Summary:

    King Philip's arrival in Chinon in December 1183 threatens England's pseudo-peace, but Henry has other plans for Christmas. He frees Eleanor from her internment in Salisbury for the weekend to be solely a figurehead at court. Henry, too, calls his eldest son Richard and middle-son Geoffrey to Chinon Castle, where he raises his bent youngest-son John. He does so to tell them that they can try for its seat although they have no chance at the throne. 

    He cares none for Eleanor's dreams of the freedom, love, and passion she had in her Frankish days. She knows Richard, as King, shall award this dream. Richard's passion bellows with his surmise that he is the rightful heir of England. He wants his father's respect, but besides tactical schemes, Henry seems to shun Richard. 

    John wants what his father promises him, the English Kingdom. Geoffrey wants notability as a viable and competent ruler. He desires the respect deserved to every Royal son. -- But, again, Henry gives no excrement about what they want. 

    Although Henry hatches for the unpronounced heir of England, what he truly seeks is peace of mind and for England's continued strength after his death. 

    Each character's dream for the throne's power transforms Christmas into a comedy of daggers in a castle basement with a mad King Henry II.

Historical Facts

    Eleanor isn't at Christmas court either. During this time, she is in Normandy, guarded heavily as she and Henry confer with Philip over Margaret's endowments. It is her arrival in Normandy that sets the stage for her freedom. 

    The film consolidates the Plantagenet family squabbles and six years of England and France parley -- from Prince Henry's death in 1183 to King Henry's death in 1189 -- into a weekend in Chinon. In reality, Henry is a lonely lion roaring in his den that Christmas, mourning his son's death.

Production History

    Then, they chose a novice Director to lead a proficient team to create a believable family sabotaging each other for power and ambitions. The Lion in Winter is Anthony Harvey's second film. His prior experience came from editing fourteen films done before his directorial debut with Dutchman. Amongst his edited pieces are Lolita and Dr. Strangelove. 

    And although two obstacles aim to threaten to leave The Lion in Winter's on the wayside like Ski Bum, when Anthony Hopkin breaks his arm and when Anthony Harvey catches the flu and syphilis, the cast and crew pull through to produce an underrated classic. Harvey and his team prove their knowledge of the qualities of a good film.

Cast

    Peter O'Toole is a household name with Lawrence of Arabia and his first portrayal of Henry II in Beckett, amongst many other excellent on-screen portrayals. Anthony Hopkins, too, is well known for his skill before the camera. However, The Lion in Winter is the first and only time Anthony Hopkin and O' Toole collaborate, each a quondam member of the Royal National Theatre.

    Too, it is the first and only time Katharine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole share the screen. With her experience -- by this time, she has two Oscars -- Hepburn adds decorum and elegance to the film and its process like a strict mother. "I intend for you to be on time. I hear you stay out at night. You'd better be rested in the morning if you're going to work with me," she remarked to O'Toole one evening.

    John Castle is like Geoffrey, whose skills and knowledge are unknown. The Lion in Winter is his first film, working on television for five years before. The same goes for Nigel Terry, who plays John, the unkempt heir of England. 

    The Casting Director, Paul Lee Lander assembles a star-studded cast with their various experiences, each more like their characters than they think. 

Acting

    The bearded warrior Anthony Hopkin's passion roars through the screen. As Richard, his back is always straight, except when he comes from behind Philip's curtains. 

    John Castle slithers his way through each scene, leaning over a table to the plot, standing straight to persuade. He leaves his trace in every moment as Geoffrey. 

    Nigel Terry gives John's voice levels. It is bitter from misunderstanding the rules of the game, which his elders play effortlessly. It is soft, like a child learning those rules. And it is pliant, thinking that to please is the sure-fire path to success. John's real struggle, however, is his fight to straighten his back.

    Hepburn, in her imprisonment, has poise and eloquence. She is deceitful and emotional, vulnerable, and loving. She snaps and plots the most, but she also brings everyone Christmas gifts. Her posture is sincere, straight in conferences, angled in her scarce weaknesses. 

    It’s the above and many other details that converge to exhibit the cast’s dedication to character and story. -- And it does make for a fine piece of Filmmaking. 

Art Direction

    Lee Poll, costume designer Margaret Furse, and Art Director Peter Murton produce a drab and forbidding royal class. In an early scene, Henry and Alais eat porridge and hard bread from the same saucer with their soiled hands. In another scene, Henry breaks a layer of ice to wash his face, complaining of the cold like a peasant. 

    One loses a sense of time in The Lion in Winter. Even forgetting it is daytime, as the King and Queen stroll down the bleak Chinon hallway. No banners and gaudy emblems of stature decorate the whole castle. The only noticeable colors are Eleanor's white headscarf and her red shawl.