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Henry V (1944)

A review by Damian Cannon.
Copyright © Movie Reviews UK 2000
The tale of a young King overcoming both an overwhelming enemy and his wastrel past, Henry V resonates as a patriotic and a personal triumph. Opening in 1600, the origins of the play are clearly stated by basing this production in the famed Globe Theatre. Here restless crowds jostle before being quieted by the Chorus (Leslie Banks). Providing a context to the historical events that follow, the Chorus abandons the stage to the Archbishop of Canterbury (Felix Aylmer) and his associate the Bishop of Ely (Robert Helpmann). Contemplating the urgent issue of Church reform, they're intent on keeping their possessions close by. A distraction is required and the Archbishop has one ready -- a claim for lands in France that King Henry (Laurence Olivier) is duty bound to enforce. Through the likelihood of war, the Church can palm Henry off with a large donation and remain intact.

So, convinced by Canterbury that the territory is rightfully his, Henry faces the French ambassadors. Charged with instructions from The Dauphin (Max Adrian), rather than King Charles VI of France (Harosurt Williams), they get straight to the point. Henry's claim is rejected as being baseless, with The Dauphin sending along a treasure chest to salve his youthful pride. The problem is that this gift is in reality a foolish taunt, with Henry being cast as an inconsequential figure rather than the monarch of England. Incensed by this insult, and sure that he is morally in the clear, Henry decides that the French will pay dearly for this mockery; preparations for war are set in motion, with all available bodies being drafted into the invasion force. The time has come for Henry to prove his mettle as sovereign.

This will, however, mean consigning his less than illustrious past to memory. The long days and nights of carousing with Sir John Falstaff (George Robey) are now an embarrassment, which explains why Falstaff is banished from court. Sad to say this has a detrimental effect upon the aged Falstaff, as commented on by his friends Corporal Nym (Frederick Cooper) and Lieutenant Bardolph (Roy Emerson). In some ways the last remaining links between Falstaff and Henry, since they're joining the latter's army, they've already come to terms with Henry's new-found maturity. So, with Ancient Pistol (Robert Newton), the past is abandoned with the dying Falstaff and the future embraced by the fleet moored in Southampton.

In the making of Henry V, two aims were paramount; first, to create a piece of influential propaganda and, second, to make a great film. Given that England was under constant enemy bombardment and weighed down by attrition, the first consideration lay uppermost in Olivier's mind. It's thus a testament to his immense ability that Henry V is one of the most impressive movie adaptations of Shakespeare. With severe budgetary constraints, economies were required all over and yet these barely show -- the costumes, put together from scraps of material and silver-painted wood, look both convincing and realistic. The most outstanding limitation is the heavy use of painted backgrounds and models, all of which aim to integrate with the action yet have distractingly fake qualities. Thankfully the climatic Agincourt battle avoids these, allowing it to become a rousing spectacle of immense proportions.

As director, actor, adapter and producer, Olivier was ultimately responsible for the success or failure of Henry V (especially so given the quality of the source material). Luckily he excels in all of these departments, providing an interpretation that accentuates patriotism without crushing the emotional nuances of Henry. Olivier is stupendous as the untested King, growing in stature as Henry matures. The several stirring speeches are handled with aplomb and a sense that Olivier truly understands what lies behind the words (rather than simply spitting them out). In this the brilliant script, witty, clever, understandable and fluid, aids Olivier. The language has obviously been tailored for maximum clarity, an aim that Henry V achieves with remarkable success. There is never a time when meaning is submerged beneath archaic phrases; a great relief.

However, while Olivier is a stellar presence the remainder of the cast fails to scale these heights. This is not to imply that anybody is outstandingly bad, merely that no one else stands out. This is partially a result of the trimming down of the original play, with Henry getting the bulk of the lines. So, as it generally takes fewer words to bring to life comedy rather than drama, it is the humorous characters that entertain. Hence Cooper, Emerson and Newton have a lot of fun with borderline-criminal roles, relishing the lowbrow puns. Surprisingly, Aylmer and Helpmann are also pretty funny, a result of their incompetence before a patient Henry. The pair do manage to flesh out a serious angle to their roles though, leaving hanging the question of whether the Church is purposefully misleading the King; the richness of the dialogue can be applauded for this.

Ultimately Henry V is an amazing achievement given the circumstances, succeeding as a call-to-arms beyond all expectation. When Olivier launches into stirring rhetoric, the blood boils and the sinews harden; no wonder his dispirited troops respond! Given this it's possible to overlook the fact that this adaptation tends to purify and emasculate Henry; no longer is he the complex and aggressive figure of Shakespeare's imagination. This was the tone required at the time and Olivier hit it dead centre. Other elements of note are the vibrant colour photography (another against the odds triumph) and the fitting score of William Walton. If you can take the intentionally artificial framing device, then Henry V can be considered to lie amongst the very best of Shakespeare's filmed plays.

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