The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France (1944)

Director:

Laurence Olivier

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)

Release Date:

17 June 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Laurence Olivier's Presentation in Technicolor of Henry V

Plot:

In the inspired Olivier concept, Shakespeare's play begins as a performance in the Globe Theatre, shifting...

Plot Keywords:

Princess | King | Globe Theatre | Henry V | France

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Leslie Banks	...	Chorus
Felix Aylmer	...	Archbishop of Canterbury
Robert Helpmann	...	Bishop of Ely
Vernon Greeves	...	The English Herald
Gerald Case	...	Earl of Westmoreland
Griffith Jones	...	Earl of Salisbury
Morland Graham	...	Sir Thomas Erpingham
Nicholas Hannen	...	Duke of Exeter
Michael Warre	...	Duke of Gloucester
Laurence Olivier	...	King Henry V of England
Ralph Truman	...	Mountjoy - The French Herald
Ernest Thesiger	...	Duke of Berri - French Ambassador
Frederick Cooper	...	Corporal Nym
Roy Emerton	...	Lieutenant Bardolph
Robert Newton	...	Ancient Pistol

Also Known As:

Henry V (UK) (short title)
Henry the Fift (UK) (short title)
Henry the Fifth (USA) (trailer title)

Runtime:

137 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #10900) | West Germany:16 | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Two Cities Films

Trivia:

Due to the absence of trained stunt men Olivier had to do his own stunts as well as showing almost every Irish extra how to do their stunts (this resulted in him suffering many injuries including fractured shoulders).

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the scenes taking place in the Globe Theatre, signboards are used to indicate changes of scene. Shakespeare's theatre wouldn't have used signboards because most of his audience could not read.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Chorus: O! for a Muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention; a kingdom for a stage, princes to act and monarchs to behold the swelling scene. Then should the war-like Harry, like himself, assume the port of Mars; and at his heels, leashed in like hounds...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Agincourt 1415: The Triumph of the Longbow (1993) (V)

Soundtrack:

Agincourt Hymn

A brilliant, classic film--worth watching again

What an intelligent film!!! I loved its stage-y quality--The good-humored recreation of a performance in Shakespeare's time with the audience so fully engaged, laughing at jokes we don't understand (e.g., the machinations of churchmen). I loved the details and sense of history--the sets inspired by medieval illuminations and the score by William Walton. The tight script and directing bring out the complexity of the play. Unlike other reviewers, I'd rate it higher than Branagh's more visceral, contemporary version though I can see why some might find this one pallid. It doesn't have a modern feel, and this style of acting Shakespeare feels dated to me--I've grown accustomed to naturalism. Overall, I appreciate that it is many-layered and distinctively English. I hope it accomplished its worthy goal of raising morale during the WWII.