HENRY V Movie Review

Kenneth Branagh's visually handsome, full-bodied film of Shakespeare's Henry V was generally received well by critics, yet it likely would have received an even more rousing reception had it not been for the obvious need to compare it with Laurence Olivier's 1945 masterpiece. Was that fair? Probably not. But it was inevitable. And part of the pleasure in Branagh's brash achievement is that he, probably more than anyone, was aware that such comparisons were being readied, like the arrows in the tightly drawn bows at Agincourt, for firing directly into his pugnacious little heart. For Branagh, choosing Henry V for his directorial debut was like deciding to take on Joe Louis for his first professional fight; he had to perform better than adequately just to keep from being knocked out. And he did; Branagh's Henry V is rich and vibrant and filled with wonderful performances, not the least of which is his own (Derek Jacobi and Ian Holm are also standouts among the well-chosen cast). Yet I have the feeling that even if I were able to remove Olivier's film from my memory for the duration of Branagh's (I can't), I would still find it less fully, triumphantly exhilarating than Olivier's, as well as dotted with nagging little weaknesses such as a calculatedly “cute” ending that Olivier had the wits to toss off far more quickly. A nice job, nevertheless, and you do have to admire his chutzpah. Oscar nominations for Best Director and Actor, winner for Costume Design.

NEXT STOP … Henry V (1945), A Midwinter's Tale, Hamlet (1996)

1989 138m/C GB Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Brian Blessed, Alec McCowen, Ian Holm, Richard Briers, Robert Stephens, Robbie Coltrane, Christian Bale, Judi Dench, Paul Scofield, Michael Maloney, Emma Thompson; D:Kenneth Branagh; W:Kenneth Branagh; C:Kenneth Macmillan; M:Patrick Doyle. Academy Awards ‘89: Best Costume Design; British Academy Awards ‘89: Best Director (Branagh); National Board of Review Awards ‘89: Best Director (Branagh); Nominations: Academy Awards ‘89: Best Actor (Branagh), Best Director (Branagh). VHS, LV, Letterbox, Closed Caption FOX, SIG, TVC