Becket (1964)

Director:

Peter Glenville

Writers:

Jean Anouilh (play)
Lucienne Hill (play)

Release Date:

11 March 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

An age of rampant lusts, abandon, runaway passions. An age brought bristling to life by two of the most exciting stars of our time!

Plot:

An English king comes to terms with his affection for his close friend and confidant, who finds his true honor by observing God's divine will rather than the king's.

Plot Keywords:

King Henry II | Thomas Becket | England | Monk | Archbishop

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 12 wins & 22 nominations

Cast

Richard Burton	...	Thomas à Becket
Peter O'Toole	...	King Henry II
John Gielgud	...	King Louis VII of France
Gino Cervi	...	Cardinal Zambelli
Paolo Stoppa	...	Pope Alexander III
Donald Wolfit	...	Bishop Folliot
David Weston	...	Brother John
Martita Hunt	...	Empress Matilda
Pamela Brown	...	Queen Eleanor [of Aquitaine]
Siân Phillips	...	Gwendolen (as Sian Phillips)
Felix Aylmer	...	Archbishop of Canterbury
Percy Herbert	...	Baron
Inigo Jackson	...	Robert de Beaumont
Niall MacGinnis	...	Baron
Christopher Rhodes	...	Baron

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and violence.

Runtime:

148 min | Argentina:150 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Hungary:14 | USA:Not Rated | USA:PG-13 | UK:PG | Finland:K-16 | Portugal:17 | Sweden:15 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Paramount Film Service

Trivia:

A point not mentioned in the play is that Queen Eleanor's first marriage had been with King Louis VII of France; the marriage was later dissolved for reasons of common ancestry, although Henry was exactly as close a relation as Louis had been.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Hanry II's men kill brother John, Becket turns to them. The next shot shows Becket still in prayer facing away and then begins to turn.

Quotes:

King Henry II: Do you ever think?
Baron: Never, sire! A gentleman has better things to do!
[Henry and the four barons giggle drunkenly]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Elvis (2005) (TV)

Lingua Supremis

Ah, words. To paraphrase Henry Higgins, they are the pillars of society. Language is the means by which emotions are expressed, wars and love affairs are started and ended, and friendships are struck -- and melted down. "Becket" is a movie in love with words, their eloquence and, in some cases, majesty. It's a movie about friendship and loyalty, God and country, and the dynamics that occur when one tries to mix them together. I cannot think of movie so in love with words in recent memory; the only one that comes close (perhaps even superseding it) is "A Man for All Seasons." This is the proverbial film to sink your mental teeth into. It is cerebral, challenging, controversial, and tragic. If you've ever had a friend grow more and more distant no matter how hard you tried to keep things right -- this is for you.

And that is all I have to say about that...