A Man for All Seasons (1966)
A Man for All Seasons is a story for all times, whenever leaders think they are above the law by twisting governments and religious doctrines to suit their own needs. It has happened before, it’s happening now, and it will happen again, no doubt. This is the cautionary tale of one man, Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield), who dares to stand up to his leader Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) by living within the established laws of man and God, and he is put to death for doing so. It’s about greed, lust, coercion, alternative facts, fake news, corrupt Christians, abuse of power, and a dictator in open rebellion. Sounds just like today’s headlines, but this is the 16th century.
There are many great and inspiring moments in this movie, with exceptional performances all around. Scofield won a Tony Award when he originated the role on Broadway, then added an Oscar to his mantel for the film, but he is surrounded by a brilliant supporting cast. Each time I see the early scene with Orson Welles as an ailing Cardinal Wolsey, I’m floored by his magnificence. It’s as if his mere presence is enough to stop clocks. I only wish he were given more screen time. It could have led to a Best Supporting Actor nomination and perhaps a win. Still, he does everything possible with a brief but pivotal role.
That scene establishes the conflict that ultimately leads to the demise of Thomas More, a member of the king’s Privy Council who is elevated by Henry VIII to Lord Chancellor of England upon Wolsey’s death. King Henry values More’s opinion over others because he is known far and wide as an honest man. Henry wants to divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon to marry his mistress Ann Boleyn (Vanessa Redgrave in a memorable cameo). Once divorce is out of the question, the king seeks an annulment—but More refuses to state his opinion either for or against the king’s wishes, only that he cannot, in good conscience, speak his mind about it. More points out that, according to the law, silence equals consent, but Henry and his entire regime refuse to see it that way. Without More’s public support, the legitimacy of Henry’s actions will forever be called into question.
Robert Shaw is outstanding as the legendary monarch, and his Henry does all he can to intimidate and humiliate More in front of everyone by bellowing his demands, but soon things go from bad to worse. The king enlists the help of Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern, also from the original Broadway cast), who, in turn, employs the devious Richard Rich (John Hurt in an impressive performance) to dig up dirt of any kind on More. In the end it proves impossible without lying about him, something the status-hungry Rich is willing to do for a promotion. Meanwhile, we see More’s family torn apart by what is happening. Wendy Hiller is tremendous as More’s wife Alice, with solid support from Susannah York as his daughter Margaret, and Corin Redgrave as Margaret’s headstrong husband William Roper.
Thomas More’s singular “fault” is being a man of good conscience. It sounds simple enough—to be true to one’s beliefs and principles—but when put to the test, it robs More of everything and everyone around him. Ultimately, he stands trial for treason. That’s when Rich steps up to the plate and perjures himself for profit. More is found guilty and sentenced to death.
Aside from the acting, it’s the writing that shines. So many memorable lines of dialogue resonate long after I’ve see this film. In one heated exchange between More and his reactionary son-in-law Roper (Corin Redgrave), the latter accuses Richard Rich of being evil and suggests he be arrested.
“Go, he should, if he were the Devil, until he broke the law,” says More, opposing the idea.
“Now you give the Devil benefit of the law?” replies an outraged Roper.
“Yes, what would you do?” says More. “Cut a road through the law to get after the Devil?”
“Yes, I’d cut down every law in England to do that.”
“And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted with laws from coast to coast—man’s laws, not God’s—and if you cut them down, and you’re just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the wind that would blow then?”
“Yes,” replies Roper.
“I give the Devil benefit of law for my own safety’s sake.”
This reminds me of another Oscar-winner, All the King’s Men. Exactly the sort of path that Roper suggests was taken with the best of intentions when Willy Stark (Broderick Crawford) digs deeper into corruption for the greater good of his country and its citizens. By blocking evil people at all costs, Willy stoops to their level. Rules are broken, and boundaries are indistinguishable, leading to chaos and ruin for all concerned. In A Man for All Seasons, Roper’s heart may be in the right place, but he recommends doing whatever is necessary to stop the “bad people” posing a threat to More. Unlike Willy Stark, More resists the idea, trusting that justice will and must prevail. It doesn’t, at least not for him. History and hindsight have put these events into a clearer perspective, however.
A Man for All Seasons is the thought-provoking, true story of a much-admired individual who keeps his faith in the established ideals of a civilized nation and dies at the hands of those around him as a result. It hasn’t lost a bit of its bite since it was released in 1966. The point is valid, it bears repeating, and it’s all too relevant in these troubling times.
A Man for All Seasons
Director | Fred Zinnemann |
Primary Cast | Paul Scofield, Wendy Hiller, Leo McKern, Robert Shaw, Orson Welles, Susannah York, Nigel Davenport, John Hurt, Corin Redgrave, Colin Blakely, Vanessa Redgrave |
Familiar Faces | Susannah York from Tom Jones |
Firsts | None to speak of |
Total Wins | 6 (Picture, Director, Actor: Paul Scofield, Screenplay: Adapted, Cinematography: Color, Costume Design: Color) |
Total Nominations | 8 (Picture, Director, Actor: Paul Scofield, Supporting Actor: Robert Shaw, Supporting Actress: Wendy Hiller, Screenplay: Adapted, Cinematography: Color, Costume Design: Color) |
Viewing Format | Blu-ray Disc |
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