Becket
All actors and roles (10)
Short description
Set in twelfth-century England, Becket centres on the friendship between King Henry II and Thomas Becket, his trusted advisor and companion. When the position of Archbishop of Canterbury becomes vacant, Henry sees a chance to bring the church under his control by installing Becket in the role. The appointment instead transforms the relationship: Becket takes his new responsibilities seriously and becomes a defender of the church's independence, putting him on a collision course with the king. The film is based on Jean Anouilh's play about the conflict between the two men.
Peter Glenville directed, working from a screenplay by Edward Anhalt, with Hal B. Wallis producing. Richard Burton plays Becket opposite Peter O'Toole as Henry II, and the supporting cast includes John Gielgud, Gino Cervi, Paolo Stoppa and Donald Wolfit, among 61 credited performers. The production was a joint British and American venture from Paramount and Keep Films, and it took about 9 million dollars worldwide.
Becket was Glenville's first film as director, followed two years later by Hotel Paradiso. On IMDb it holds a 7.7 rating from around 17,000 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 7.2 from roughly 200 votes. A critics' rating of 7.6 from 28 reviews places it close to the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Richard Burton (1925-1984) initially refused to star in this film, believing he would instantly become a laughingstock in all the newspapers if he played the role of a saint. Burton stated that he would have been more suited to the role of Henry II (1133-1189) Plantagenet, which was played by Peter O'Toole (1932-2013).
- John Gielgud (1904-2000) was nominated for an Oscar, despite appearing on screen in only two brief scenes.
- A 1964 adaptation of Jean Anouilh's (1910-1987) play. Contrary to what the film claims, the play provides a historically more accurate explanation of the conflict between Thomas Becket and the monarch.
- The closeness between King Henry II and Thomas Becket is portrayed as purely platonic. The film was made in 1963, when homosexuality was still illegal in the United Kingdom, and any hint of such a relationship between the characters would have immediately attracted the attention of the censors. Nevertheless, the film contains hints that Henry II loved Becket.
- The artist of the film, John Bryan (1911-1969), was responsible for the construction of the Canterbury Cathedral set, which at the time were the largest interior sets of any building in the history of European cinema.
- The murder of Thomas Becket was far more brutal and bloody than depicted in the film.
Similar movies
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
