Becket (film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Becket | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster |
|
| Directed by | Peter Glenville |
| Produced by | Hal B. Wallis |
| Written by | Edward Anhalt Jean Anouilh (play) |
| Starring | Richard Burton Peter O'Toole John Gielgud Donald Wolfit Martita Hunt Pamela Brown Siân Phillips |
| Music by | Laurence Rosenthal |
| Cinematography | Geoffrey Unsworth |
| Editing by | Anne V. Coates |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) |  11 March 1964 |
| Running time | 148 min |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| Budget | US $3,000,000 (estimated) |
| IMDb profile | |
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. It was directed by Peter Glenville and produced by Hal B. Wallis with Joseph H. Hazen as executive producer. The screenplay was written by Edward Anhalt based on Anouilh's play. The music score was by Laurence Rosenthal, the cinematography by Geoffrey Unsworth and the editing by Anne V. Coates.
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.
Newly restored prints of Becket are being re-released in 30 theaters in the US in early 2007, following an extensive restoration from the film's YCM separation protection masters. The film will then be released on DVD in May, 2007. The new film prints carry a Dolby_Digital soundtrack.
[edit] Background and production
The original French play on which the film is based was given its first performance in Paris in 1959. 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. The play opened in London in a production by Peter Hall with Eric Porter and Christopher Plummer.
The film was made at Shepperton Studios, England and on location at Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle and Bamburgh Beach in Northumberland.
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. Siân Phillips, who plays Gwendolen, was Peter O'Toole's wife at the time of filming.
[edit] 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. It won the Best Screenplay Award for Edward Anhalt.
[edit] External links
- Becket at the Internet Movie Database
- Becket Re-release Official Web Site at http://www.becketthemovie.com/
