Henry V - BBC Shakespeare Collection [1979] [Region Free]

Well, my title says it all. It has never been my favourite of the Shakespeare Histories: after the compelling two parts of "Henry IV", I found it lacking in real depth and characterisation, mainly being a Tudor-style chronicle of the lead-up to Agincourt and the marriage of Henry to Katherine de Valois (in fact over 5 years elapse between the battle and the marriage, which Shakespeare glosses over - probably rightly). There is much patriotic bombast, and bravura, which you have to accept in what is basically a piece of propaganda.And yet...……..I found this DVD quite compelling. To start with, it follows on from the 2nd part of Henry IV in that David Gwillim progresses from retrograde Prince to King; to realise this in its proper context, you need to also purchase the Henry IV Plays. Here, Mistress Quickly, Bardolph and Pistol re-appear. Brenda Bruce's moving account of Falstaff's death is a high spot: the wonderful Gordon Gostelow and Brian Pringle re-appear, Pringle's part of Pistol being extended in that he is the only character from the Eastcheap days to survive, Falstaff's Page being killed in the massacre of all the boys at the close of Agincourt, one of Henry's few real blunders.Mr. Gwillim shows us a much more human side of Henry and wisely steers clear of too much bombast. This is not an Olivier-type performance. He is at his best in the great night-time sequence with the soldiers, especially Williams (a fine performance from David |Pinner) where the questions posed are those he cannot adequately answer: this is a telling moment in the play - and in fact the debate is unanswerable - and it is followed by the short, but celebrated, prayer where the death of Richard II and the usurpation of Henry IV appear as part of the vast structure of these plays, forming a complete cycle.The Chorus is in the capable hands of Alec McCowen, a great Shakespearian actor, and he blends into the action, as opposed to just being a Narrator. He is both an observer, and one who is moving us further into the action which I am sure is what the Bard intended.The French Lords do not have much depth: they are there to be overcome, but many performances have some fine moments. The Constable (another gem from Julian Glover) emerges as a personality, not just a bombastic jingoistic Frenchman. The ridiculous Dauphin ( Keith Drinkel) who keeps on about his horse is entertaining but the finest character is the Herald, Montjoy (Garrick Hagon, an actor I confess unknown to me). Mixing arrogance with absolute despair after the French defeat, this is one to watch for.A lovely performance from Tim Wylton as the Welsh Captain, Fluellen. However ridiculous he may be, (and b y current dogma politically incorrect!) , he emerges as a lovable and completely honest character. He also has some classic lines - watch out for "there is a River in Macedon and there is a River in Monmouth": unassailable logic! and Henry's assessment drives the performance home: "though it may appear a little out of fashion, there is much care and valour in this Welshman". Soldiers have been soldiers from the dawn of time.The final scene, I have to say, is an anti-climax. The wooing of Katherine is tedious and goes on for much too long, despite Mr. Gwillim and his pretty Kate doing their best. The great opening speech of Burgundy (an eloquent Robert Harris) is the finest part. Dare we say that Shakespeare gave himself an almost impossible task after the Agincourt scenes? At the end, the Chorus takes us forwards as well as backwards, since the "Henry VI" plays as well as "Richard III had already been written and performed, as he tells us.I think this is a worthy addition to the great cycle of the first set of History plays. Like Wagner's "Ring" cycle we perhaps need to see the whole saga, but, like the Wagner, they work well on their own.

I make bold claims for this wartime film of one of Shakespeare`s greatest plays. Olivier had by then had the chance to see several of the audaciously innovative films of Powell & Pressburger ("the Archers") in particular The Thief Of Baghdad and the then recent Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp, both of which use colour brightly and with a bracing boldness which must have impressed the budding director. (Olivier had also had a role in their 1941 film 49th Parallel.)Everything in this astonishingly fresh and courageous film is a joy, and one can only imagine what it must have looked like to those who first saw it at the end of November 1944 on its release near the denouement of an exhausting, bloody war. Not only must it have been a source of pride (in a more jingoistic, patriotic age) but a feast for the eye and mind too.It still is.The initial conceit, to begin the play in a mock-up of the Globe - not yet restored to its present glory! - was an inspired and happy one. We not only get a `real` audience, who were encouraged to cheer, heckle, and generally make their presence felt, but plenty of surprisingly slapstick theatrics from the actors in the opening scene, having first been introduced by the then-famous Leslie Banks as Chorus with those stirring, inherently theatrical words:"Oh for a Muse of fire..."The players in the first scene include Felix Aylmer and Robert Helpmann, as the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Ely, whose `business` together is genuinely funny. We also get the legendary, invariably fruity actor Robert Newton as Pistol, who is here used as a kind of substitute Falstaff, such is his ebullience and mock-bravado, in a performance of rascally glee. I can`t help but wish Shakespeare had had the foresight to give Pistol at least one "Aaggh, Jim lad!"...Olivier soon arrives on the `wooden O` stage, but only after we`ve seen the actor coughing nervously offstage before his entrance: a lovely touch.The action of the play/film famously opens out and (for the viewer) leaves the confines of the stage and `becomes a film` when we go to war. The scenes at Harfleur and Agincourt have been justly praised, such is their beauty and cinematic inventiveness; let`s not forget the budget can`t have been big, however great the filmmakers` ambitions.After the war is won, the wooing of Katherine is delightfully directed and played. Here I must mention Renee Asherson as the French princess - as well as mentioning that, as of the typing of this review, the actress is still with us at 97! She gives a performance of pitch-perfect wit and blushing, yet knowing, innocence. Ms Asherson was fluent in French, which must have helped, but she adds a much-needed and most welcome feminine touch to what is, by necessity, a very male film.Many of the actors will now be obscure to anyone under about sixty, though nobody can fail to notice John Laurie as a stereotypical Scotsman in the battle scenes, or the 19 year-old George Cole in his second film, as `Boy`, a young pal of Pistol and his cronies.Freda Jackson gives Mistress Quickly`s eulogy on the death of Falstaff with simple and grave dignity, while old Falstaff himself is seen, in dumbshow, for a few precious moments in bed before his sad demise, and is played by Sir George Robey, a legendary comedian then known as the `Prime Minister of Mirth`. A rare appearance indeed.Max Adrian is a suitably fidgety and florid Dauphin, Harcourt Williams plays the French king - Charles VI, known as `Charles the Foolish` - with pernickety relish, and Valentine Dyall has a wonderful few minutes as the Duke of Burgundy, as he looks out over a conquered France - it is here the set designs really come into their own - his words eloquent accompaniment to a lengthy tracking shot of the French countryside that is partly a studio set, partly painted. It`s one of many such scenes of unforgettable cinematic daring in this always sumptuous work of art, and one of its aspects that most reminds one of Powell & Pressburger`s filmic quirks.For work of art is surely is. Olivier, with his cameramen, editors and designers made one of the great British films, of any age.There is even an effective, reflective scene in which the very young Anthony Newley plays a boy in the soldiers` camp - possibly the most likeable performance he was ever to give.But there are so many wonderful, sometimes heartstopping touches, such as when a bright blue banner fills the screen, then we see an extended arm as if pointing to it, only for the camera to move a little to show us one of the Frenchmen mid-yawn, arm naturally outstretched. Few directors would have bothered with such a seemingly facetious touch, but it is both witty and, in an odd way, moving.William Walton composed the insistent, vibrant score, using (uncredited) quite a few passages from Canteloube`s then not so famous Songs of the Auvergne. Did he think we wouldn`t notice?Oh, and by the way, contrary to one or two ridiculous, dismissive reviews here, not only are the costumes and sets brilliantly conceived, but Olivier (before his 1947 knighthood, let alone his later peerage) never puts a foot wrong. His ability to use the inbuilt rhythms and long-breathed phrases in Shakespeare`s poetry, whether to stir up his soldiers or to woo a princess, is awe-inspiring. He may not have had as `beautiful` a voice as Gielgud or Redgrave, but boy did he know how to speak verse.A stirring, stunning and ultimately moving masterpiece.

An excellent Dvd of a brilliant film. This is the Harry I want to hear about. Laurence Olivier is wonderful

This is an excellent all-round production with good performances from all.But of course every production of Henry V, suffers from comparison with the towering performance of Laurence Olivier in 1944 and perhaps somewhat less with the Kenneth Branagh 1989 one, bearing in mind that both also directed their versions. With all due respect to David Gwillm ( a very good actor) he just doesn't have the same the star quality and. arguably, this role demands that.

Be warned; this is not Shakespeare's Henry V.It's a movie about actors performing a play at the Globe Theatre (the original one) in London.Which is a legitimate enterprise, no doubt - unless you want to enjoy the majesty of the Bard's language; then you are drowned in a flood of gimmicks, interesting but irrelevant.If it's Shakespeare's glory you long for, go and watch Kenneth Branagh's Henry V. There you find it, pure, unadulterated, breathtaking; it will make you soar with the eagles.