald of Bec]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] |
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* [[Gino Cervi]] – Cardinal Zambelli |
* [[Gino Cervi]] – Cardinal Zambelli |
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* [[Hamilton Dyce]] – [[Bishop of Chichester]] |
* [[Hamilton Dyce]] – [[Bishop of Chichester]] |
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* [[Jennifer Hilary]] – Peasant's daughter |
* [[Jennifer Hilary]] – Peasant's daughter |
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* [[Véronique Vendell]] – Marie, a French |
* [[Véronique Vendell]] – Marie, a French peasant girl that Henry has a tryst with |
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* [[Graham Stark]] |
* [[Graham Stark]] – The Pope's Secretary |
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* Jack Taylor |
* Jack Taylor – a villager |
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* [[Victor Spinetti]] |
* [[Victor Spinetti]] – French tailor |
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* [[Edward Woodward]] |
* [[Edward Woodward]] – Clement |
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==Background and production== |
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The film was made at [[Shepperton Studios]], England, and on location at [[Alnwick Castle]], [[Bamburgh Castle]] and Bamburgh Beach in [[Northumberland]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2016}} |
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[[Peter O'Toole]] went on to play King Henry II once more in ''[[The Lion in Winter (1968 film)|The Lion in Winter]]'' (1968). |
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[[Siân Phillips]], who plays Gwendolen, was Peter O'Toole's wife at the time of filming.<ref>Sian Phillips: ''Public Places: The Autobiography'', Hodder&Stoughton, 2002</ref> |
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==Historicity== |
==Historicity== |
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Most of the historical inaccuracies in the film are from the play, as Anouilh was writing drama rather than a history, and he took dramatic licence. |
Most of the historical inaccuracies in the film are from the play, as Anouilh was writing drama rather than a history, and he took dramatic licence. |
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The major inaccuracy is the depiction of Becket as a Saxon who has risen to a perceived Norman social standing, when in fact the historical Thomas Becket was a Norman<ref> |
The major inaccuracy is the depiction of Becket as a Saxon who has risen to a perceived Norman social standing, when in fact the historical Thomas Becket was a Norman<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/jan/01/reel-history-becket|title=Becket: forking Normans and a not so turbulent priest|date=1 January 2009|website=The Guardian}}</ref> (while Henry was an [[Angevin kings of England|Angevin]]). Anouilh did this because he had based the play on a 19th-century account that described Becket as a Saxon. He had been informed of this error before his play was produced, but decided against correcting it because it would undermine a key point of conflict, and because "history might eventually rediscover that Becket was a Saxon, after all." |
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Becket is depicted as Henry's loyal "drinking pal", who |
Becket is depicted as Henry's loyal "drinking pal", who assists him with illicit romantic entanglements and drunken hunting exercises, but who becomes saintly and responsible after his appointment as Archbishop. Passing mention is made in the film of the [[Constitutions of Clarendon]] (simply as the "Sixteen Articles"); the struggle between Becket and Henry is boiled down to their conflict over Lord Gilbert's murder of the captive priest. In no way is Becket depicted as a man who desired special legal privileges (defrocking rather than prison) for his clergy, as some believe. |
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Henry's mother, [[Empress Matilda]], died in 1167, three years before the treaty of Fréteval allowed Becket to return in England. Henry appears to not have any respect for his mother and treats her as something of an annoyance, a rather drastic departure from what is generally held as historical fact. Empress Matilda was Henry's sole parent for much of his childhood, and she was instrumental in shaping Henry into the fierce warrior and skilled administrator he was. Far from seeing his mother as a burden, Henry seems to have adored Matilda and relied heavily on her advice and guidance until her death. |
Henry's mother, [[Empress Matilda]], died in 1167, three years before the treaty of Fréteval allowed Becket to return in England. Henry appears to not have any respect for his mother and treats her as something of an annoyance, a rather drastic departure from what is generally held as historical fact. Empress Matilda was Henry's sole parent for much of his childhood, and she was instrumental in shaping Henry into the fierce warrior and skilled administrator he was. Far from seeing his mother as a burden, Henry seems to have adored Matilda and relied heavily on her advice and guidance until her death. Finally, at one point in the movie, Matilda complains that her gender was a major limiting factor in her life when in fact when she was an active military leader against Stephen of Blois during The Anarchy. |
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Henry's wife, [[Eleanor of Aquitaine]], was in fact beautiful, and highly educated. She was known to have an amicable marriage with Henry despite his mistresses and frequent absences. She is shown publicly rebuking Henry in a scene near the end of the film, when in fact Eleanor, whatever private reservations she may have had, is not known to have ever behaved in such a manner in public. During the same scene, she says she will go to her father to complain of Henry's treatment of her; however, her father [[William X, Duke of Aquitaine]] had died decades before, when Eleanor was just 15 years old. |
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Henry's wife, [[Eleanor of Aquitaine]] was in fact beautiful, brilliant and superbly educated, famous for her wit, charm and daring. |
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Also, the film only shows four sons of Henry and Eleanor. In actuality, Henry and Eleanor had ''eight'' children, five sons and three daughters. While the eldest son, William, had died before the events of the film, the three daughters are neglected. |
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==Production financing== |
==Production financing== |
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The film grossed $9,164,370 at the box office,<ref name="numbers"/> earning $3 million in rentals.<ref>"Big Rental Pictures of 1964", ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', 6 January 1965 p 39.</ref> |
The film grossed $9,164,370 at the box office,<ref name="numbers"/> earning $3 million in rentals.<ref>"Big Rental Pictures of 1964", ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', 6 January 1965 p 39.</ref> |
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== Reception == |
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On review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]], 76% of 29 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 7.2/10.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Becket |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/becket |access-date=16 June 2024 |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref> |
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==Awards and nominations== |
==Awards and nominations== |
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{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
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The film won an [[Academy Award]] and received eleven other nominations:<ref name="Oscars1965">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1965 |title=The 37th Academy Awards (1965) Nominees and Winners |access-date=24 August 2011|work=oscars.org}}</ref><ref name="NY Times">{{cite web |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/4550/Becket/awards |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018163635/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/4550/Becket/awards |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 October 2012 |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=[[The New York Times]] |publisher=[[Baseline (database)|Baseline]] & [[All Movie Guide]] |date=2012 |title=NY Times: Becket |access-date=25 December 2008}}</ref> |
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|- |
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;Won |
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! Award |
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* [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay]] (Edward Anhalt) |
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! Category |
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* 3 [[BAFTA]] 1965: Best Color Photography, Best Set Design in Color, Best Costume Design |
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! Nominee(s) |
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* [[National Board of Review of Motion Pictures]] 1964: Best Film<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[National Board of Review of Motion Pictures]]|url=http://www.nbrmp.org/awards/awards.cfm?award=Best%20Film|title=Best Film|access-date=10 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218001149/http://nbrmp.org/awards/awards.cfm?award=Best%20Film|archive-date=18 December 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> |
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! Result |
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* 2 [[Golden Globe]]: Best Drama, Best Actor in a Drama (Peter O'Toole) |
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|- |
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;Academy Award Nominations |
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| rowspan="12"| [[37th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]<ref name="Oscars1965">{{cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1965 |title=The 37th Academy Awards (1965) Nominees and Winners |access-date=2011-08-24 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402003759/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1965 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="NY Times">{{cite web |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/4550/Becket/awards |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018163635/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/4550/Becket/awards |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 October 2012 |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2012 |title=NY Times: Becket |access-date=25 December 2008}}</ref> |
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* [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] ([[Richard Burton]] and [[Peter O'Toole]]) |
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| [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]] |
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| [[Hal B. Wallis]] |
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* [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]] ([[John Gielgud]]) |
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| {{nom}} |
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* [[Academy Award for Best Production Design|Best Art Direction]] ([[John Bryan (art director)|John Bryan]], [[Maurice Carter (film designer)|Maurice Carter]], [[Patrick McLoughlin (set decorator)|Patrick McLoughlin]], [[Robert Cartwright]]) |
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|- |
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* [[Academy Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]] |
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| [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]] |
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| [[Peter Glenville]] |
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| {{nom}} |
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* [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Editing]] |
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|- |
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* [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]] |
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| rowspan="2"| [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] |
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| [[Richard Burton]] |
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* [[Academy Award for Best Sound|Best Sound]] ([[John Cox (sound engineer)|John Cox]]) |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[Peter O'Toole]] |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]] |
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| [[John Gielgud]] |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium]] |
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| [[Edward Anhalt]] |
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| {{won}} |
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|- |
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| [[Academy Award for Best Production Design|Best Art Direction – Color]] |
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| Art Direction: [[John Bryan (art director)|John Bryan]] and [[Maurice Carter (film designer)|Maurice Carter]]; <br> Set Decoration: [[Patrick McLoughlin (set decorator)|Patrick McLoughlin]] and [[Robert Cartwright]] |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography – Color]] |
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| [[Geoffrey Unsworth]] |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[Academy Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design – Color]] |
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| [[Margaret Furse]] |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]] |
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| [[Anne V. Coates]] |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Scoring of Music – Substantially Original]] |
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| [[Laurence Rosenthal]] |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[Academy Award for Best Sound|Best Sound]] |
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| [[John Cox (sound engineer)|John Cox]] |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[American Cinema Editors|American Cinema Editors Awards]] |
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| [[American Cinema Editors Award for Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic|Best Edited Feature Film]] |
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| Anne V. Coates |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| rowspan="7"| [[18th British Academy Film Awards|British Academy Film Awards]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1965/film |title=BAFTA Awards: Film in 1965 |publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]] |year=1965 |access-date=3 June 2021 |ref={{harvid|BAFTA|1965}}}}</ref> |
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| [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film from any Source]] |
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| rowspan="2"| Peter Glenville |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film|Best British Film]] |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|Best British Actor]] |
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| Peter O'Toole |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[BAFTA Award for Best British Screenplay|Best British Screenplay]] |
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| Edward Anhalt |
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| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[BAFTA Award for Best Production Design|Best British Art Direction – Colour]] |
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| John Bryan |
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| {{won}} |
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|- |
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| [[BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography|Best British Cinematography – Colour]] |
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| Geoffrey Unsworth |
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| {{won}} |
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|- |
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| [[BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design|Best British Costume Design – Colour]] |
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| Margaret Furse |
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| {{won}} |
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|- |
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| [[British Society of Cinematographers#Award categories|British Society of Cinematographers Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bscine.com/media/uploads/awards/bsc-cinematography-feature-film.pdf?v |title=Best Cinematography in Feature Film |access-date=3 June 2021}}</ref> |
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| [[British Society of Cinematographers Award for Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film|Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film]] |
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| Geoffrey Unsworth |
|||
| {{won}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| [[Círculo de Escritores Cinematográficos|Cinema Writers Circle Awards]] |
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| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Film |
|||
| {{won}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| [[17th Directors Guild of America Awards|Directors Guild of America Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dga.org/Awards/History/1960s/1964.aspx?value=1964|title=17th DGA Awards |website=[[Directors Guild of America Awards]] |access-date=3 June 2021}}</ref> |
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| [[Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film|Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures]] |
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| Peter Glenville |
|||
| {{nom}} |
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|- |
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| [[Fotogramas de Plata]] |
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| Best Foreign Performer |
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| Richard Burton |
|||
| {{won}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| rowspan="5"| [[22nd Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/becket |title=Becket – Golden Globes |website=[[HFPA]] |access-date=3 June 2021 |ref={{harvid|HFPA|1969}}}}</ref> |
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| colspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama|Best Motion Picture – Drama]] |
|||
| {{won}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| rowspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama]] |
|||
| Richard Burton |
|||
| {{nom}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| Peter O'Toole |
|||
| {{won}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director – Motion Picture]] |
|||
| Peter Glenville |
|||
| {{nom}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score – Motion Picture]] |
|||
| Laurence Rosenthal |
|||
| {{nom}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| rowspan="3"| [[Laurel Awards]] |
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| colspan="2"| Top Drama |
|||
| {{draw|4th Place}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| rowspan="2"| Top Male Dramatic Performance |
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| Richard Burton |
|||
| {{won}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| Peter O'Toole |
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| {{draw|4th Place}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| rowspan="2"| [[National Board of Review Awards 1964|National Board of Review Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1964/ |title=1964 Award Winners |website=[[National Board of Review]] |access-date=5 July 2021}}</ref> |
|||
| colspan="2"| [[National Board of Review Award for Best Film|Best Film]] |
|||
| {{won}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| colspan="2"| [[National Board of Review: Top Ten Films|Top Ten Films]] |
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| {{draw|2nd Place}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| [[1964 New York Film Critics Circle Awards|New York Film Critics Circle Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nyfcc.com/awards/?awardyear=1964 |title=1964 New York Film Critics Circle Awards |website=[[New York Film Critics Circle]] |access-date=3 June 2021}}</ref> |
|||
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]] |
|||
| Edward Anhalt |
|||
| {{nom}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| [[Sant Jordi Awards]] |
|||
| Best Performance in a Foreign Film |
|||
| Peter O'Toole |
|||
| {{won}} |
|||
|- |
|||
| [[17th Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551|title=Awards Winners|work=wga.org|publisher=Writers Guild of America|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551|archivedate=2012-12-05|accessdate=2010-06-06}}</ref> |
|||
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Drama|Best Written American Drama]] |
|||
| Edward Anhalt |
|||
| {{won}} |
|||
|} |
|||
==Legacy== |
==Legacy== |
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''Becket'' and its spiritual sequel ''[[The Lion in Winter (1968 film)|The Lion in Winter]]'' were both nominated for Best Picture in their respective years 1964 and 1968. Both lost in years which were considered by many to be [[ |
''Becket'' and its spiritual sequel ''[[The Lion in Winter (1968 film)|The Lion in Winter]]'' were both nominated for Best Picture in their respective years 1964 and 1968. Both lost in years which were considered by many to be [[musical film]] showdowns, where two high-profile musical films were in contention to win Best Picture: ''[[Mary Poppins (film)|Mary Poppins]]'' and winner ''[[My Fair Lady (film)|My Fair Lady]]'' against ''Becket'' in 1964, ''[[Funny Girl (film)|Funny Girl]]'' and winner ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]'' against ''The Lion in Winter'' in 1968. |
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==Preservation== |
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The [[Academy Film Archive]] preserved ''Becket'' in 2003.<ref>{{cite web |title=Preserved Projects |url=http://www.oscars.org/academy-film-archive/preserved-projects?title=Becket&filmmaker=&category=All&collection=All |website=Academy Film Archive}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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* {{IMDb title|id=0057877|title=Becket}} |
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* {{rotten-tomatoes|becket}} |
* {{rotten-tomatoes|becket}} |
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* {{ |
* {{TCMDb title|68316}} |
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* [http://www.becketthemovie.com/ ''Becket'' re-release official website] |
* [http://www.becketthemovie.com/ ''Becket'' re-release official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303203353/http://www.becketthemovie.com/ |date=3 March 2021}} |
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{{Peter Glenville}} |
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{{Navboxes |
{{Navboxes |
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|title = Awards for ''Becket'' |
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|list = |
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{{GoldenGlobeBestMotionPictureDrama 1961-1980}} |
{{GoldenGlobeBestMotionPictureDrama 1961-1980}} |
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{{National Board of Review Award for Best Film}} |
{{National Board of Review Award for Best Film}} |
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{{Peter Glenville}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Becket}} |
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[[Category:Cultural depictions of Thomas Becket]] |
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[[Category:Cultural depictions of Eleanor of Aquitaine]] |
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[[Category:Cultural depictions of Henry II of England]] |
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[[Category:Biographical films about English royalty]] |
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[[Category:Films based on works by Jean Anouilh]] |
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Latest revision as of 12:02, 15 October 2024
| Becket | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster by Sanford Kossin | |
| Directed by | Peter Glenville |
| Written by | Edward Anhalt |
| Based on | Becket by Jean Anouilh |
| Produced by | Hal B. Wallis |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Geoffrey Unsworth |
| Edited by | Anne V. Coates |
| Music by | Laurence Rosenthal |
Production company | Hal Wallis Productions |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 148 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom[1] |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3 million |
| Box office | $9.1 million[2] |
Becket is a 1964 British historical drama film about the historic, tumultuous relationship between Henry II of England and his friend-turned-bishop Thomas Becket. It is a dramatic film adaptation of the 1959 play Becket or the Honour of God by Jean Anouilh made by Hal Wallis Productions and released by Paramount Pictures.[3] It was directed by Peter Glenville and produced by Hal B. Wallis with Joseph H. Hazen as executive producer. The screenplay was written by Edward Anhalt based on Anouilh's play. The music score was by Laurence Rosenthal, the cinematography by Geoffrey Unsworth and the editing by Anne V. Coates.
The film stars Richard Burton as Thomas Becket and Peter O'Toole as King Henry II, with John Gielgud as King Louis VII, Donald Wolfit as Gilbert Foliot, Paolo Stoppa as Pope Alexander III, Martita Hunt as Empress Matilda, Pamela Brown as Queen Eleanor, Siân Phillips, Felix Aylmer, Gino Cervi, David Weston and Wilfrid Lawson.
Restored prints of Becket were re-released in 30 cinemas in the US in early 2007, following an extensive restoration from the film's YCM separation protection masters.[4] The film was released on DVD by MPI Home Video in May 2007[5] and on Blu-ray Disc in November 2008. The new film prints carry a Dolby Digital soundtrack, although the soundtrack of the original film, which originally opened as a roadshow theatrical release, was also in stereo.
Becket won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and was nominated for eleven other awards, including for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and twice for Best Actor.
Plot
[edit]Thomas Becket is an advisor and companion of the carousing King Henry II. Henry appoints Becket as Lord Chancellor to have a close confidant in this position whom he can completely control. Henry is less interested in his royal duties than drunken forays in the royal hunting grounds and pursuing peasant women. He becomes increasingly dependent on Becket, a Saxon commoner, who arranges these debaucheries when he is not busy running Henry's court. This foments great resentment on the part of Henry's Norman noblemen, who distrust and envy this Saxon upstart, as well as Henry's wife Queen Eleanor and Henry's mother Empress Matilda, who see Becket as an unnatural and unseemly influence upon the King.
Henry finds himself in continuous conflict with the elderly Archbishop of Canterbury, who opposes the taxation of Church property to support Henry's military campaigns in France. During one of his campaigns in coastal France, he receives news that the archbishop has died. In a burst of inspiration, Henry exercises his prerogative to pick the next Archbishop, and informs an astonished Becket that he is the royal choice.
Shortly thereafter, Becket sides with the Church, throwing Henry into a fury. One of the main bones of contention is Thomas' excommunication of Lord Gilbert, one of Henry's most loyal stalwarts, for seizing and ordering the killing of a priest who had been accused of sexual indiscretions with a young girl, before the priest can even be handed over for ecclesiastical trial. Gilbert then refused to acknowledge his transgressions and seek absolution.
The King has a dramatic secret meeting with the Bishop of London in his cathedral. He lays out his plan to remove Becket through scandal and innuendo, which the envious Bishop of London quickly agrees to. These attempts fall flat when Becket, in full ecclesiastic garb, confronts his accusers and announces that as Archbishop he will petition the Pope for an ecclesiastical trial, causing Henry to laugh and bitterly note the irony of having his friend turn into his enemy.
Becket escapes to France where he encounters the conniving yet sympathetic King Louis. King Louis sees in Becket a means by which he can further his favourite pastime, tormenting the English. Louis provides refuge for Becket at the Abbey of Saint Martin while the English send emissaries to retrieve Becket.
Becket then travels to the Vatican, where he begs the Pope to allow him to renounce his position and retire to a monastery as an ordinary priest. The Pope reminds Becket that he has an obligation as a matter of principle to return to England and take a stand against civil interference in Church matters. Becket yields to this decision and asks Louis to arrange a meeting with Henry on the beaches at Normandy. Henry asks Becket whether or not he loved him and Becket replied that he loved Henry to the best of his ability. A shaky truce is declared and Becket is allowed to return to England.
Henry then rapidly sinks into drunken fixation over Becket and his perceived betrayal. The barons worsen his mood by pointing out that Becket has become a folk hero among the vanquished Saxons, who are ever restive and resentful of their Norman conquerors. During a drunken rage, Henry asks "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" His faithful barons hear this and proceed quickly to Canterbury, where they put Thomas and his Saxon deputy, Brother John, to the sword. A badly shaken Henry then undergoes a penance by whipping at the hands of Saxon monks.
Henry, fresh from his whipping, informs the barons that the ones who killed Becket will be found and justly punished. He then publicly proclaims to the crowd outside the church his arrangement for Thomas Becket to be canonised as a saint.
Cast
[edit]- Richard Burton – Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Peter O'Toole – King Henry II of England
- John Gielgud – King Louis VII of France
- Paolo Stoppa (voice: Robert Rietti) – Pope Alexander III
- Donald Wolfit – Gilbert Foliot, Bishop of London
- David Weston – Brother John
- Martita Hunt – Empress Matilda, Henry II's mother
- Pamela Brown – Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of Henry II
- Siân Phillips – Gwendolen – Becket's lover & a Welsh noblewoman who is a captive of Henry II
- Felix Aylmer – Theobald of Bec, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Gino Cervi – Cardinal Zambelli
- Percy Herbert – Baron
- Niall MacGinnis – Baron
- Christopher Rhodes – Baron
- Peter Jeffrey – Baron
- Inigo Jackson – Robert de Beaumont
- John Phillips – Bishop of Winchester
- Frank Pettingell – Bishop of York
- Hamilton Dyce – Bishop of Chichester
- Jennifer Hilary – Peasant's daughter
- Véronique Vendell – Marie, a French peasant girl that Henry has a tryst with
- Graham Stark – The Pope's Secretary
- Jack Taylor – a villager
- Victor Spinetti – French tailor
- Edward Woodward – Clement
Background and production
[edit]The film was made at Shepperton Studios, England, and on location at Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle and Bamburgh Beach in Northumberland.[citation needed]
Peter O'Toole went on to play King Henry II once more in The Lion in Winter (1968).
Siân Phillips, who plays Gwendolen, was Peter O'Toole's wife at the time of filming.[6]
Historicity
[edit] |
Most of the historical inaccuracies in the film are from the play, as Anouilh was writing drama rather than a history, and he took dramatic licence.
The major inaccuracy is the depiction of Becket as a Saxon who has risen to a perceived Norman social standing, when in fact the historical Thomas Becket was a Norman[7] (while Henry was an Angevin). Anouilh did this because he had based the play on a 19th-century account that described Becket as a Saxon. He had been informed of this error before his play was produced, but decided against correcting it because it would undermine a key point of conflict, and because "history might eventually rediscover that Becket was a Saxon, after all."
Becket is depicted as Henry's loyal "drinking pal", who assists him with illicit romantic entanglements and drunken hunting exercises, but who becomes saintly and responsible after his appointment as Archbishop. Passing mention is made in the film of the Constitutions of Clarendon (simply as the "Sixteen Articles"); the struggle between Becket and Henry is boiled down to their conflict over Lord Gilbert's murder of the captive priest. In no way is Becket depicted as a man who desired special legal privileges (defrocking rather than prison) for his clergy, as some believe.
Henry's mother, Empress Matilda, died in 1167, three years before the treaty of Fréteval allowed Becket to return in England. Henry appears to not have any respect for his mother and treats her as something of an annoyance, a rather drastic departure from what is generally held as historical fact. Empress Matilda was Henry's sole parent for much of his childhood, and she was instrumental in shaping Henry into the fierce warrior and skilled administrator he was. Far from seeing his mother as a burden, Henry seems to have adored Matilda and relied heavily on her advice and guidance until her death. Finally, at one point in the movie, Matilda complains that her gender was a major limiting factor in her life when in fact when she was an active military leader against Stephen of Blois during The Anarchy.
Henry's wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was in fact beautiful, and highly educated. She was known to have an amicable marriage with Henry despite his mistresses and frequent absences. She is shown publicly rebuking Henry in a scene near the end of the film, when in fact Eleanor, whatever private reservations she may have had, is not known to have ever behaved in such a manner in public. During the same scene, she says she will go to her father to complain of Henry's treatment of her; however, her father William X, Duke of Aquitaine had died decades before, when Eleanor was just 15 years old.
Also, the film only shows four sons of Henry and Eleanor. In actuality, Henry and Eleanor had eight children, five sons and three daughters. While the eldest son, William, had died before the events of the film, the three daughters are neglected.
Production financing
[edit]The film grossed $9,164,370 at the box office,[2] earning $3 million in rentals.[8]
Reception
[edit]On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 76% of 29 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 7.2/10.[9]
Awards and nominations
[edit]Legacy
[edit]Becket and its spiritual sequel The Lion in Winter were both nominated for Best Picture in their respective years 1964 and 1968. Both lost in years which were considered by many to be musical film showdowns, where two high-profile musical films were in contention to win Best Picture: Mary Poppins and winner My Fair Lady against Becket in 1964, Funny Girl and winner Oliver! against The Lion in Winter in 1968.
Preservation
[edit]The Academy Film Archive preserved Becket in 2003.[19]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Variety Staff (31 December 1963). "Becket". Variety. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- ^ a b Box Office Information for Becket. The Numbers. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ^ Variety film review; 4 March 1964, page 6.
- ^ "Becket". old.post-gazette.com.
- ^ "DVD details". IMDb.
- ^ Sian Phillips: Public Places: The Autobiography, Hodder&Stoughton, 2002
- ^ "Becket: forking Normans and a not so turbulent priest". The Guardian. 1 January 2009.
- ^ "Big Rental Pictures of 1964", Variety, 6 January 1965 p 39.
- ^ "Becket". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ "The 37th Academy Awards (1965) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ "NY Times: Becket". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 25 December 2008.
- ^ "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1965". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. 1965. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ "Best Cinematography in Feature Film" (PDF). Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ "17th DGA Awards". Directors Guild of America Awards. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ "Becket – Golden Globes". HFPA. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ "1964 Award Winners". National Board of Review. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
- ^ "1964 New York Film Critics Circle Awards". New York Film Critics Circle. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ "Awards Winners". wga.org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- ^ "Preserved Projects". Academy Film Archive.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Becket (1964 film).
Wikiquote has quotations related to Becket (1964 film).
- Becket at IMDb
- Becket at Rotten Tomatoes
- Becket at the TCM Movie Database
- Becket re-release official website Archived 3 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine
Categories:
- 1964 films
- 1960s biographical drama films
- 1960s historical drama films
- British biographical drama films
- British historical drama films
- 1960s English-language films
- Cultural depictions of Thomas Becket
- Cultural depictions of Eleanor of Aquitaine
- Cultural depictions of Henry II of England
- Cultural depictions of Empress Matilda
- Films about Catholicism
- Films about Catholic priests
- Biographical films about English royalty
- Films based on works by Jean Anouilh
- Films about religion
- Films set in 12th-century Plantagenet England
- Films set in Kent
- Best Drama Picture Golden Globe winners
- Films featuring a Best Drama Actor Golden Globe winning performance
- Films whose writer won the Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award
- Paramount Pictures films
- Films directed by Peter Glenville
- Films produced by Hal B. Wallis
- Epic films based on actual events
- Historical epic films
- Films scored by Laurence Rosenthal
- Martyrdom in fiction
- Films with screenplays by Edward Anhalt
- 1964 drama films
- 1960s British films
- English-language historical drama films
- English-language biographical drama films