And my Christmas film of choice is...
Dec. 24th, 2011 11:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakDuring Christmas you're sometimes asked for, or reccomend on your own, your favourite Christmas related movie. Now, I'm eternally torn between my fluffy and my cynical side, which makes it clear which movie I shall choose:
The Lion in Winter
The Hepburn/O'Toole version from the 60s, of course. The Patrick Stewart/Glenn Close one isn't bad, either, but much as I love both Mr. Stewart and Ms Close, Team Kate and Peter wins because they own those roles, playing my once and future idea of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II in their middle (for us)/ old (for their contemporaries) age as the Plantagenets battle it out at a Christmas court in Chinon. Up and coming young talents like Anthony Hopkins, Timothy Dalton and Nigel Terry in the supporting roles (aka the three princes plus Philippe II of France) aren't half bad, either. Now James Goldman in the play the film is based on thoughtfully adds a short preface saying he's aware Christmas wasn't celebrated like this at the time, his anachronism is deliberate, but he needn't have bothered: the film is so good you're really not in the mood for nitpicking.
Aside from all the great verbal wit and the emotional violence that is clearly Albee inspired, what makes Goldman's choice of picking a Christmas court as the setting of his medieval marriage, power struggle and family drama also eminently suitable is that there is both a streak of genuine sadness and hope through it all. Alais, the French princess who is Henry's current mistress and Eleanor's former foster daughter, is so out of her league in it all and used as a pawn by everyone, and yet the film treats her better than Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf does the young couple; the affection both Eleanor and Henry have for her in different ways is genuine. Henry and Eleanor lost each other, and in the constant game of trying to outwit each other are prone to slice each other to emotional pieces, but they're also the only ones able to accept and comfort each other. And above all, Eleanor is the great survivor; when Christmas is over and she leaves again for her glorified imprisonment in Salisbury, she and Henry take leave of each other with the incredulous joy of still being alive and certain, absolutely certain, they'll be able to spar again. It's the "my best enemy" relationship that m/m characters usually get, here for a woman and a man based on two of the most interesting people of the middle ages, and played by actors on top of their game who are just a joy to watch. Katherine Hepburn got one of her three Oscars for this, and was it ever earned. To quote from the soundtrack: Eleanor, Regina Anglorum, salve regina! As for young Mr. O'Toole (and he was still young when they filmed it, aged up for Henry in his 50s, and the makeup is far beter than most 60s efforts), instead of getting pulverized by Kate the Great he holds his own, gives as good as he gets and completely sells me on his Henry in a way he doesn't in the earlier Becket. Kudos!
Not remotely connected, except that it was also created in the 60s (oh fabulous decade), here's something spotted on my flist: young Terry Gilliam's idea of an animated Christmas card. Oh Terry G., you inspired lunatic!
The Lion in Winter
The Hepburn/O'Toole version from the 60s, of course. The Patrick Stewart/Glenn Close one isn't bad, either, but much as I love both Mr. Stewart and Ms Close, Team Kate and Peter wins because they own those roles, playing my once and future idea of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II in their middle (for us)/ old (for their contemporaries) age as the Plantagenets battle it out at a Christmas court in Chinon. Up and coming young talents like Anthony Hopkins, Timothy Dalton and Nigel Terry in the supporting roles (aka the three princes plus Philippe II of France) aren't half bad, either. Now James Goldman in the play the film is based on thoughtfully adds a short preface saying he's aware Christmas wasn't celebrated like this at the time, his anachronism is deliberate, but he needn't have bothered: the film is so good you're really not in the mood for nitpicking.
Aside from all the great verbal wit and the emotional violence that is clearly Albee inspired, what makes Goldman's choice of picking a Christmas court as the setting of his medieval marriage, power struggle and family drama also eminently suitable is that there is both a streak of genuine sadness and hope through it all. Alais, the French princess who is Henry's current mistress and Eleanor's former foster daughter, is so out of her league in it all and used as a pawn by everyone, and yet the film treats her better than Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf does the young couple; the affection both Eleanor and Henry have for her in different ways is genuine. Henry and Eleanor lost each other, and in the constant game of trying to outwit each other are prone to slice each other to emotional pieces, but they're also the only ones able to accept and comfort each other. And above all, Eleanor is the great survivor; when Christmas is over and she leaves again for her glorified imprisonment in Salisbury, she and Henry take leave of each other with the incredulous joy of still being alive and certain, absolutely certain, they'll be able to spar again. It's the "my best enemy" relationship that m/m characters usually get, here for a woman and a man based on two of the most interesting people of the middle ages, and played by actors on top of their game who are just a joy to watch. Katherine Hepburn got one of her three Oscars for this, and was it ever earned. To quote from the soundtrack: Eleanor, Regina Anglorum, salve regina! As for young Mr. O'Toole (and he was still young when they filmed it, aged up for Henry in his 50s, and the makeup is far beter than most 60s efforts), instead of getting pulverized by Kate the Great he holds his own, gives as good as he gets and completely sells me on his Henry in a way he doesn't in the earlier Becket. Kudos!
Not remotely connected, except that it was also created in the 60s (oh fabulous decade), here's something spotted on my flist: young Terry Gilliam's idea of an animated Christmas card. Oh Terry G., you inspired lunatic!
no subject
Date: 2011-12-24 10:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-24 11:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-25 06:44 pm (UTC)Must add Lion In Winter to the list, although I suspect it is sadly low on explosions. ;-)
no subject
Date: 2011-12-24 12:05 pm (UTC)I mean, shortlisted for best movie ever, so that's not hard.
I place most of the blame for the failings of the Stewart/Close version on the director, honestly. There's a jarring lack of intimacy in the production, which is made worse by everyone having to walk around and around that horrible stairwell where they set 80% of the movie. Also, my favorite line reading from Geoffrey was ripped straight from the Gene Wilder Willy Wonka, so that was a little embarrassing.