The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France (1944)

Director:

Laurence Olivier

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)
(more)

Release Date:

17 June 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Laurence Olivier's Presentation in Technicolor of Henry V

Plot:

In the inspired Olivier concept, Shakespeare's play begins as a performance in the Globe Theatre, shifting...

Plot Keywords:

Globe Theatre | France | King | Princess | Henry V

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins

Cast

Leslie Banks	...	Chorus
Felix Aylmer	...	Archbishop of Canterbury
Robert Helpmann	...	Bishop of Ely
Vernon Greeves	...	The English Herald
Gerald Case	...	Earl of Westmoreland
Griffith Jones	...	Earl of Salisbury
Morland Graham	...	Sir Thomas Erpingham
Nicholas Hannen	...	Duke of Exeter
Michael Warre	...	Duke of Gloucester
Laurence Olivier	...	King Henry V of England
Ralph Truman	...	Mountjoy - The French Herald
Ernest Thesiger	...	Duke of Berri - French Ambassador
Frederick Cooper	...	Corporal Nym
Roy Emerton	...	Lieutenant Bardolph
Robert Newton	...	Ancient Pistol
Freda Jackson	...	Mistress Quickly
George Cole	...	Boy
George Robey	...	Sir John Falstaff
Harcourt Williams	...	King Charles VI of France
Russell Thorndike	...	Duke of Bourbon
Leo Genn	...	The Constable of France
Francis Lister	...	Duke of Orleans
Max Adrian	...	The Dauphin
Jonathan Field	...	The French Messenger
Esmond Knight	...	Fluellen
Michael Shepley	...	Gower
John Laurie	...	Jamy
Niall MacGinnis	...	Macmorris
Frank Tickle	...	The Governor of Harfleur
Renée Asherson	...	Princess Katherine (as Renee Asherson)
Ivy St. Helier	...	Alice
Janet Burnell	...	Queen Isabel of France
Brian Nissen	...	Court
Arthur Hambling	...	Bates
Jimmy Hanley	...	Williams
Ernest Hare	...	A Priest
Valentine Dyall	...	Duke of Burgundy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Patric Doonan	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Derek Lansiaux	...	The boy who hangs the banner announcing the start of each new act (uncredited)

Directed by
Laurence Olivier

Writing credits
William Shakespeare		(play "Henry V")
Dallas Bower		uncredited
Alan Dent		uncredited
Laurence Olivier		uncredited

Produced by
Dallas Bower	....	associate producer
Laurence Olivier	....	producer
Filippo Del Giudice	....	producer (uncredited)
Herbert Smith	....	executive producer in charge of production (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Walton

Cinematography by
Robert Krasker
Jack Hildyard		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Reginald Beck

Casting by
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Paul Sheriff

Costume Design by
Roger K. Furse		(as Roger Furse)

Makeup Department
Tony Sforzini	....	makeup artist
Vivienne Walker	....	hairdressing
Marjorie Whittle	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pat MacDonnell	....	third assistant director
Vincent Permane	....	assistant director
John Paddy Carstairs	....	first assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Carmen Dillon	....	art director assistant
E. Lindegaard	....	scenic artist
William Bowden	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Betty Pierce	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Dennis	....	sound recordist
Desmond Dew	....	sound recordist
Walter R. Day	....	sound maintenance assistant (uncredited)
Stanley Lambourne	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Harry Miller	....	dubbing editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
W. Percy Day	....	special effects (as Percy Day)

Visual Effects by
George Blackwell	....	matte shots (uncredited)
W. Percy Day	....	matte painter (uncredited)
Henry Harris	....	matte shots (uncredited)
Charles Staffell	....	back projection (uncredited)

Stunts
Kid Berg	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Hildyard	....	camera operator
Bill Wall	....	chief electrician (as W. Wall)
Jim Body	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Norman Foley	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Freddie Ford Jr.	....	focus puller: second unit (uncredited)
Wilfrid Newton	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Margaret Furse	....	assistant to costume designer

Editorial Department
Anne Barker	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Gordon Hales	....	assembly cutter (uncredited)
Bill Lenny	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)
George Minassian	....	color technician: Technicolor (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor
Roy Douglas	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Muir Mathieson	....	musical director (uncredited)

Other crew
P.G. Bangs	....	production unit
Joan Barry	....	continuity
Alan Dent	....	text editor
Laurence Evans	....	production unit
Alec Hayes	....	production unit
John White	....	horse master
Leonard Marlow	....	accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Two Cities Films

Distributors

• Eagle-Lion Distributors Limited (1945) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1946) (USA) (theatrical)
• J. Arthur Rank Film (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Park Circus (2007) (UK) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• Rank (????) (France) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• ITV DVD (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  music played by (as The London Symphony Orchestra)

Also Known As:

Henry V (UK) (short title)
Henry the Fift (UK) (short title)
Henry the Fifth (USA) (trailer title)

Runtime:

137 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #10900) | West Germany:16 | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Two Cities Films

Trivia:

As he lies dying, the lines that Falstaff speaks aloud and the ones that he hears in his mind are not from "Henry V". They are from Shakespeare's "Henry IV: Part II".

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the scenes taking place in the Globe Theatre, signboards are used to indicate changes of scene. Shakespeare's theatre wouldn't have used signboards because most of his audience could not read.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Chorus: O! for a Muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention; a kingdom for a stage, princes to act and monarchs to behold the swelling scene. Then should the war-like Harry, like himself, assume the port of Mars; and at his heels, leashed in like hounds...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Agincourt Hymn

Historical epic of young English king who waged war against the French

Olivier was asked by his government to make this film during the second world war to raise the morale of civilians and troops alike. He abstained from showing excessive blood and gore, used the language of Shakespeare brilliantly and achieved his mission. I have seen this film many times and it never fails to thrill me. The story line is commonly known, we know how happily it came out in the end. It was the first Shakespearian play made on film in color and enthralled all who saw it.