Henry V (DVD)

...than in actual life; in Henry V, the country had a great and (for the period) uncontroversial hero – the last king of England to be acknowledged the dominant power in Britain and in France, succeeding in unwinnable situations, and, as befits a good historical hero, dies young before he has the chance to destroy his image. The play has always been popular in times of national crisis – see Olivier's production of Henry V during World War II depicting ...
...a more intimate relationship with Henry V – possibly this references obliquely the rumours of homosexuality, or at least bisexuality, in the historical Henry. The players are excellent here, from Branagh himself as Henry V, and Brian Blessed his strong right arm Exeter. Paul Scofield (Thomas More in 'A Man for All Seasons') plays the ancient French king, Charles VI, and his son the Dauphin is played by Michael Maloney. This is, on the whole, a rather ...

frkurt 04.06.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Henry V (DVD)

...than in actual life; in Henry V, the country had a great and (for the period) uncontroversial hero - the last king of England to be acknowledged the dominant power in Britain and in France, succeeding in unwinnable situations, and, as befits a good historical hero, dies young before he has the chance to destroy his image. The play has always been popular in times of national crisis - see Olivier's production of Henry V during World War II depicting ...
...a more intimate relationship with Henry V - possibly this references obliquely the rumours of homosexuality, or at least bisexuality, in the historical Henry. The players are excellent here, from Branagh himself as Henry V, and Brian Blessed his strong right arm Exeter. Paul Scofield (Thomas More in 'A Man for All Seasons') plays the ancient French king, Charles VI, and his son the Dauphin is played by Michael Maloney. This is, on the whole, a rather ...

frkurt 20.11.2004 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Henry V (DVD)

Henry V is available on DVD in a 1989 production directed by, and starring, Kenneth Branagh. This is a direct and edgy story about England’s war with France in which the flower of the French aristocracy were slaughtered in the mud of Agincort beneath a rain of arrows from English longbow men. Derek Jacobi is the chorus who introduces the stage on which this ‘muse of fire’ will burn, and it is a modern one with electric lights and props. I’ve seen ...
...who favoured his company in Henry IV Part One, has now rejected his lower connections and assumed the mantle of royal responsibilities. Derek Jacobi appears on the White Cliffs of Dover to introduce a scene in which three English lords, Scroop, Richard, and Grey, are revealed to be traitors. Henry pretends to be on good terms with them, and then sentences them each to death. The working class subplot continues with Bardolph, Nym, Mistress Quickly, ...

FlameDruid 15.01.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Henry V (DVD)

...on the 'big' speaches of Henry as well as delivering the rest of the performance with skill, subtlety and wit. Brian Blessed makes a hearty and worthwhile contribution (And was no doubt happy to finaly be in a branagh film and NOT be killed during it) Whilst Richard Briars Bardolph was left dangling from a tree. Given the promenance of Emma Thompsons credits, her role as Katherine is rather short (and for the most, in surprizingly fluent french). ...

Paul_Raven 29.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Henry V (DVD)

...moment. Thankfully, this isn't Henry V in it's bottom-numbing entirety! Mr Branagh has skillfully managed to condense the script without losing the sense of the enormity of the task facing the young King Henry. He has also included the "bloody Harfleur" speech that was tactfully left out of the wartime version starring Sir Laurence Olivier (not really the done thing to threated to impale the children of your Allies, don'tcha know), and the battle ...
...Not quite "Saving Private Ryan", but you certainly get the sense that medieval warfare was no picnic. He also does a good job of playing Henry, bringing fire and humour to a role some have made dry and dusty. Like I said earlier, don't let the Shakespeare/Branagh combination put you off - Will wrote some good stuff, and fortunately Ken hasn't killed it off! ...

Victoria_R 12.02.2001 (13.02.2001) · Read full review
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Review of Henry V (DVD)