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This historical drama was based on the play Becket ou l’honneur de Dieu [Becket or The Honour of God] (1959), by the French dramatist Jean Anouilh (1910–1987). Most of the historical inaccuracies of the play (such as depicting Becket as a Saxon, and not as a Norman) are kept in the film. Not long after the play became a hit in France, a production by the English film and stage director Peter Glenville (1913–1996) opened on Broadway, starring Laurence Olivier (1907–1989) and Anthony Quinn (1915–2001). Glenville later went on to direct this film version. The film is set in the late twelfth century and depicts the feud between Thomas Becket (c.1120–1170) and King Henry II (1133–1189).

 

Anouilh admitted to having made almost no ‘historical research’ for the play. He was inspired by the quarrel between the two principal actors in a Parisian theatre company, and conflated the episode with the little he had read about Becket in an old book by the historian Augustin Thierry (1795–1856) published in the first half of the nineteenth century. In more than one way, this allows the ostensibly central conflict between Church and State to be only a background for what is almost a ‘tragic love story’ between the two main characters. Glenville seems to have picked up on this aspect: one of the few additions to the original script happens when Empress Matilda (1102–1167), King Henry II’s mother, refers to the ‘unnatural’ nature of her son’s relationship with Becket. The two main roles were played by Richard Burton (1925–1984) and Peter O’Toole (1932–2013). American composer Laurence Rosenthal (b.1926) provided the soundtrack.

 

Part of the Medieval Film Club, for more information go to the website.

This screening is open to all and free to attend. No booking required.

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Event details

Anatomy Lecture Theatre
King's Building
Strand Campus, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS