A Man for All Seasons - The Oscar Project Part XXXIX

Talk about a change in movies. After two years of musicals, the 1966 movie “A Man for All Seasons” was the next film to win the Best Picture award. Such a quick change by the academy could have easily been predicted after giving the award to two musicals right in a row, this film is a much smaller film that feels important, is a biography and has that independent feel that the academy has always loved.

The film tells the story of Sir Thomas More during the creation of the Church of England by Henry the VIII. The King wishes to divorce his current wife so that he can marry Anne Boleyn. Since the Pope refuses to grant a divorce to his wedding with Catherine, the King declares himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England so that his marriage is annulled. More believes this to be a heresy as the Pope is the head of the church. Throughout the film More’s faith in his beliefs are tested and he is pressured to agree with the King of England. Eventually when he refuses to take an oath a scheme is put in play to convict him of a crime he did not commit and is killed.

“A Man for All Seasons” is based off of a play of the same name. The movie feels very much like a play and not a movie. The only difference being that they can have the set move to different locations. But the feel of the movie invoked the same feeling when I watch a play. The adaptation of the play to a movie wasn’t very good. There was more that needs to be done when doing an adaptation than just using the script that was written for the stage. The two are different mediums and therefore the script needs to be treated differently. The acting however was able to overcome this in several instances. Paul Scofield as More and Robert Shaw as King Henry are terrific and really make the movie. It’s too bad that the rest of the production couldn’t live up to their performance.

I highly recommend seeing this story play out on stage if at all possible. If not this is a good movie to see as long as you treat it as a filming of a stage production and not as a movie. Overall I give this film 3 out of 5 stars.