Becket is a 1964 film adaptation of the play Becket or the Honour of God by Jean Anouilh made by Hal Wallis Productions and released by Paramount Pictures. Peter Glenville ( 28 October 1913 - 3 June 1996) born Peter Patrick Brabazon Browne, was an English film and stage actor Hal B Wallis, CBE ( September 14, 1899 &ndash October 5, 1986) was an Academy Award -winning American After working as a Journalist and Documentary filmmaker for Pathe and CBS-TV, Edward Anhalt ( March 28, 1914 - September Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (ʒɑ̃ anwi June 23, 1910 &ndash October 3, 1987) was a French Dramatist. Richard Burton, CBE (10 November 1925 &ndash 5 August 1984 was a Welsh multiple award-winning Actor. Peter O'Toole (born 2 August 1932) is an Irish and British actor who achieved instant stardom in 1962 playing T Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an Sir Donald Wolfit, KBE ( April 20, 1902 – February 17, 1968) was an English Actor -manager knighted in 1957 Martita Hunt (30 January 1900 – 13 June 1969 was a British Theatre and Film actress. For other persons named Pamela Brown see Pamela Brown (disambiguation. Siân Phillips CBE (pronounced ʃɑːn 'fɪlɪps born Jane Elizabeth Ailwên Phillips; May 14, 1933) is a Welsh actress Laurence Rosenthal (born November 4 1926) is an American composer arranger and conductor for theater television and films Geoffrey Unsworth OBE, BSC (1914 Leigh Greater Manchester - October 28 1978, Britanny) was a British Cinematographer Anne V Coates (born 12 December, 1925) is an Academy Award winning British Film editor with a 40-year-plus career in Film editing Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The year 1964 in film involved some significant events Events January 29 - The film Dr Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a Feature film. Becket ou l'honneur de Dieu (Becket or The Honor of God is a Tony Award -winning play written in French by Jean Anouilh. Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (ʒɑ̃ anwi June 23, 1910 &ndash October 3, 1987) was a French Dramatist. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. It was directed by Peter Glenville and produced by Hal B. Wallis with Joseph H. Peter Glenville ( 28 October 1913 - 3 June 1996) born Peter Patrick Brabazon Browne, was an English film and stage actor Hal B Wallis, CBE ( September 14, 1899 &ndash October 5, 1986) was an Academy Award -winning American Hazen as executive producer. The screenplay was written by Edward Anhalt based on Anouilh's play. See also Pre-production Screenwriting A screenplay or script is a written plan authored by a Screenwriter, for a Film or Television After working as a Journalist and Documentary filmmaker for Pathe and CBS-TV, Edward Anhalt ( March 28, 1914 - September The music score was by Laurence Rosenthal, the cinematography by Geoffrey Unsworth and the editing by Anne V. Coates. Laurence Rosenthal (born November 4 1926) is an American composer arranger and conductor for theater television and films Geoffrey Unsworth OBE, BSC (1914 Leigh Greater Manchester - October 28 1978, Britanny) was a British Cinematographer Anne V Coates (born 12 December, 1925) is an Academy Award winning British Film editor with a 40-year-plus career in Film editing

The film stars Richard Burton as Becket and Peter O'Toole as King Henry II with John Gielgud, Donald Wolfit, Martita Hunt, Pamela Brown, Siân Phillips, Felix Aylmer, Gino Cervi, Paolo Stoppa, David Weston, and Wilfrid Lawson. Richard Burton, CBE (10 November 1925 &ndash 5 August 1984 was a Welsh multiple award-winning Actor. St Thomas Becket (c 1118 &ndash December 29, 1170) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170 Peter O'Toole (born 2 August 1932) is an Irish and British actor who achieved instant stardom in 1962 playing T Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an Sir Donald Wolfit, KBE ( April 20, 1902 – February 17, 1968) was an English Actor -manager knighted in 1957 Martita Hunt (30 January 1900 – 13 June 1969 was a British Theatre and Film actress. For other persons named Pamela Brown see Pamela Brown (disambiguation. Siân Phillips CBE (pronounced ʃɑːn 'fɪlɪps born Jane Elizabeth Ailwên Phillips; May 14, 1933) is a Welsh actress Sir Felix Aylmer, OBE ( February 21, 1889 &ndash September 2, 1979) born Felix Edward Aylmer Jones, was a distinguished Gino Cervi ( May 3, 1901 - January 3 1974) was an Italian actor of international fame Wilfrid Lawson (born January 14, 1900 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, died October 10, 1966, in London

Newly restored prints of Becket were re-released in 30 theaters in the U. S. in early 2007, following an extensive restoration from the film's YCM separation protection masters. The film was released on DVD by MPI Home Video in May, 2007. MPI Home Video is a company that produces videos of historical films and rock films since 1976; it has owned the rights to the cult TV series Dark Shadows The new film prints carry a Dolby Digital soundtrack. Dolby Digital is the marketing name for a series of lossy audio compression technologies developed by Dolby

Background and production

The original French play on which the film is based was given its first performance in Paris in 1959. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city It opened on Broadway with Laurence Olivier as Becket and Anthony Quinn as King Henry II in a production directed by Peter Glenville, who later went on to direct the film version. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Laurence Kerr Olivier Baron For other people named Anthony Quinn see Anthony Quinn (disambiguation Anthony Quinn ( April 21, 1915 &ndash The play opened in London in a production by Peter Hall with Eric Porter and Christopher Plummer. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Eric Richard Porter (8 April 1928 - 15 May 1995 was a distinguished English actor who appeared on stage as well as in cinema and television Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer, CC (born December 13 1929 is a Canadian Theater, Film and Television actor. O'Toole was originally signed to play Henry II in the production, but broke the contract before rehearsals began to take the lead in David Lean's film of Lawrence of Arabia. Peter O'Toole (born 2 August 1932) is an Irish and British actor who achieved instant stardom in 1962 playing T Sir David Lean KBE ( 25 March, 1908 &ndash 16 April, 1991) was an English Film director and producer Lawrence of Arabia is a 1962 Epic film based on the life of T

The film was made at Shepperton Studios, England and on location at Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle and Bamburgh Beach in Northumberland. Shepperton Studios, located in Shepperton, Surrey, England is a film studio with a long history of film making Alnwick Castle is a Castle and Stately home in Alnwick, Northumberland, England and the residence of the Duke of Northumberland Bamburgh Castle is an imposing Castle located on the coast at Bamburgh in Northumberland, England ( Northumberland is a county in the North East of England. The non-metropolitan county of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west

Peter O'Toole went on to play Henry II once more in The Lion in Winter (1968) with Katharine Hepburn as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. Peter O'Toole (born 2 August 1932) is an Irish and British actor who achieved instant stardom in 1962 playing T The Lion in Winter is a 1968 historical Costume drama made by Avco Embassy Pictures, based on the Broadway play by The year 1968 in film involved some significant events Events October 30 - The film The Lion in Winter Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12 1907 – June 29 2003 was an American actress of film television and stage For other Eleanors of England see Eleanor of England (disambiguation Eleanor Duchess of Aquitaine (1122&ndash1 April 1204 Siân Phillips, who plays Gwendolen, was Peter O'Toole's wife at the time of filming.

The film enjoyed great popularity because of a stellar cast expertly directed and filmed with superb dialogue. Without being overly pedantic, the story line effectively monitors the transformation of Thomas Becket (a Saxon protege and facilitator to the carousing Norman king, Henry) from an opportunistic libertine into a truly religious Prince of the Church who, in spite of himself, begins to be guided by honor, dignity and a new found sense of faith and duty. He does so to the great chagrin and ire of King Henry, who elevated Becket to Archbishop of Canterbury in order to have a close confidante in this position that he could completely control. Instead, Becket becomes a major thorn in his side in a jurisdictional dispute. Much of the plot concerns Henry, the "perennial adolescent" as described by the Bishop of London, who finds his duties as king and his stale arranged marriage to be oppressive. Early in the film, we see him escaping them through drunken forays onto the hunting grounds and local brothels. He is increasingly dependent on Becket, a Saxon commoner, who arranges these debaucheries when he is not busy running Henry's court. This foments great resentment on the part of Henry's Norman noblemen, who distrust and envy this Saxon upstart, as well as the queen and queen mother, who see Becket as an unnatural and unseemly influence upon the royal personage.

Henry finds himself in continuous conflict with the elderly Archbishop of Canterbury, who opposes the taxation of Church property in order to support Henry's military campaigns in France ("Bishop, I must hire the Swiss Guards to fight for me - and no one has ever paid them off with good wishes and prayer!"). During one of his campaigns in coastal France, he receives word that the old bishop has "gone to God's bosom". In a burst of inspiration, Henry exercises his prerogative to pick the next Archbishop and informs an astonished Becket that he is the royal choice.

Shortly thereafter, Becket sides with the Church, throwing Henry into a fury. One of the main bones of contention is when Thomas excommunicates Lord Gilbert, one of Henry's most loyal stalwarts, for seizing and being an accomplice to the killing of a priest who had been accused of sexual indiscretions with a young girl, before the priest can even be handed over for ecclesiastical trial. Gilbert then refuses to acknowledge his transgressions and seek absolution.

The King has a dramatic secret meeting with the Bishop of London in his cathedral ("I have the Archbishop on my stomach, a big hard lump"). He lays out his plan to remove the troublesome cleric through scandal and innuendo which the position-conscious Bishop of London quickly agrees to (thus furthering Henry's already deep contempt for church higher ups). These attempts fall flat when Becket, in full ecclesiastic garb, confronts his accusers outside the rectory and routes them causing Henry to laugh and bitterly note the irony of it all, "Becket is the only intelligent man in my entire kingdom. . . and he is against me!" Becket escapes to France where he encounters the conniving King Louis (played to the max by the great John Gielgud). King Louis sees in Becket a means by which he can further his favorite pastime, tormenting the arrogant English. Becket gets to Rome, where he begs the Holy Pontiff to allow him to renounce his position and retire to a monastery as an ordinary priest. The Vatican is a hotbed of intrigue and political jockeying. The Pope reminds Becket that he has an obligation as a matter of principle to return to England and take a stand against civil interference in Church matters. Becket yields to this decision and asks Louis to arrange a meeting with Henry on the beaches at Normandy. A shaky truce is declared and Becket is allowed to return to England.

The remainder of the film shows Henry rapidly sinking into drunken fixation over Becket and his perceived betrayal. The barons worsen his mood by pointing out that Becket has become a folk hero among the vanquished Saxons who are ever restive and resentful of their Norman conquerors. There are comical fights between Henry and his frumpy consort, Eleanor of Aquitaine, his dimwitted son/heir apparent, and his cold-blooded mother, who repeatedly reminds her son that his father would have quickly had someone like Becket done away with for the sake of the realm. During one of his drunken rages he shouts out, "Can no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" His faithful barons hear this and proceed quickly to Canterbury, where they put Thomas and his Saxon deputy, Brother John, to the sword. A badly shaken Henry then undergoes a penance by whipping at the hands of Saxon monks.

The film concludes with Henry publicly proclaiming Thomas Becket a saint and that the ones who had killed him will be justly punished.

Accuracy

Becket is depicted as Henry's loyal "drinking buddy", who aids him in illicit romantic entanglements, but who becomes saintly and responsible after his appointment as Archbishop. No mention is made in the film of the Constitutions of Clarendon; the struggle between Becket and Henry is boiled down to their conflict over Lord Gilbert's murder of the captive priest. The Constitutions of Clarendon were a set of legislative procedures passed by Henry II of England in 1164. In no way is Becket depicted as a man who desired special legal privileges (defrocking rather than prison) for his clergy, as some believe that he was.

Awards and nominations

The film received 12 Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for both Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole and Best Supporting Actor for John Gielgud. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to recognize Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts It won the Best Screenplay Award for Edward Anhalt. The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent Film awards in the United States

References

External links

• Becket at the Internet Movie Database
• Becket Re-release Official Web Site at http://www.becketthemovie.com/