A Man for All Seasons (Special Edition)

This Academy Award winning movie is a miracle. Fred Zinnemann's cinematic treatment of the play by Robert Bolt has a quality of luminous economy. The casting is amazing. Every member of the cast is just right, from Paul Scofield as Sir Thomas More and Dame Wendy Hiller as Lady Alice all the way down to those cast as the Thames river boatmen, the messengers, the jailers at the Tower and the big lab who played the More's family dog. The costuming and settings in the movie are perfect, a huge departure from the costuming and makeup of other historical movies produced in the fifties and sixties. Another perfectly rendered component of A Man for All Seasons is the soundtrack. It is sparse and beautiful and truly evokes the historical period surrounding the events that lead to the split of the English Church from Rome and the subsequent execution of Sir Thomas. Although this movie was not made to inspire in a religious sense, it is one of the best hagiographies ever made in any medium. It is, after all, the story of a man who is now a canonized Saint of the Catholic Church. More importantly, it is a well-told story with grace abounding everywhere. The opportunities for all the characters to respond to grace seem suspended in time, the choices still waiting to be made, as if time and history have been detained so we can see what they choose to do. King Henry, the Duke of Norfolk, Richard Rich, Lady Alice, Matthew, Margaret, Cromwell ... all of them ... choosing. One of the most exquisite and heartrending scenes in the movie is the foreshadowing of the choices Henry makes -- looking up from his immediate surroundings at his wedding to Anne Boleyn and thinking he sees Thomas (whom he loves and trusts) entering the hall with a group of men. You can almost see the two-fisted thrusting away of the grace of the moment when he realizes the man is not Thomas, and that Thomas will not and cannot endorse his marriage. Spoilers abound in the Lives of the Saints, June 22, the Feast of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher. This movie, in my opinion, is a far better way to learn about a man who walked this earth and was remarkable in his love and compassion in imitation of Christ (and he was a lawyer!) Folks of a secular bent will not find much to complain about, either, as the movie is so well done and has no moralizing or melodrama. A Man for All Seasons is not a movie to rent, it is a movie to own. I have already owned two VHS tapes and 2 DVDs and will probably have to buy it at least once or twice more in my life.

A good period movie showing court life in the time of Henry the 8Th. Paul Scofield does an excellent job playing Sir Thomas More. The movie won 6 Academy Awards.

My favorite Movie of all time and fairly accurate historically. It presents the man as he was with all his flaws but also his greatness. I wish that the film had been able to present a more complete biography, but it would take 6 or 7 hours to do so and that was not possible for a film (maybe a mini-series, but it would have lost its impact). Sir Thomas More was a lawyer who was the son of a Lawyer. He was a brilliant man who knew Latin and Greek and had studied the Roman and Greek writings available to him at the time. He was a friend of Erasmus, the ultimate intellectual of the age. He was also a devout Catholic in an age Lutheran revolt. The film does not cover this aspect of his life, but as Chancellor of England, he was responsible for burning Protestants at the stake pursuant to law. Not admirable by modern standards, but we should not judge him by modern standards, but by standard of his own time. The film is based on Robert Bolt's play and presents short period of the lives of both Sir Thomas More and King Henry the 8th. The acting is outstanding, Orson Welles is Cardinal Woolsey and well cast, and the actor who plays Thomas Cromwell is also excellent (He also played Rumple of the Bailey for BBC)---All the other actors are excellent, even the minor ones. The movie covers the events around Henry the 8th's divorce (actually an annulment in modern terms) of Catherine of Aragon and his marriage to Ann Boleyn wherein England left the Roman Catholic Church. The film accurately shows King Henry to be an intellectual well versed in history, law and Catholic theology---he was not an intellectual light weight. He was a man willing to do wrong and rationalize it effectively and he was a tyrant willing to pervert justice and english law to gain his ends. He appointed Sir Thomas More to be his Chancellor replacing Cardinal Woolsey, but he miss judged More's allegiance to English law and Catholic theology. It accurately presents Henry as a very orthodox Catholic, but who threw off the authority of the Bishop of Rome, aka, the Pope. Henry believed More would as a loyal British subject support his king. More was loyal to Henry, but gave his greatest allegiance to God and upheld Roman Catholic and British law. Things not included are that Henry and More together wrote a rebuttal to Luther in around 1520 (7 or 8 years prior to the events in this movie) which caused the Pope to give Henry the title of "Defender of the Faith." More, a commoner, but a brilliant lawyer was a member of Henry's court by virtue of his amazing intellect and learning which Henry appreciated as he was also an very learned man. All Characters are presented sympathetically in the film, but when great moral questions arise, people have to make decisions. My wife thinks More made the wrong decision, I disagree but understand her view. Last historical tidbit, Sir Thomas More was made a Saint of the Catholic Church which may surprise people who think all attorneys are in league with the devil---being an attorney, I appreciate that, even though I am a Protestant and kind of don't like burning Protestants.

I bought this special edition of "A Man for All Seasons" to replace my 1999 Sony DVD, but boy was it a tough decision, mostly because this new disc is practically the same product. On the plus side, the picture and audio (now in a 5.1 mix) are sharper here, with stronger color saturations and clearer dialogue than the older release. It's only a slight improvement, but quite noticeable when you play both discs side-by-side. I also like the little documentary on Sir Thomas More produced for the special edition, as it includes some intelligent interviews with scholars and a bit of insight into the history portrayed on film. On the neutral side, this new disc is one-sided, unlike the older release which had a full-screen version on one side and widescreen on the other. In a post-HD and post-BluRay world, I really don't see any point to owning a full-screen DVD, although I suppose some people may still desire such. Finally, on the negative side, the special edition is dual-layered whereas the original release was presented in a hearty single-layer format (i.e. less likely to "stick" or freeze while playing) that had better artwork and a nice fold-out insert with chapter listings and liner notes. Also, it's disappointing that the Special Edition does not include the theatrical re-release trailer that was on the original disc, but instead includes several trailers for similar historical epics like "Cromwell." The whole point of owning a DVD (particularly today when you can call up just about any movie on Netflix) is to get some special features like the original theatrical trailer that you will not find elsewhere. It seems movie companies are now loading their DVDs with trailers for other movies as we used to see on VHS tapes. In any event, the film itself remains great, a tale of conscience featuring a Catholic saint whose story holds universal appeal -- even to agnostic playwright Robert Bolt, who adapted this screenplay from his stage play of the same name. Some viewers believe this film is among the most overrated Best Picture winners in the history of the Academy Awards, but I never tire of it. Paul Scofield is great in the title role and is amply supported by Robert Shaw, Vanessa Redgrave, Leo McKern, John Hurt, and Orson Welles. It's a talky film, but beautifully written and portrayed as a morality play, and worth seeing.

Why can't we have movies like this anymore? Greta storytelling, superb acting, no CGI... A superb movie that also makes one to think!

While "A Man for All Seasons" is by no means a modern film, it is far and away a quality one. While the problem with most "Christian Cinema" is it being too soft and "touchy-feely," "A Man for All Seasons does well in being emotional and heart wrenching while still serious and heavy. The movie is altogether very well-paced, ending at just the right time, tying up all the loose ends, and delivering a satisfactory message, albeit with a sad ending. It definitely deserved those Oscars! The message is quite similar to Captain America's in Marvel's "Captain America: Civil War," the idea of planting yourself, standing in your beliefs simply because it is the right thing, even if everyone else just puts their head down and follows along. More chooses to follow that higher authority over the authority of King Henry the VIII. Sir Thomas More, played by Paul Scofield, is a not a dark, twisted, "broken" hero that we love for being a sympathetic hero like we do Christian Bale's "Batman." Instead, Sir More has a resolute dignity about him, a nobility that transcends the scum he rises above. We easily see why he was chosen for Chancellor, he is worthy man and remains that, despite being thrown to the tower, he is a good man in times of peril and plenty, truly "A Man For All Seasons"

One of the greatest cinematic studies of the nature of personal integrity, I sometimes think that this film is in danger of being forgotten -- and it shouldn't be. One wonders at the degree of corruption in More's time that he should have been so highly regarded for his honesty -- and how he might have been regarded today. What Robert Bolt and Fred Zinnemann had wrought is absolutely brought to glorious life by the incomparable characterization of Sir Thomas More by the chronically underrated Paul Scofield. Bringing superb support to the role are Nigel Davenport as More's close friend Norfolk, who is caught between the rock of his respect and concern for More and the hard place of his duty to (and fear of) Henry VIII; Leo McKern as the jovially sinister Thomas Cromwell, whose verbal jousts with More are virtual poetry from Bolt's pen; John Hurt as More's fair-weather friend Richard Rich; Dame Wendy Hiller as More's devoted but frustrated and misunderstanding wife; and the elegant Susannah York as his equally devoted and strong-minded daughter. Two stand-out performances in relatively small but vital roles: Orson Welles, magnetic as the shrewdly pragmatic Cardinal Wolsey; and Robert Shaw, whose energetic portrayal of a young Henry VIII (before his corpulent days!) dominates the screen the two times he's on it. As with "The Lion in Winter," the remarkable scriptwriting is the driving force behind the story, but Scofield's dignified, restrained, but at the same time quietly forceful delivery are what give the writing its power. The great quotes of the film ("Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the entire world...but for Wales?" "When you are sent to heaven for doing your conscience, and I am sent to hell for not doing mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?" etc.) are conveyed with either enormous gravity or poignancy by nothing more than the tone of Scofield's voice. I think that the dilemma at the heart of the tale and how men of power came to grips with it is artfully summed up in the dying words of Wolsey and, of course, More. Wolsey regrets he did not serve God as well as he served his king. More, on the other hand, dies as "His majesty's good servant...but God's first." Whether criticized or praised as a morality play, it's wonderful to at least HAVE an uncompromising morality play to watch from time to time --especially one so well crafted.

I am not deeply religious but I have always had a high regard for Thomas More. I wanted to know more about him and this was the first source. I purchased this film as opposed to streaming it because of the overwhelmingly good reviews here and the many awards it won in its day. I seldom buy a movie but I am glad I bought this one and enjoyed it in its fiftieth year. The story was excellent, the actors played their parts perfectly and a story deserving to be told unfolded beautifully. I think many Catholics today can relate to acknowledging the corruption inside the church, while still believing it to be the truth and holding supreme authority on moral matters. More was no different five centuries ago. I do plan on watching the 1988 remake that some say is closer to the play but I notice is a half hour longer. Since More was an attorney, I wonder if it will have more dialogue from More then this film and he is my primary interest. I also liked the Special Feature that came with this film, watching it made me realize how closely the film chronicled More's life. The film didn't really connect More's writings in retirement to his continued persecutions by Cromwell, and ultimate conviction and execution. More wasn't as quiet as the film entailed and without watching the included feature which I would not have gotten through streaming I wouldn't have known this. More also continued to write while in The Tower of London which also was left out of the film. In fairness though, I have not seen the play nor read it which is what the film was based on. Predictably the film ends on his faumous quote, and I would have expected nothing different. I would recommend buying this film to anyone who is interested in the man Thomas More or anyone who is deeply Catholic. For anyone looking for a good classic film I would recommend streaming it online, which is what I plan on doing when I watch the 1988 remake.

Großartiger Klassiker. Wird leider viel zu wenig gezeigt und somit heutzutage sehr unbekannt.

Everything about this superbly acted and directed film rings true. Scofield and Welles were never better. The literate script is to die for. Also, love Georges Delerue's music score.

Remarquable film

El producto es bueno con buena definición, adecuada visibilidad, pero no tiene subtítulos en español. Como peliculas sesentera,realmente no convence para ganar el oscar, peto hay cada error al premiar ,en fin.el argumento es la vida de Tomas moro y su relación con Enrique octavo, si ya vieron la serie los Tudor es lo mismo pero en dos horas.yo no le hubiera dado el oscar,.

EXCELLENT! This British 1966 production is a major film in history of world cinema. When telling the story of a great man it also deals with a great tragedy - and comes out with honours in both points. I discovered it finally for the first time and I am very happy that I bought and watched it. Below, more of my impressions, with some SPOILERS. This film is an adaptation of a play about last six years of life of Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), Lord Chancellor of England who refused to sign a letter asking Pope Clement VII to annul King Henry VIII of England's marriage to Catherine of Aragon and resigned rather than take an Oath of Supremacy declaring Henry VIII Supreme Head of the Church of England. This brilliant lawyer, humanist philosopher, scholar and author (most important work is of course "Utopia" published in 1516), is also known to Catholics as Saint Thomas More (beatified in 1886 and canonized in 1935). The renowned director Fred Zinnemann, who was already famous for his masterpieces like "High Noon" and "From here to eternity", signed here possibly his opus magnum. This film describes the last years of life of this great man with great brilliance and it is clear that it deserved the six Oscars received, including that for the Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor. Paul Scofield, whom I saw previously only in the 1964 war movie "The Train", portrayed More PERFECTLY and he was deservedly covered with awards for his performance. It is a great pity that this great stage actor didn't appear more in the movies... The rest of the cast is excellent as well, with the best performance offered by Leo McKern who plays a Thomas Cromwell 100% as abject as he was in the real history. Young John Hurt, for whom it was only the third role ever, is also excellent as Richard Rich - his character is also so abject that he really deserved to be killed by a chest burster 13 years later...))) Henry VIII (played by Robert Shaw) appears ultimately little on the screen - and the one long scene in which he is present shows clearly how a horrible, unstable and FREAKISHLY SCARY brute this man was. Honestly, for a moment I thought that I was watching a film about Ivan the Terrible, his fellow tyrant and madman. In fact it seems a really weird, strange coincidence that Henry VIII, the most tyrannic and bloodthirsty ruler of England died in January 1547 - exactly the same month when young Ivan the Terrible, the craziest and most cruel of tsars, was crowned ruler of Russia... It is almost as some evil spirit abandoned agonizing English tyrant to go posess a younger and even more promising Russian despot... Orson Welles appears as Cardinal Wolsey and he is GRANDIOSE! Nigel Davenport provides his massive frame and huge talent to the role of duke of Norfolk, one of few men serving Henry VIII who seem to have at least some decency left - although ultimately not so much courage... Susannah York is excellent as Thomas More daughter. Vanessa Redgrave makes a cameo as Anna Boleyn. The tone of the film, especially in its second part, is close to the one in similar productions about people whose death was decided in advance by men in power and who are brought to "trial" just to give some legal cover for their murder. Andrzej Wajda's "Danton" is probably the closest such work, although I couldn't also help but notice a similarity of the tone with "Marie Antoinette, reine de France" in which Michele Morgan portrayed with great dignity the martyred queen of France, especially when she faced the parody of trial... The film begins slow and builds up the tension with great skill until the last 15 minutes, in which it becomes a ground shaking and wall shattering drama, filled with great - and very tragic - one liners. This is a GREAT film which everybody should see at least once. Pope John Paul II said once that it was his favourite movie - and now that I finally discovered it, I totally understand why... A MAJOR MASTERPIECE WHICH WILL NEVER AGE! ENJOY!