A Man for All Seasons (1966 film)

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A Man for All Seasons
Original movie poster
Directed by	Fred Zinnemann
Produced by	Fred Zinnemann
Written by	Robert Bolt
Starring	Paul Scofield Wendy Hiller Leo McKern Orson Welles Robert Shaw John Hurt
Music by	Georges Delerue
Cinematography	Ted Moore
Editing by	Ralph Kemplen
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	December 12, 1966 (US premiere)
Running time	120 min
Language	English
Budget	$3,900,000 (estimated)
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A Man for All Seasons is a 1966 film based on Robert Bolt's play of the same name about Sir Thomas More. Paul Scofield, who had played More in the West End stage premiere, also took the role in the film. The film also stars Robert Shaw as Henry VIII, Orson Welles as Wolsey, John Hurt as Richard Rich and Wendy Hiller as More's second wife, Alice. It was directed by Fred Zinnemann who had previously directed such films as High Noon and From Here to Eternity.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Adaptation 3 Production 4 Awards and acclaim

[edit] Plot

The plot is based on the true story of Sir Thomas More, the 16th-century Chancellor of England, who refused to sign a letter asking the Pope to annul the King's marriage and resigned rather than take an oath declaring the king the supreme head of the English church. The King is Henry VIII of England and his wife is Catherine of Aragon, the first of an eventual six wives. Both the play and the film portray More as a man of principle, motivated by his Catholic faith and envied by rivals such as Thomas Cromwell. He is also deeply loved by the common people and by his family.

Returning by a Thames River ferry to his estate at Chelsea, More finds Richard Rich (John Hurt), a young acquaintance from Cambridge waiting by the dock for his return. Rich pleads with More for a position at Court, but More, citing the various corruptions there, advises him to become a teacher instead. Entering the house, More finds his daughter Meg (Susannah York) with a young Protestant named William Roper. Roper announces his intention to marry Meg. More, a devout Catholic, announces that his answer is no as long as Roper remains a heretic. Roper angrily retorts that Martin Luther has proved to him that Catholicism is "a heretic church." "Now, listen, Will," declares More. "Two years ago you were a passionate Churchman. Now you're a passionate Lutheran. We must just pray that when your head's finished turning, your face is to the front again."

Shortly thereafter, Wolsey dies in disgrace, having failed to obtain a divorce from the Pope for the King. King Henry (Robert Shaw, in the role which earned him an Academy Award Nomination) then appoints More as Lord Chancellor of England. When the King arrives by boat at Chelsea to inquire about his divorce, Sir Thomas, rather than admit that his conscience forbids him to act against the Catholic Faith, subtly provokes the King into a raging tantrum. The King screams that Queen Catherine is not his wife and that those who say otherwise "are not only liars but traitors", before storming off in a huff, returning to his barge and ordering the oarmen to cast off. His entourage is left to run through the mud and into the river to catch up as Henry laughs at their predicament.

Roper, having heard of More's predicament from Meg, reveals that his religious opinions have altered considerably. He declares that by attacking the Catholic Church, the King has become "the Devil's minister". A frightened More begs him to be more guarded as Rich arrives, pleading again for a position at Court. When More again refuses, Rich denounces More's steward as a spy for Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern), one of More's enemies at Court. As a humiliated Rich leaves, More's family pleads with him to have Rich arrested. More refuses, stating that Rich, while dangerous, has broken no law. Still seeking a position at Court, Rich enlists Cromwell's patronage and joins him in attempting to bring down More.

King Henry, tired of awaiting a divorce from The Vatican, declares himself "Supreme Head of the Church in England." More quietly resigns his post as Chancellor rather than accept the new order. As he does so, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, a close friend of More's, attempts to draw his opinions out as part of a friendly chat with no witnesses present. More, however, knows that the time for speaking openly of such matters is past. The Duke, believing that More is simply paranoid, tries to soothe his fears. He tells him, "This isn't Spain, you know. This is England".

The King, however will not be appeased. He demands that More attend his wedding to Anne Boleyn. When More refuses, he is summoned again to Hampton Court, now occupied by Cromwell. When Cromwell interrogates him on his opinions, More refuses to answer, citing it as his right under English Law. Cromwell angrily declares that the King now views him as a traitor, but allows him to go.

As More returns home he is met by his daughter. Meg informs him that a new oath about the marriage is being circulated and that all must take it on pain of high treason. Unable to find any loopholes in the oath, More refuses to take it. He is then imprisoned in the Tower of London. Despite repeated threats from Cromwell, the more subtle tactics of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, and the pleadings of his family, More remains steadfast in his refusal to take the oath. When he is finally brought to trial, he remains silent until after being convicted of treason on the perjured testimony of Richard Rich. Informed that Rich has been promoted as Attorney General for Wales as a reward, More wittily remarks "Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to lose his soul for the whole world... but for Wales?"

Now having nothing left to lose, More angrily denounces the illegal nature of the King's actions, citing the Biblical basis for Catholicism and declaring that the immunity of the Church is guaranteed both in Magna Carta and in the King's own Coronation Oath. "But it was not for the Supremacy you sought my blood," he cries loud enough for all the courtroom to hear. "But because I would not bend to the marriage!" As the spectators scream in protest, More is sentenced to death.

Later, outside the Tower of London, More declares, "I am commanded by the king to be brief, and since I am the king's obedient subject, brief I will be. I die His Majesty's good servant, but God's first." More then makes the Sign of the Cross and kneels down before the executioner's axe. The axe is raised and brought down off screen with a sickening crack, and a man for all seasons is gone.

A narrator intones the epilogue.

"Thomas More's head was stuck on Traitor's Gate for a month. Then his daughter, Margaret, removed it and kept it 'til her death. Cromwell was beheaded for high treason five years after More. The Archbishop was burned at the stake. The Duke of Norfolk should have been executed for high treason but the King died of syphilis the night before. Richard Rich became Chancellor of England and died in his bed."

[edit] Adaptation

Robert Bolt adapted the screenplay himself. The running commentary of The Common Man was deleted and the character was divided into the roles of the Thames boatman, More's steward, an innkeeper, and the jailer from the Tower. The subplot involving the Spanish ambassador, Eustache Chapuys, was also excised.

[edit] Production

The producers initially feared that Paul Scofield was not a big enough name to draw in audiences, so the producers approached Richard Burton, who turned the part down. Laurence Olivier was also considered, but Fred Zinnemann demanded that Scofield play the part. Alec Guinness was the studio's first choice to play Cardinal Wolsey.

In order to keep the budget at under $2 million, the actors all took salary cuts. Vanessa Redgrave appeared in her non-speaking role as Anne Boleyn simply for the fun of it and refused to accept any money.

Leo McKern had played the Common Man in the original West End production of the show, but had been shifted to Cromwell for the Broadway production. He and Scofield are the only members of the cast to appear in the both the stage and screen versions of the story.

[edit] Awards and acclaim

Scofield won the Best Actor Oscar. The film also won Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay, cinematography, costume design, Best Director, and Best Picture.

The film won the BAFTA Awards for Best Film from any Source and Best British Film.

Mel Gibson was so impressed by Paul Scofield's performance in this film that he compared appearing alongside him in Hamlet to being "thrown into the ring with Mike Tyson." Another huge fan of Scofield's performance as More was John Wayne, who once called it the best performance he had ever seen.

Preceded by Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?	BAFTA Award for Best Film from any Source 1968	Succeeded by The Graduate (as 'Best Film')
Preceded by The Spy Who Came in from the Cold	BAFTA Award for Best British Film 1968	Succeeded by The Graduate (as 'Best Film')