The Lion In Winter [VHS] [1968]

The real history of Henry and Eleanor provides the backdrop here. Henry kept Eleanor, one of the most desirable women (apparently in form as well as property) in Europe, a virtual prisoner during much of the later part of his reign. After his eldest son Henry died (an heir crowned in the lifetime of Henry II, a rare thing among monarchs, done in part because of the church-state problems dating back to Thomas Becket, alluded to very briefly in the dialogue of the film), Henry needs a new successor. Contrary to popular belief, the succession does not automatically proceed down the ranks of the eldest children (this would arise as an issue again during Tudor times, when there was first the attempt to skip over Mary and Elizabeth in favour of Lady Jane Grey; then later, the Stuart claim comes from their having been skipped over previously, by some definitions).

Of course, Richard (Anthony Hopkins) expects to be the heir - next in line, he is also the best soldier and general. Henry (for some unknown reason) prefers John (Nigel Terry), the youngest. Geoffrey (John Castle) is all but forgotten - history will have him die prior to Henry in any event, but he has the poignant line that speaks of Geoffrey's forgotten place in history. 'No one ever mentions crown and thinks of Geoff, why is that?'

The family has been brought together for Christmas in Chinon. This is a family best left apart, with great distances between them, as the sparks fly. All of the action here takes place in the course of two days at most and in the end, nothing is really resolved here. Plots keep spinning and turning, more Byzantine than the Byzantines could ever hope to be, without any real conclusion. I guess politics never change after all.

The sets are great, realistic, filmed in castle settings in Ireland, Britain and France. Nice touches include the juxtaposition of the commonplace with the royal - unlike today's royal cocoon, there wasn't much distance between the lordly types and the regular folk. The costuming is likewise well-done, understated but entirely appropriate.

However, this is a film of dialogue, based on the play by James Goldman (who also did the screenplay). The plots and twists are non-stop, rather like a chess game conducted with real careers and acerbic, witty commentary designed both for pleasure and pain as the situation progresses. In the end, there is a merry stalemate, and Eleanor returns to her confinement, and one assumes history proceeds apace. One almost forgets this is supposed to be a Christmas gathering!

At several points in the activity, the characters confess exhaustion and faint from the efforts of continually trying to outflank each other. Yet the politics, here both national and family in character, goes on.

A fantastic film, one that holds up well with age.