Tonight we were back at The Old Globe Theatre with The Bard, watching Laurence Olivier's 1944 production of "Henry V". I've seen the three Olivier/Shakespeare films on the shelves at Northridge Libe over the years (the other two being "Hamlet" and "Richard III"), but I never checked any of them out because I guess I thought they'd be stiff and stodgy. Both "Richard" and "Henry" are classified as part of Shakespeare's Historical Plays. I am more familiar with the comedies and phantasmagorical dramas like "The Tempest". I've seen "Hamlet" played by SBTS, and it was great but very dark.
Mostly I just didn't know how these plays, as done by Olivier, would translate to film.
Good thing I am on a Shakespeare Kick at the moment. Seeing SBTS last week at Los Encinos got me kickstarted, and after watching the 1936 version of "As You Like It" a few days ago, I finally felt ready to take on a Historical Play. "As You Like It" also starred Laurence Olivier, who was considered to be one of the greatest if not the greatest Shakespearean actor of all time, and by 1944, when he was 37, he was given the chance to direct and produce his own version of "Henry V".
I thought it was, as we like to say, tra-MENN-dous. For simplicity's sake you can read that as "tremendous".
Not being an expert on the history of England, I didn't know much about Henry The Fifth and had only heard of him because of this movie. Logically, it stands to reason that he existed, because you couldn't have the more famous Henry The Eighth without Henry V behind him, but the life of V, for short, was not taught to us in school as far as I can remember.
What I learned from the movie was that Henry The Fifth was one of the Plantagenet Kings who ruled in the early 15th century. The major historical event involving him was The Battle Of Agincourt, which he initiated by claiming that he was entitled by decree to be the King Of France as well as England. You can Google the circumstances if you wish. At any rate, this attempt to usurp power from the French ruler didn't go over well. Negotiations were attempted but fell apart due to the rigidity of Henry's position. I won't reveal the results of the battle, but as for the movie, it is presented as if you in the audience are starting out to watch a play. You are inside The Old Globe in the year 1600, and a Host onstage is preparing you for the spectacle to come, giving you precursory details to the scene you are about to witness.
The play starts out small, but by the time Henry's army is about to cross the English Channel to go invade France, the Host (actually known as the Chorus for some reason) is now imploring you The Audience to use your imagination to envision ocean waves and an eventual shoreline.
Gradually, the film takes you away from the theatre stage and places you in the visions of your imagination, as has been suggested by The Chorus.
Now you are no longer inside The Old Globe, but in the hills of France near Calais. Director Olivier switches gradually from play to live action and takes you from the imaginary world of theatre to real life.
This cinematic technique is very effective in returning you to the historical context, even though as an audience member in 1600, you are only going back two centuries.
Technically the film is a masterpiece, the colors of the costuming have a richness and symbolic detail in things like the coats of arms that in watching, you are absorbed and transported directly into the time period.
Also, you are amazed that there was actually a time when people dressed like this and spoke like this, and had these kinds of high ideals, though trickery and deceit are always present. It's Shakespeare after all.
I will stop now because I have to get up early for church, but I cannot recommend "Henry V" highly enough. Make sure you see the 1944 version with Laurence Olivier. It's not only not stodgy and stiff, but is directed in the last hour as an action movie, with classic knights vs. knights battle scenes and swordfights. Olivier also delivers some of the greatest Shakespearean speeches you will ever hear.
Two Giant Thumbs Up for "Henry V" (1944). A Masterpiece in every respect.
See you in church tomorrow morning. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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