Call number
D 920 MOR
Status
Available
Call number
Description
Chancellor of England, Sir Thomas More, is placed in a difficult position when Henry VIII breaks with the Catholic Church over its refusal to annul his marriage to Katherine of Aragon so he can marry Anne Boleyn. Henry demands More's endorsement of this act. Torn between his conscience and duty to the crown, Sir Thomas chooses to say nothing.
Publication
Turner Home Ent (2002)
Original publication date
1966
ISBN
1559600004 / 9781559600002
UPC
053939600131
Collections
Media reviews
Sir Thomas More, Chancellor of England, has an unquestioning faith. As a devout Catholic, More refuses to support King Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon. In quest of a son, Henry wants to marry his mistress, Anne Boleyn. When the petulant king breaks with Rome and the Pope, More
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resigns his chancellorship in protest. Unsure in his new position as head of the Church of England, the king is unnerved by More's continued refusal to acknowledge his suzerainty. For his stubborn convictions, More ends up imprisoned in the Tower of London. For holding devotion to God and the Church dearer than his loyalty to the King, More dies. Show Less
FRED ZINNEMANN has done a fine job of putting upon the screen the solid substance of "A Man for All Seasons," Robert Bolt's play about Sir Thomas More, and in doing so he presents us with an awesome view of a sturdy conscience and a steadfast heart....It is notable that Mr. Bolt, in writing his own
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screenplay, has dropped the Common Man, who was a glib and ubiquitous character of vulgar wit and cynicism on the stage....Moreover, the staging of the drama on the screen in a naturalistic style, with authentic medieval locations and sharply detailed sets designed by John Box, removes it from the ambience of philosophical reflection achieved in the abstract set of the stage production and puts it in the aspect of historical literalness....I would say that the film misses the humor and pragmatism of the Common Man, and it sacrifices some scope of vision with the loss of the abstract set....A Man for All Seasons" is a picture that inspires admiration, courage and thought. Show Less
Robert Bolt adapted his 1960 play, a timeless, personal conflict based on the 16th century politico-religious situation between adulterous King Henry VIII and Catholic Sir Thomas More....Primary market is the class audience, with Columbia gearing its roadshow sell accordingly. Subsequent general
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playoff may be spotty. Show Less
Awards
Academy Award (Nominee — Best Adapted Screenplay — 1966)
National Board of Review Award (Top Ten Films 1967)