One of the great films of all time and perfectly timed review for the circumstances we now face in the U.S. Incredible performances reminding us that integrity matters.
Thanks for reminding me what a great film this was. Especially for the English history fans among us. Another one I liked from that period was "Anne of a Thousand Days." With a moody and bipolar Richard Burton as Henry, driven mad by the frustration from having none of his wives able to give him his son and heir. A rather sad interplay between he and first wife Catherine, and then feisty scenes with condemned wife Anne, as played by Genevieve Bujold. I suppose anything with Richard Burton raises the level just by his presence, but I enjoyed the drama and historical telling of such a remarkable bit of medieval English game of thrones.
A Man for All Seasons is in my top three all time movies. I have my own well worn DVD copy which replaced my equally worn VHS copy. It is certainly apropos for this time for sure.
I find it somewhat disingenuous that the Red Mass, which is the annual opener for the judicial year, sort of like the annual prayer breakfast for lawyers, prominently features Thomas More. Certain Supreme Court justices and Trump DOJ members didn't get the message of this movie or the Mass. Will definitely catch this chat.
I'm old enough to have seen A Man for All Seasons when it was originally released and have seen it a couple of times since. A line recently popped into my head while thinking about the craveness of so many morally bankrupt Republicans and corporate Trump toadies. During his trial, More confronts Richard Rich, who has been made Attorney General of Wales in exchange for his testimony against More: "Ahh Richard, but it profits a man nothing to gain the whole world if he should lose his soul......but for Wales, Richard."
I well remember "A Man for All Seasons," & based on this discussion, realize I should watch it again. A life-long movie buff, I get a kick out of watching old films for what they tell us about the past AND present. For instance, recently my husband & I watched a film directed by Don Siegal, "Count the Hours" (1953) with Teresa Wright & Macdonald Carey. The hours 'counted' in the movie refer to the upcoming execution of a migrant worker for ostensibly killing his employer. The migrant worker & wife in the film are whites in a small southern town -- as are all the other characters. However, they could just as easily have been people of color. The striking thing about the storyline is the menace below the surface in this isolated community that bubbles up to fixate on this man: tarring this relative stranger immediately for a crime he didn't commit -- without evidence to support this 'closed case.' The menace palpable in this town is much akin to what we are witnessing 70+ years later in Trump's America: i.e., the predations of ICE, 'Alligator Alcatraz,' the gutting of the Voting RIghts Act, the denigration of science & expertise, the tearing asunder of our foreign aid & alliances, etc. How can this be?
One curious aspect of mid-century films focusing on similar themes is that they often focus exclusively on white characters: yet like Fritz Lang's 1st film in the US, "Fury," (1938?) the plot lines appear to be more aptly applied to southern blacks. In fact, I just recently read that Lang had wanted this searing film to focus on a black protagonist but was advised instead to choose a white actor (Spencer Tracy, utterly transformed over the course of the film).
I would welcome opportunities to discuss older films & their relevance to our current predicament!
loved "a man for all season" which additionally has Leo kern as cromwell?, i think from memory...which is abound with great quotes and scenes , a couple from memory is where he is talking to his friend the duke of norfolk[i think]and avoiding implicating him when the duke refers to "what do you think this is? spain?"...and later cromwell quotes it back to him[to the duke] during the questioning, another when in prison talking to his daughter about his reasoning for his line about holding a mans soul in both hands ..but so many...enjoy it ..its probably the best medieval movie apart from "lion in winter" which is another cracker :)
"A Man For All Seasons" is one of my favorite films, with amazing writing and outstanding acting, among other standout touches. Scofield's performance as More is absolutely iconic. Such a glorious, classic film all 'round. But my favorite moment remains More's incredulous rapprochement to Richie Rich:
"Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world. But for Wales, Rich? For WALES?!"
That moment is brought routinely to mind for me in this day and age, with players such as Vance and Rubio et. al on the stage.
Fabulous movie. best quote, IMHO, is from More as he explains why he must remain consistent in his values: "“If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us good, and greed would make us saintly. And we'd live like animals or angels in the happy land that /needs/ no heroes. But since in fact we see that avarice, anger, envy, pride, sloth, lust and stupidity commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, fortitude, justice and thought, and have to choose, to be human at all... why then perhaps we /must/ stand fast a little --even at the risk of being heroes.” Words extremely relevant for today. Seems to me that "A Man For All Seasons" is crying out for a Broadway or West End revival, with Daniel Craig as Thomas More.
I love that film! It's not very historically accurate, but who needs accuracy when the performances and writing are so stellar? Look for a young Vanessa Redgrave in a cameo role as Anne Boleyn, and a baby John Hurt in one of his earliest film roles as the villainous Richard Rich.
It is and it isn't. The screen play was based on the diary of More's son in law Roper. A lot of the soliloquy's are taken almost verbatim from his diary.
I would sell my soul to be able to write like Hilary Mantel. The Wolf Hall trilogy is one of the best things I’ve ever read or will ever read. I love the TV series as well. Anton Lesser was fantastic as More.
I’m looking forward to you and Mona discussing “A Man For All Seasons”, which made a huge impress on me when it came out. I consider “Becket” with Richard Burton a companion piece to it, another film about the crossroads of public office and moral duty.
You steered me into “Project Hail Mary”, so I’ll take your advice on “The Sheep Detectives”, too. You wouldn’t pull the wool over my eyes (and Woolverine is cute!).
Robert Bolt is my all-time finest screenwriter, not just for MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, but THE BOUNTY (Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Day-Lewis, Mel Gibson, Liam Neeson), LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, DOCTOR ZHIVAGO & others. He is as succinct as he is eloquent. I really lament that his scope and master of the English language for film is sorely lacking in our current film era, the era in which we lick our post-Marvel fatigue wounds as we search for something else with which to tell stories. I watch MAN FOR ALL SEASONS about once a month to get re-invigorated with his command and mastery of the spoken word.
A Man For All Seasons is great and full of absolute quotes and moral/political lessons "But for Wales?"
An interesting companion is the episode of Wolf Hall when More is on trail and gives the counterpoint from Thomas Cromwell's point of view. Mona will deffo have seen this if you haven't Sonny.
it’s funny, I had TOTALLY forgotten this is where “But for Wales?” came from, like, amnesia-style … I did the Leo point meme when it happened in the movie, haha
One of the great films of all time and perfectly timed review for the circumstances we now face in the U.S. Incredible performances reminding us that integrity matters.
Thanks for reminding me what a great film this was. Especially for the English history fans among us. Another one I liked from that period was "Anne of a Thousand Days." With a moody and bipolar Richard Burton as Henry, driven mad by the frustration from having none of his wives able to give him his son and heir. A rather sad interplay between he and first wife Catherine, and then feisty scenes with condemned wife Anne, as played by Genevieve Bujold. I suppose anything with Richard Burton raises the level just by his presence, but I enjoyed the drama and historical telling of such a remarkable bit of medieval English game of thrones.
A Man for All Seasons is in my top three all time movies. I have my own well worn DVD copy which replaced my equally worn VHS copy. It is certainly apropos for this time for sure.
I find it somewhat disingenuous that the Red Mass, which is the annual opener for the judicial year, sort of like the annual prayer breakfast for lawyers, prominently features Thomas More. Certain Supreme Court justices and Trump DOJ members didn't get the message of this movie or the Mass. Will definitely catch this chat.
I'm old enough to have seen A Man for All Seasons when it was originally released and have seen it a couple of times since. A line recently popped into my head while thinking about the craveness of so many morally bankrupt Republicans and corporate Trump toadies. During his trial, More confronts Richard Rich, who has been made Attorney General of Wales in exchange for his testimony against More: "Ahh Richard, but it profits a man nothing to gain the whole world if he should lose his soul......but for Wales, Richard."
I well remember "A Man for All Seasons," & based on this discussion, realize I should watch it again. A life-long movie buff, I get a kick out of watching old films for what they tell us about the past AND present. For instance, recently my husband & I watched a film directed by Don Siegal, "Count the Hours" (1953) with Teresa Wright & Macdonald Carey. The hours 'counted' in the movie refer to the upcoming execution of a migrant worker for ostensibly killing his employer. The migrant worker & wife in the film are whites in a small southern town -- as are all the other characters. However, they could just as easily have been people of color. The striking thing about the storyline is the menace below the surface in this isolated community that bubbles up to fixate on this man: tarring this relative stranger immediately for a crime he didn't commit -- without evidence to support this 'closed case.' The menace palpable in this town is much akin to what we are witnessing 70+ years later in Trump's America: i.e., the predations of ICE, 'Alligator Alcatraz,' the gutting of the Voting RIghts Act, the denigration of science & expertise, the tearing asunder of our foreign aid & alliances, etc. How can this be?
One curious aspect of mid-century films focusing on similar themes is that they often focus exclusively on white characters: yet like Fritz Lang's 1st film in the US, "Fury," (1938?) the plot lines appear to be more aptly applied to southern blacks. In fact, I just recently read that Lang had wanted this searing film to focus on a black protagonist but was advised instead to choose a white actor (Spencer Tracy, utterly transformed over the course of the film).
I would welcome opportunities to discuss older films & their relevance to our current predicament!
loved "a man for all season" which additionally has Leo kern as cromwell?, i think from memory...which is abound with great quotes and scenes , a couple from memory is where he is talking to his friend the duke of norfolk[i think]and avoiding implicating him when the duke refers to "what do you think this is? spain?"...and later cromwell quotes it back to him[to the duke] during the questioning, another when in prison talking to his daughter about his reasoning for his line about holding a mans soul in both hands ..but so many...enjoy it ..its probably the best medieval movie apart from "lion in winter" which is another cracker :)
Please do more of them. The Bulwark film club episodes are enormously entertaining when they don’t involve Aaron Sorkin.
"A Man For All Seasons" is one of my favorite films, with amazing writing and outstanding acting, among other standout touches. Scofield's performance as More is absolutely iconic. Such a glorious, classic film all 'round. But my favorite moment remains More's incredulous rapprochement to Richie Rich:
"Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world. But for Wales, Rich? For WALES?!"
That moment is brought routinely to mind for me in this day and age, with players such as Vance and Rubio et. al on the stage.
Yes, this pair or dupes strutting and fretting their hours upon the stage into a rightful irrelevance.
As you have already said, spectacular as well as relevant in it’s day.
Perhaps even more so today.
Our species may be no better, or as adaptive as many others in our world.
Fabulous movie. best quote, IMHO, is from More as he explains why he must remain consistent in his values: "“If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us good, and greed would make us saintly. And we'd live like animals or angels in the happy land that /needs/ no heroes. But since in fact we see that avarice, anger, envy, pride, sloth, lust and stupidity commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, fortitude, justice and thought, and have to choose, to be human at all... why then perhaps we /must/ stand fast a little --even at the risk of being heroes.” Words extremely relevant for today. Seems to me that "A Man For All Seasons" is crying out for a Broadway or West End revival, with Daniel Craig as Thomas More.
I love that film! It's not very historically accurate, but who needs accuracy when the performances and writing are so stellar? Look for a young Vanessa Redgrave in a cameo role as Anne Boleyn, and a baby John Hurt in one of his earliest film roles as the villainous Richard Rich.
It's not historically accurate, it's Thomas More hagiograpghy.
Schofield was excellent as More, and I grant that it's quite well done.
I recommend Wolf Hall for a less worshipful portrayal of More.
It is and it isn't. The screen play was based on the diary of More's son in law Roper. A lot of the soliloquy's are taken almost verbatim from his diary.
I would sell my soul to be able to write like Hilary Mantel. The Wolf Hall trilogy is one of the best things I’ve ever read or will ever read. I love the TV series as well. Anton Lesser was fantastic as More.
I’m looking forward to you and Mona discussing “A Man For All Seasons”, which made a huge impress on me when it came out. I consider “Becket” with Richard Burton a companion piece to it, another film about the crossroads of public office and moral duty.
You steered me into “Project Hail Mary”, so I’ll take your advice on “The Sheep Detectives”, too. You wouldn’t pull the wool over my eyes (and Woolverine is cute!).
Robert Bolt is my all-time finest screenwriter, not just for MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, but THE BOUNTY (Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Day-Lewis, Mel Gibson, Liam Neeson), LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, DOCTOR ZHIVAGO & others. He is as succinct as he is eloquent. I really lament that his scope and master of the English language for film is sorely lacking in our current film era, the era in which we lick our post-Marvel fatigue wounds as we search for something else with which to tell stories. I watch MAN FOR ALL SEASONS about once a month to get re-invigorated with his command and mastery of the spoken word.
Robert Bolt also did The Mission, which is another favorite of mine.
FYI: A Man For All Seasons is currently available to purchase (not just rent) from Fandango at Home (MoviesAnywhere) for only $5, along with many other TCM Favorites here: https://athome.fandango.com/content/browse/uxrow/-5-TCM-Favorites/23954
A Man For All Seasons is great and full of absolute quotes and moral/political lessons "But for Wales?"
An interesting companion is the episode of Wolf Hall when More is on trail and gives the counterpoint from Thomas Cromwell's point of view. Mona will deffo have seen this if you haven't Sonny.
it’s funny, I had TOTALLY forgotten this is where “But for Wales?” came from, like, amnesia-style … I did the Leo point meme when it happened in the movie, haha