Henry V Movie Review 1944

Classic, epic adaptation of the Shakespeare play, and Olivier's first and most successful directorial effort, dealing with the medieval British monarch that defeated the French at Agincourt. Distinguished by Olivier's brilliant formal experiment of beginning the drama as a 16th Century performance of the play in the Globe Theatre, and having the stage eventually transform into realistic historical settings of storybook color. Filmed at the height of WWII suffering in Britain (and meant as a parallel to the British fighting the Nazis), the film was not released in the U.S. until 1946.

Distribution

Home Vision Cinema, c/o Image Entertainment, 20525 Nordhoff St., Ste. 200, Chatsworth, CA 91311, URL: http://www.homevision.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 136 minutes.
Originally from British.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Historical Drama, Plays to Film: William Shakespeare, Period Piece: 16th Century, Adapted from a Play, Royalty, British, Big Battles, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Alan Dent, Dallas Bower, Laurence Olivier

Cast

Laurence Olivier, Robert Newton, Leslie Banks, Esmond Knight, Renee Asherson, Leo Genn, George Robey, Ernest Thesiger, Felix Aylmer, Ralph Truman, Harcourt Williams, Max Adrian, Valentine Dyall, Russell Thorndike, Roy Emerton, Robert Helpmann, Freda Jackson, Griffith Jones, John Laurie, Niall MacGinnis, Michael Shepley

Cinematography

Robert Krasker

Director

Laurence Olivier

Music

William Walton

Producer

J. Arthur Rank, Laurence Olivier

Awards

Natl. Bd. of Review 1946: Actor (Olivier); N.Y. Film Critics 1946: Actor (Olivier).