The Lion in Winter (film)
"The Lion in Winter" is a British drama film released in 1968, set during the Christmas of 1183 at Chinon Castle in France. It explores the complex and turbulent relationship between King Henry II of England and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, as they contend with the succession of the throne among their three sons: Richard, Geoffrey, and John. The film features notable performances by Peter O'Toole as Henry II and Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor, with Hepburn's portrayal earning her an Academy Award for Best Actress. Directed by Anthony Harvey, the film is praised for its historical accuracy, reflected in its set design and costumes, despite receiving mixed initial reviews.
The narrative unfolds as Henry struggles to choose an heir, caught between personal ambitions and familial loyalties, while political maneuvering with King Philip II of France complicates matters. The movie's production was marked by its commitment to authenticity, which included a grittier representation of medieval life. Although its reception was divided, "The Lion in Winter" achieved box office success and garnered seven Academy Award nominations, highlighting its significance in cinematic history. The film remains a landmark in historical drama, notable for its strong performances and intricate storytelling.
The Lion in Winter (film)
- Release Date: 1968
- Director(s): Anthony Harvey
- Writer(s): James Goldman
- Principal Actors and Roles: Katharine Hepburn (Eleanor of Aquitaine); Peter O'toole (Henry II); John Castle (Geoffrey); Timothy Dalton (King Philip II of France); Anthony Hopkins (Richard the Lionheart); Jane Merrow (Alais); Nigel Terry (John)
- Book / Story Film Based On: The Lion in Winter by James Goldman
The Lion in Winter is a British drama set in medieval France and details the turbulent marriage of Henry II of England and his wife, Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their struggle to choose an heir to the throne.
Many acting heavyweights starred in the film, including Peter O’Toole, Katharine Hepburn, and Anthony Hopkins (who made his silver screen debut in the film). O’Toole, who plays Henry II in the film, had played King Henry in the 1964 film Becket just four years previously. Katharine Hepburn was fitting for the role of Eleanor not just because of her acting prowess, but also for the fact that she was actually descended from Eleanor herself.
Katharine Hepburn knew of Peter O’Toole’s notorious bad behavior on sets, and on the first day of rehearsal she let him know that she would not tolerate his antics. Throughout the production, Hepburn scolded both O’Toole and Hopkins for showing up drunk or with a hangover. The cast rehearsed for two weeks in 1967 at the Haymarket Theatre in London before beginning filming at Ardmore Studios in Ireland, as well as in Ireland, France, and Wales.
Plot
The Lion in Winter is set at Chinon Castle in France during the Christmas of 1183. King Henry II has called a Christmas Court in order to decide who will be named successor to the throne. His wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, arrives to the castle by boat, as she spends the majority of the year in prison at Salisbury Tower for previously plotting against Henry. Together, Henry and Eleanor have three sons—Richard the Lionheart (the eldest), Geoffrey (the middle child), and John (the youngest son) — from which to choose an heir.
Also present at Chinon are King Philip II of France, and his sister Alais, who is Henry’s mistress but was betrothed to Richard when she was just a girl. Philip wishes to have Richard marry Alais so her dowry, an important territory for both France and England, maintains the strength of their alliance. However, Henry wishes to name John as his heir, and therefore keep Alais as his mistress. Eleanor feels differently, maintaining instead the throne rightfully belongs to Richard because he is the oldest (as well as her favorite son). John believes he will still be chosen because he is Henry’s favorite son. Out of spite, Geoffrey, who has been overlooked as heir by both of his parents, devises a plan with both John and Philip to rob Richard of the throne.
After learning of all of the plotting and planning of his sons, Henry becomes angry and deems all three men unsuitable to serve as his heir and locks them away in a wine cellar. Henry then makes plans to travel to Rome to obtain an annulment of his marriage to Eleanor so that he may instead marry Alais, and have new sons. Alais tells Henry that he must kill all three of his sons if their future sons are to be safe. However, Henry cannot bring himself to kill his sons when the time comes. The film ends with Eleanor returning to prison, content, knowing that her influence will remain intact.
Significance
The producers of the film wanted to make it as historically accurate as possible, and always kept this in mind when making choices for the film. Instead of housing the characters in lavish and glamorous conditions (as many films of the time did), director Anthony Harvey and his art director, Peter Murton, chose to use dirty, airy castles; this was much more true to the environments of medieval times. In addition, the costume designer, Margaret Furse, insisted that the actors remain in their costumes for as long as production would allow before filming, so the garments looked grimy and worn-in. Moreover, Douglas Slocombe, the cinematographer, designed a lighting concept that would achieve an aesthetic similar to the illuminated manuscripts from the time period.
At first, critics received the film with mixed reviews, some believing that despite the great acting, the story was overly dramatic and reminiscent of soap operas. Despite the tepid reception, however, the film went on to win best picture at the New York Film Critics awards. Much to the producers’ delight, the film was also a hit at the box office, earning over $6 million in the United States during its first year of release. This also made The Lion in Winter the fourteenth most popular film at US box offices in 1969.
The Lion in Winter was nominated for a total of seven Academy Awards, including four major nominations for best picture, best director, best actor, and best actress. O’Toole, who had been nominated for his portrayal of King Henry II in Becket in 1964, became the first actor to be nominated for two Oscars for playing the same character in two different films. Katharine Hepburn won the Academy Award for best actress, tying with Barbra Streisand for her performance in Funny Girl. Hepburn had previously won best actress Oscars for her performances in Morning Glory (1933) and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), making this her second Best Actress win in a row, and her third total. She would go on to win again in 1981 for On Golden Pond, making her the only film star in history to ever have won four Academy Awards.
Awards and nominations
Won
- Academy Award (1968) Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn
- Academy Award (1968) Best Screenplay (Adapted): James Goldman
- Academy Award (1968) Best Score: John Barry
- Golden Globe (1968) Best Motion Picture (Drama)
- Golden Globe (1968) Best Motion Picture Actor (Drama): Peter O'toole
Nominated
- Academy Award (1968) Best Picture
- Academy Award (1968) Best Director: Anthony Harvey
- Academy Award (1968) Best Actor: Peter O'toole
- Academy Award (1968) Best Costume Design: Margaret Furse
- Golden Globe (1968) Best Director: Anthony Harvey
- Golden Globe (1968) Best Motion Picture Actress (Drama): Katharine Hepburn
- Golden Globe (1968) Best Supporting Actress: Jane Merrow
- Golden Globe (1968) Best Screenplay: James Goldman
- Golden Globe (1968) Best Original Score: John Barry
Bibliography
Bergan, Ronald. Katharine Hepburn: An Independent Woman. New York: Arcade, 2013. Print.
Goldman, James. The Lion in Winter: A Comedy in Two Acts. New York: Samuel French, 1966. Print.
Levine, Joseph E. The Lion in Winter: An AVCO Embassy Film: Joseph E. Levine Presents a Martin Poll Production. New York: Ronark, 1968. Print.
"The Lion in Winter." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 23 Jun. 2015 <http://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Lion-in-Winter>.
"The Lion in Winter (1968)." Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Turner Entertainment Networks, 2015. Web. 23 June 2015. <http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81467/The-Lion-in-Winter/>.