Becket (1964)
The tale of Henry II and his feud with Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Richard Burton). Henry II yells and finds no psychological comfort as his friendship with Becket goes awry due to him excommunicating everyone who looks at him crooked. Henry has an inner void and inflexibility and ideologically unsound arguments that lead to peril. This was formulaic.
Henry yells at his mother and his harpy wife Eleanor. Huge hats are worn and this was wildly inaccurate. People take regressive positions, make draconian comments and behave unbelievably badly and stew in aggrievement. Becket is ostentatiously religious but combatively negligent as to the humble part.
A huge chessboard is shown. This was not stark or disturbing. Becket blights England by his presence and is locked in a seemingly endless struggle with his King. Becket creates shock, appalled reactions and sickening anger. Henry yells at his presumed heir Henry the Young King. His actual heirs Richard and John are not seen. There is subtext, Norman and Saxon tensions and Peter O’Toole rants wildly as Henry II. Dark mumblings lead to murder and then it just ends.
Best Lines:
“Nothing will ever make me set it down again.”
“Oh, that.”
“I repent of it!”
“He’s doomed isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“At last.”
“I forbid you to gloat!”
“Your carping mediocrity.”
“I don’t like my children!”
“I want no more thinking!”
“I never wash now.”
“You look to me sir, not your mother.”
“Stop dribbling while I raise you to glory!”
“An action you may bitterly regret.”
“Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?”
~
Toys (1992)
This is terrible.
The Glimmer Man (1996)
Horrid.