Film Review
Few directorial debuts were as spectacular or as universally hailed as
Kenneth Branagh's and today his gloriously cinematic production of
Henry V rates highly as one of the
greatest Shakespearean film adaptations of all time, matched only by
Branagh's subsequent, even more ambitious
Hamlet
(1996). No other film director (with the notable exception of
Laurence Olivier) has done more to bring Shakespeare to a modern
mainstream audience than Branagh, and his evident love of the Bard's
great plays illuminates all of his Shakespeare adaptations, in
particular his astonishing debut feature,
Henry V.
Back in 1944, Laurence Olivier made his directing debut with another
grand adaptation of the same play. An unashamed propaganda piece
intended to restore the flagging morale of the British people during
the dark days of WWII, this film downplayed the uglier aspects of
warfare which Branagh, by contrast, embraces fully in his far more
realistic version. It is fascinating to compare the two films -
both are inspired, truncated versions of Shakespeare's play and yet
each is perfectly suited to the audience it addresses, exemplifying not
only the universality and timelessness of Shakespeare's work but also
its capacity to be reworked, re-imagined and made relevant for
successive generations.
Like Olivier's now legendary production, Branagh's film is a
masterpiece of design and dramatic artistry, performed with relish by
some of the most prestigious British actors of the day. Branagh
excels in the title role and gives his most mesmeric screen performance
to date as the young king determined to prove himself a worthy
successor to his father. His delivery of the famous St Crispen's
Day speech deserves to rank as one of the great rallying cries in film
history, so powerfully moving and uplifting that you have to force
yourself not to leap out of your chair and cheer at the end of it.
And yet Branagh is just one member of a remarkable ensemble of talent
that includes such luminaries as Derek Jacobi, Ian Holm, Judi Dench,
Paul Schofield, Emma Thompson, Geraldine McEwan and Richard
Briers. Derek Jacobi grabs our attention right from the off as
the Chorus, an anachronistic wraith-like figure that keeps cropping up
like a master hypnotist to ensure that the spectator remains constantly
in the film's vice-like thrall.
In some ways it is a shame that Branagh felt the need to downplay some
of the more humorous elements of the play, as these provided some
welcome comic relief from its darker aspects (of which there are
plenty). One inspired touch is the inclusion of flashbacks
referencing
Henry IV Parts I and
II, to illustrate the
sacrifices the young King Henry has had to make in the name of duty,
although some other trims and edits jar a little for those who are
familiar with the play. Falstaff's three stooges are no longer
comedy characters, but tragically fated scoundrels whose function is
merely to highlight the nobility and courage of other characters, brave
soldiers willing to die for a just cause under King Henry's
banner. The sequence in which Geraldine McEwan tries to teach
English to Emma Thompson provides a rare comic excursion, although so
comprehensively do both actresses mangle their lines that their French
dialogue is practically unintelligible - a braver director would have
cut this scene altogether.
If the film occasionally disappoints it can hardly fail to impress with
its harrowingly authentic re-enactment of the Battle of Agincourt -
a gruelling spectacle of gore that evokes little of the pageantry of
Medieval combat but all of its unmitigated savagery. The sombre
scene that follow this gruesome bout of bloodletting is the most sombre
and moving in the entire film, thanks in part to Patrick Doyle's
evocative 'Non Nobis, Domine' theme. You can't help wondering
that the film would have had greater impact if it had ended at this
point - what ensues is pretty well an anti-climax, Henry's endearingly
gauche attempts to win Catherine de Valois as his queen.
The film garnered Branagh two Oscar nominations (for Best Director and
Best Actor), but it took just one award, for its costume
design. Branagh was able to content himself with the Best
Director BAFTA and a host of lesser awards, which doubtless encouraged
him to attempt several other lavish Shakespearean adaptations:
Much Ado About Nothing (1993),
Hamlet (1996),
Love's Labour's Lost (2000) and
As You Like It (2006). The
Bard of Avon can still work his magic.
© James Travers 2012
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Film Synopsis
Early in 15th century England, representatives of the Church urge the
recently crowned King Henry V to invade France, since he has a
legitimate claim to the country's throne. Offended by a visit
from the French Dauphin, Henry makes up his mind to raise an army and
seize the crown of France. Victorious after a protracted siege at
Harfleur, the King's army moves on to Calais for a decisive battle
against the French, at Agincourt...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.