by Ryan Lewellen
A Man For All Seasons is the kind of film which seems to be rarely made today. Screenwriter Robert Bolt adapted his play for the screen in 1966, with the great Fred Zinneman (High Noon) directing. Together, working on a severely modest budget for that time, they created an exquisite period drama, both true to the lively spirit of its source material’s venue and appropriately retooled for the cinema. It features lovely and meaningful photography, masterful performances, and some of the most beautifully poetic dialogue I have ever heard. It’s a harrowing tale, and a blast to watch, but by the end, especially in light of current events, it makes for an oddly uncomfortable viewing.
King Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) is desperate to secure his rule by divorcing his wife (the widowed wife of his brother), marrying his mistress, Anne Boleyn, and giving birth to a son. That whole “divorce” thing is a major no-no in the eyes of the mighty Roman Catholic Church. If you took any world history, or listened to anyone talk at any point in your life, you are almost certainly familiar with this point in the long story of the English monarchy. What might be less familiar to you, is the tragic side-bar of Sir (now, Saint) Thomas More (Paul Scofield). This film details his losing battle against compromising his deep allegiance to God with his allegiance to the crown. Unwilling to support a divorce, as it is considered a sin, More falls silent, and is slowly pulled toward a conviction of treason by his conniving nemesis, Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern).
This Academy Award winning movie is comprised entirely of thrilling conversations. The cunning, the posturing, the learned prowess of debate is all the action required for this stunning clash of wits. It’s the kind of film that inspires you to hit the books again and become an ace of argument and diction. It’s a fantasy, of course. No one actually speaks this well, and almost certainly never did, even in those days of such high education. It doesn’t matter, for what better dais than a cinematic adaptation of a play, with one of most talented ensemble casts ever assembled, to sell the hell out of some fancy language. Enough cannot be said of the supreme acting in this film, so I hesitate starting. However, it must be noted that Robert Shaw’s thundering presence, in only 12 minutes on screen, sends shockwaves through the rest of the film. As a still young and handsome King Henry, he is a relatively well-educated 13-year-old boy trapped in a grown king’s body, and he is losing his mind. Watching the frustrated king is hilarious. Even when he becomes fearsome, you can’t help but smile at his every move, pronounced or nuanced.
So, yes, it’s an excellent film. At two hours, it even beats most popcorn entertainments at pacing, but near the finale, after crying for poor Thomas More and his family, something odd sprang up in my head. More is our hero. He won’t give in to tyranny for the sake of his safety, and he refuses to get behind a change in marriage law because… Thomas More is a social conservative.
HOLD ON! Before the comments section explodes (ha, I would LOVE to see the comments section explode) with people pointing out the obvious, let me make myself clear. More was operating in a completely different time in history, and his conflict with the king wasn’t merely over allowing all people more freedom, but in forcing him to deny his beliefs under penalty of death. I understand these were different times, and more importantly, I understand today’s “persecuted Christians” are not forced to publicly or privately proclaim anything about their faith or marriage equality. When you boil it down to the most basic conflict, however, More disagrees with The Church Of England, because the laws of his government cannot change the laws of God.
That probably sounds familiar, as it has been the battle cry for many outspoken Republicans since that beautiful Friday, only a couple weeks ago, when the Supreme Court did right by its humanity. Thomas More didn’t go into battle, though. He simply remained silent on the subject, and perhaps, a few modern Christians should follow his example. Regardless, the film is a rapturous watch, even if cheering for its protagonist feels a little uncomfortable.
THE PACKAGE
Booklet Insert With Write-up From Julie Kirgo: What can I say? She’s got the words and the thoughts and puts ’em all in there
The Life Of Saint Thomas More: Excellent companion to the film with historians discussing Thomas More and A Man For All Seasons
Audio Commentary: I could listen to Lem Dobbs, Nick Redman, and Julie Kirgo talk all day
Isolated Score Track
Original Theatrical Trailer
