169: Henry V

The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fifth with his Batell Fought at Agincourt in France

UK  136m  Dir: Laurence Olivier  Key Cast: Laurence Olivier

Based on: Henry V by William Shakespeare

This is a really clever adaption of the Shakespeare play. It was partly used as a morale booster for Britain in the latter stages of the Second World War with the government partly funding it. The play works well for this purpose, especially with a little bit of tweaking. 

It also has a really clever setup, starting in the Globe Theatre before the actors on stage ask the audience to imagine it's real and then the film is no longer a stage performance but the actual events around the Battle of Agincourt. All this is shown in brilliant technicolour with some brilliant model work and gorgeous painted backdrops which make it all round an impressive film. 

It does feel weirdly dated as an adaption of a Shakespeare play. Perhaps it's because most of the filmed versions I've seen are relatively recent but this feels like an almost fantastical version of the play rather than a more real approach I'd expect from a modern film. It had never occurred to me just how much filmed version of Shakespeare plays have changed. 

The play itself is not my favourite. It has a couple of excellent speeches but for me it drifts around too much. I do think it works much better as the final part of Shakespeare's 'Henriad' (Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, Henry V) as the characters follow on nicely- this is the culmination of Prince Hal's story. It just doesn't work as well as a completely standalone piece as it's presented here.

You have to admire Laurence Olivier for managing to adapt a Shakespeare play so interestingly and give a superb starring performance in it too. It's not a film I'd be keen to re-visit but I can appreciate what it did, especially in context of it's release.