classicsoncall
I'm not a big fan of period costume dramas (or musicals for that matter), but what Kenneth Branagh did here as screenwriter, actor and director served to bring Shakespearean verse to life in a way that would have made using modern dialog an injustice. I'm not that familiar with Shakespeare apart from cursory study in high school, and with that being so far in the past, the film was a welcome departure from more traditional movie fare for this viewer. One mention in particular was surprising to hear, that of a 'band of brothers' referred to in Henry's St. Crispin's speech, only to learn a short time later that the verse actually inspired the title of that acclaimed World War II mini-series. I thought Branagh's Henry was quite eloquent in motivating his men to battle, and no less so in wooing the French Princess Kate (Emma Thompson). The film itself and Branagh's delivery is decidedly pro-England, but then again, so was William Shakespeare, and with this film one gains a measure of the bard's rich language and emotion.
floyd beck
Yes, the acting is powerful; the costumes are very well done; the scenery is stunning; but can anyone understand what they are saying? The dialog is directly from Shakespeare and so it makes listening tortuous. No, I am not saying it is not artistic or not beautiful to listen to. If you know Shakespeare, you know that each sentence he wrote was replete with archaic and unending symbolic meanings. For example: "'Couple a gorge!' That is the word. I thee defy again. O hound of Crete, think'st thou my spouse to get? No; to the spital go, and from the powdering tub of infamy fetch forth the lazar kite of Cressid's kind, Doll Tearsheet she by name, and her espouse: I have, and I will hold, the quondam Quickly; For the only she; and-- pauca, there's enough. Go to." Can you understand this before the next person speaks in similar convolutions? So, when watching the movie, you stumble constantly trying to understand the ancient speech. It also does not help that the French speak with English accents, the English whom they despised utterly.
gavin6942
The gritty adaption of William Shakespeare's play about the English King's bloody conquest of France.Why is Kenneth Branagh so amazing? He has single-handedly brought classic literature to the screen in its best form. He does Shakespeare (again and again) flawlessly, and even offered a strong interpretation of Frankenstein. For those in the United Kingdom, he should be seen as a national treasure."Henry V" is probably not among Shakespeare's best known works. Yes, it has been put on screen a few times and has been performed on stage countless times more. But how many know the basic plot as well as we know "Hamlet" or "MacBeth"? Branagh gives us a reason to care about this historic figure that seems all-but-forgotten. That, and he cast a young Christian Bale, so that is pretty cool.
ShibanPD
The greatest adaptation of a Shakespearean play to the screen, Henry V, adapted by, directed by, and starring Kenneth Branagh, bridges the gap between faithful reproduction and innovative representation in an extremely exciting, most cinematic way. Branagh has certainly done his homework, and we are the benefactors of his erudition. For the most part, he has reduced Shakespeare's text to those elements which are not only screen-worthy, but the meanings of which ride easily on tone, gesture, and action, so that Shakespeare's poetic, though metaphorically dense language presents little obstacle to the understanding of the modern ear. Remaining—and out of place for such a successful transition between mediums—are unnecessary lines delivered by the Chorus (played by a fiery Derek Jacobi), which beg us to pardon the meagerness of the presentation and beseech us to use our imaginations to fill in the resulting holes. Famous lines to those familiar with the stage, but strangely redundant from within the context of a film of such high production value, grandness, and beauty—with a visual and aural realization that rises to match the quality of the bard's text. On the side of embellishment, Branagh interweaves lines, characters, and scenes from parts of Henry IV, through clever flashbacks. The purpose of this device is to summon Hal's past relationships with old friends who are now his subjects, and to elucidate the duality of Hal/Henry; for Hal was not always king, and in his younger days, he caroused with commoners, drunkards, liars, and even thieves. The effectiveness of this device varies: the hanging of Bardolph draws additional emotional impact from it, but, in spite of it and several fine, heartfelt performances, the reminiscing after Falstaff's death falls flat, since we, unlike the audience of Shakespeare's time, have not come to know and love this Sir John Falstaff through Parts 1 and 2 of Henry IV and other works. Now the betrayal of Falstaff by Hal, though moderately effective in the use of this same device, is one of the most interesting scenes in the film, as it employs a flash forward within a flashback, in which we hear Hal think what he will eventually say to Falstaff, and Falstaff responds to his disavowal. Hal's transformation into Henry V is really the heart of Shakespeare's story, as it requires him to sever connections to his "wilder days" in order to lead his countrymen in worldly pursuits. Branagh's handling of it is quite remarkable. Branagh's own acting performance as the title character is smart and passionate, commanding and stirring. It does suffer slightly from that same ailment that afflicts other zealous students of Shakespeare: he knows his lines so well that they, at times, lose their spontaneity and/or authenticity. That penetrating knowledge, which detracts slightly from his performance, overcompensates as an asset to his bold, definitive adaptation and assured direction. Additional assets are an unforgettably powerful score by Patrick Doyle and a solid surrounding cast, which includes Paul Scofield (as King Charles VI of France), Brian Blessed, Ian Holm, Judi Dench, Emma Thompson, and a young Christian Bale. Most notable among the supporting players are Robert Stephens as Auncient Pistol and Christopher Ravenscroft, who, as Montjoy, turns a messenger part into a key role through his earnest, telling reactions to both Henry and the French Dauphin.
