WS ABC Henry V Films

The iconic film image of Laurence Olivier playing Henry V.

During the past 73 years the play Henry V has been filmed twice: once in 1944 directed by Laurence Olivier and once in 1989 directed by Kenneth Brannagh. Both of these directors also played the leading role of Henry V.

The 1944 version opens with the cast appearing on the stage of the Globe theatre and then as the plot develops the film moves into a more 'natural' cinematic format. Olivier not only directed, co-produced (with Filippo Del Giudice) and starred in this production but he, together with Dallas Bower and Alan Dent adapted Shakespeare's play to fit the screen. In an effort to 'close the dramatic circle' the film reverts to the stage of the Globe at the end.

This film was shot in 1943, and the wartime Prime Minister, Winston Churchill told Olivier to make it a morale-booster for the troops who were due to invade Nazi Europe in the D-Day campaign. The film was shot in County Wicklow in neutral Ireland although the inner sets were made at Denham Studios, Bucks., UK. According to Wikipedia, hundreds of the local Irish population were hired to take part in the Battle of Agincourt scenes and those who brought their own horses with them were paid extra.     

This film remained quite faithful to the original text except that Olivier deleted three scenes: (1) Henry V's speech about how his troops will commit rape and pillage in Harfleur if its citizens don't surrender, (2) the beheading of the three rebellious lords who were responsible for the Southampton Plot and (3) Henry's refusal to stop the hanging of Bardolph for looting. This end of this film also differs from WS's play in that Olivier leaves out Henry's speech at the end warning the French about any further rebellious behaviour. The reason for this last change was simple. In 1943-4 England and France were allies and it didn't make sense that a film which was partly bankrolled by the British government threaten their French allies.

In contrast to Olivier's version, Kenneth Brannagh's production of Henry V was made as a purely commercial venture. It made over $10 million in the USA alone. Another difference between the two versions is that the opening Chorus, spoken by Derek Jacobi wears modern dress although the rest of the actors wear the clothes and uniforms of 1415. Jacobi continued to do this during several other parts of the film where the Chorus explains how the play/film is progressing.

In an effort to put this film in its historic setting, Brannagh included a few flashbacks at the beginning with references to how Henry V's friend, Falstaff, died. Also, unlike Olivier, most of this film was shot inside, at Shepperton Studios, including the great Agincourt battlefield scenes.

The battle scenes in Brannagh's version are much more bloody and gory than Olivier's and are more realistic as a result. Brannagh also filmed his Agincourt with a rainy background as opposed to Olivier's more sunny background. Historically Brannagh was more correct in this and his film certainly removes any idea that there was no glory to be had on the battlefield. If you look at the victorious Brannagh/Henry V at the end of the battle, you can see he is covered with mud and blood. 

A very muddy and bloody Brannagh at the end of shooting the Battle of Agincourt

Personal observation:While I think that Brannagh recreated this Medieval battle as realistically as possible, I do not think that this proud king would ever have helped his exhausted men carry the dead and wounded off the battlefield as we see in the 1989 film.

Both of these films were well received. Olivier's film showed that it was possible, despite previous moderate attempts, to make good films out of WS plays According to Wikipedia, in 2007, Military History Magazine listed Olivier's film as 75th among the "100 Greatest War Movies." In addition, Olivier received a special award and the film was nominated for the Best Picture, Actor, Musical Score, Interior Decoration and Colour.

Olivier: "We few, we happy few..." 
Note:By the way, the scene showing the fully-armoured Olivier being winched onto his horse is completely incorrect. If the knights' armour had been so heavy, they would have never have been able to fight in battle.

Brannagh's film was so well-received that it holds a 100% rating on 'Rotten Tomatoes,' a rating that had been equalised by the earlier 1944 version. Variety magazine wrote that this film was a "stirring, gritty and enjoyable pic which offers a plethora of fine performances from some of the UK's brightest talents." In addition to Kenneth Brannagh, these actors included Derek Jacobi (Chorus), Paul Scofield (French king), Judi Dench (Mistress Quickly), Ian Holm Fluellen), Emma Thompson (Princess Katherine), Brian Blessed (Earl of Exeter), and Geraldine McEwen (Alice).

Renee Asherson as Princess Katherine with Henry V, (Olivier.)

(Right) Emma Thompson as Princess Katherine with Henry V (Brannagh).

In terms of awards, the 1989 film was nominated for three Oscars for Best Director, Costume Design and Actor {Brannagh} and it also won many awards from the British equivalent of the Oscars, the Chicago Film Critics Assoc., European Awards, and from several other prestigious institutions.

In the earlier version, Felix Aylmer played the Archbishop of Canterbury and Leslie Banks and the recently half-blinded Esmond Knight played the Chorus and Fluellen respectively.