SETTING
Christmas 1183, Chinon Castle, France
PLAYERS
King Henry II of England (Peter O’Toole), Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katherine Hepburn)
Richard the Lionheart (Anthony Hopkins), Prince John (Nigel Terry)
Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany (John Castle), King Philip II of France (Timothy Dalton)
The Lion in Winter
ADAPTED BY JOHN GOLDMAN FROM HIS PLAY
King Henry II wants his youngest son, John, to inherit the throne. Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, temporarily released from imprisonment, favors their eldest surviving son, Richard, a proven warrior. Middle son Geoffrey schemes for power, manipulating both sides. King Philip II of France arrives to demand fulfillment of a treaty: his half-sister Alais, Henry’s mistress, was promised in marriage to Henry’s heir. The dowry, the strategically vital Vexin territory, hangs in the balance.
Richard and Philip are both gay and were lovers.
“The Lion in Winter” is a battle of wit, manipulation, and shifting alliances as the family remains locked in rivalry with no clear successor being chosen. Henry and Eleanor spar with equal parts venom and affection, their love/hate dynamic driving the drama. As a result, the dialogue and the performers carry the movie, which is essentially a filmed play with little directorial input.
The film marked the debuts of Timothy Dalton and Anthony Hopkins in their first major film roles.
Oscars for Hepburn, Goldman and John Barry’s score
NOW STREAMING ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO, APPLE TV+, AND YOUTUBE
75 Queer Films Made Under the Hays Code 1934-1967 – TheBrownees
75 Queer Films from the New Hollywood (1968-1980). – TheBrownees
