A Man for All Seasons

Starring: Paul Scofield, Wendy Hiller, Leo McKern, Robert Shaw, Orson Welles, Susannah York, Nigel Davenport, John Hurt, Vanessa Redgrave
Directed by: Fred Zinnemann
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Drama
1966

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Thomas More (Paul Scofield) has a falling out with Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) over the monarch's desire to divorce his wife.

Review:

Tim: A Man for All Seasons tells the interesting story of English royalty, religion devotism, and the unmistakable courage of a man willing to suffer any pain to stay true to who he is and what he believes. The story of Thomas More and his clash with King Henry VIII is a fascinating one- one with multiple layers and deeper meaning to it. The story is great, and makes for a good movie. This was originally a play, and it was adapted for the big screen.

While I enjoyed this movie, I am a bit surprised it won the Academy Award for Best Picture. I thought it was a very good film, but I wouldn't exactly consider it a great one. This movie often feels like a play that was adapted into a film. It doesn't have much visual splendor, and most of the film consists of talking. These aren't exactly bad points, but when I go to see a movie, I want to see a movie. Leave the plays for the stage.

In addition to its Best Picture win, A Man for All Seasons won 5 other Academy Awards- Best Cinematography (Color), Best Costume Design (Color), Best Actor for Paul Scofield, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. This is an impressive haul for any film. While I agree with most, I'm a little surprised Fred Zinnemann won Best Director. I suppose I can understand it, but I don't exactly agree with it. In addition to its 6 wins, this film picked up two other nominations- Best Supporting Actor for Robert Shaw, and Best Supporting Actress for Wendy Hiller. I'm a bit surprised at these. Shaw was definitely good- he fully commits to the role and brings a great deal of energy to Henry VIII. However, I also thought his performance went too over-the-top too often. He makes an impression, but doesn't exactly blow the part away. I was even more surprised at Wendy Hiller's nomination. Besides one great scene at the end, she's mostly an afterthought in the film. I wasn't very impressed with her (besides that one previously mentioned scene). I'm a bit surprised she was nominated.

On the other hand, Paul Scofield definitely deserved his Academy Award for Best Actor. He easily gives the best performance of the film. It is extremely powerful, even though it is a quiet, reserved performance. I'm glad the Academy recognized him for this portrayal. Scofield does lose a little credit since he was recreating this role from the Broadway stage. In my mind, that lessens the achievement just a bit. You rehearsed this part hundreds of times in front of an audience? Impressive, but I expect greatness from you then. Still, Scofield is terrific in the role.

I loved the dialogue in this film. The back-and-forth and the lines that are delivered are easily the greatest aspect of this film. That should come as no surprise, as this film had the play to adapt. It makes it easier. However, besides the spoken word, this film leaves a great deal to be desired. It isn't a very visually appealing movie. Sure, More's home and the courtroom scene are decently impressive, but it just looked very small to me. I wanted bigger- an epic feel to it. I was also amazed at how little of an emotional impact this movie had on me. I was intrigued and touched (on an intellectual level) by this story. I didn't care on an emotional level. This film needed to touch the heartstrings more.

A Man for All Seasons is a very good movie. It tells an interesting story about a fascinating man and his unbelievable sacrifices to his ideals and his beliefs. That is powerful. The movie itself could have been more memorable, but that doesn't decrease this film's quality too much. Even still, in the grand scheme of the Academy Awards, this is one of the less strong Best Picture winners.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Other Boleyn Girl, Anne of the Thousand Days