Henry V (8 November 1989)
directed by Kenneth Branagh
starring Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Simon Shepherd, Brian Blessed, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Emma Thompson, Geoffrey Hutchings, Robert Stephens, Robbie Coltrane, Judi Dench, Michael Maloney, Christian Bale, James Larkin, James Simmons, Charles Kay, Alec McCowen, Fabian Cartwright, Stephen Simms, Jay Villiers, Edward Jewesbury, Danny Webb, Jimmy Yuill, John Sessions, Shaun Prendergast, Patrick Doyle, Michael Williams, Richard Briers, Harold Innocent, Richard Clifford, Colin Hurley, Richard Easton, Christopher Ravenscroft
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MPAA rating: Studio: Renaissance Script: William Shakespeare Music: Patrick Doyle Running time: 137 minutes Award: 1990 Academy Award for Best Costume Design Tags: archers; cavalry; Drama; England; executions; France; horses; infantry; knights; murder; Shakespeare; swords; theives; traitors; treason; war Tactical strength: [8/10]
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for a bloody battle
An excellent adaptation of Shakespeare's drama for the screen. The young king Henry (Kenneth Branagh) receives advice from both the church and his court that he has a legal claim as the sovereign of France. Assured of the legality of his position, Henry orders an attack on France. In spite of the French having a five to one advantage over the English forces, Henry delivers speeches that envigorate his forces and lead to an overwhealming victory. After the victory, Henry woos Katherine (Emma Thompson), the daughter of the French king, to marry him. The transition from the war leader to the suitor feels awkward and almost unfounded. Henry never gives any indication that he seeks a queen or even that he fell for Katherine at first sight.
Branagh plays Henry V with and easy elegance, and he delivers the king's motivational speeches with marvelous interpretation and dynamics. But the film has the greatest impact in a scene without any dialog. During the battle of Aginocurt, the French violate the rules of war and kill all the boys of the luggage. Following the battle and a rousing speech, Henry carries one of the slain boys (Christian Bale) through the battlefield accompanied by Patrick Doyle's musical rendition of Non nobis. Doyle's music give this scene a powerful emotional impact even greater than that of the army's victory over France.
My only complaint lies with the dynamic range of the soundtrack. At some points I had to turn the volume on my TV up quite high to hear the dialog, then moments later, I would have to turn the sound down again for fear of the neighbors two streets away calling to complain about the noise.
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