Henry V Henry V

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The life of King Henry the Fifth.

John Abineri Robert Ashby Trevor Baxter Jocelyne Boisseau David Gwillim Julian Glover Garrick Hagon Alec McCowen Anna Quayle Martin Smith Rob Edwards Roger Davenport Clifford Parrish Derek Hollis David Buck Rod Beacham William Whymper Ian Price George Howe David Rowlands Brian Poyser Tim Wylton Paddy Ward Michael McKevitt Ronald Forfar Joe Ritchie David Pinner Jeffrey Holland Gordon Gostelow Show All…

Director

David Giles

Writer

William Shakespeare

Sound

Colin Dixon

Costumes

Odette Barrow

Make-Up

Elizabeth Rowell

Language

English

Alternative Title

The BBC Shakespeare: The Life of Henry the Fifth

war drama

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  • Slappy McGee

    Review by Slappy McGee ★★★★

    Film #33 of my 2019/20 - Watching All 37 BBC Shakespearean Films Initiative.

    *****


    I guess I liked this a good deal more than I originally did when I first watched this version a couple of years ago. I still gave it 3 stars back then. Here is my Review from 2018.

    So this is the fourth in the quartet of plays that are linked together from "Richard II" to the two parts of "Henry IV" to this one. Next up the War of the Roses quadrilogy picks up soon after the reign of Henry the Fifth.

    Also, I did like the consistency of the main actors throughout these four plays. Great talents that all kind of link these four.…

  • Mark De Cosemo

    Review by Mark De Cosemo ★★★★★

    #6 in my lockdown viewing of all 37 BBC television plays of the 1970s and 80s. 

    “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,

    Or close the wall up with our English dead.”

    (King Henry, Act 3 Scene 1)

    The conclusion of the first Henriad, and we see how the apparent folly of his youth prepared Henry to be a King for war. The famous St Crispin’s Day speech hinges on Henry’s ability to relate to the common man, learned in the taverns of Eastcheap. This is contrasted with the effete and aloof Dauphin. 

    The battles are well staged, given the limitations of a television play, but the text shines and David Gwillem makes for a compelling Henry, especially…

  • SantinoCorleone

    Review by SantinoCorleone ★★★★½

    There is a sense of growth with Shakespeare as a writer in this that's really remarkable. I think the "literary" element of Shakespeare is what annoys me. I don't give a shit about word games and the nuances of language. I want meaningful stories and ideas. The scenes of Henry talking to soldiers in secret are so powerful and relevant. It's a really wonderful way to foster an interesting dialogue. It also indicated in many ways that how people talk about politics hasn't changed much. Then there's his rousing military speech. About as good as it gets. And his little moment of remembering his friends. I will be curious to watch the Branagh version now. But honestly this play only really works if seen in the continuum of the history plays.

  • Phil

    Review by Phil ★★★★★

    A most fitting competion of the four-play BBC Henriad. Really superb.

  • Slappy McGee

    Review by Slappy McGee ★★★

    BBC's version of Shakespeare's "Henry V".

    Not the greatest filmed version of this play.

    You have Branagh, Olivier and Hiddleston's all readily available and all highly superior in production than this version.

    BUT... there is a certain historical look to this particular production that is somewhat appealing. And David Gwillim's Henry does come across idealistic and likeable. So it's still enjoyable and worth the effort to seek out (if you are a fan of the Bard).

    Gwillim's St. Crispin's Day speech is very subtle and delivered in an extremely heartfelt manner. I think I like it this underplayed. It's very moving. As is his Act V wooing of Katherine, another fine scene by Gwillim.

    I love that the BBC put all of these plays on film.
    Such a rich treasury for the ages.

  • Siskoid

    Review by Siskoid ★★★★

    The BBC's version of Henry V doesn't have the big battles of Olivier's or Branagh's, but that makes it truer to the original stage productions, doesn't it? In a way, this is a mirror image of Henry IV Part 1, with a now kingly Hal who nevertheless uses mischief on friend and foe alike. One might expect the patriotic propaganda of this play to forget its hero's origins, but Shakespeare's characterization is actually consistent all the way through. Falstaff dies off-stage and Shakespeare is ruthless with his Eastcheap irregulars, as if to stave off another sequel he doesn't want to write, but the play makes up for it with some of Shakespeare's most famous lines and scenes. Seen here without…

  • Kit13

    Review by Kit13 ★★★★★

    I own a copy of this and watch it on a regular basis.
    Having seen many different versions over the years it's incredibly hard to portray a character from this era as a man when so much focus is what pleases the eye for cinema in order to receive more ratings. I find this version much easier to both watch as well as listen to.

  • jedgeco

    Review by jedgeco ★★½

    The last film in David Giles's BBC productions of Shakespeare's "Henriad" is probably the weakest. That there are so many other versions of Henry V to compare this film to certainly doesn't help. But the principal problem is that Giles and actor David Gwillim in the title role don't ever take a position on who Henry is.

    Olivier portrayed Henry as righteous crusader. Of course, in doing so, he had to omit the sections of the play where Henry's actions are monstrous, such as his threats to rape and kill the citizens of Harfleur, or his acknowledgement that his father stole the throne and that he is ultimately complicit in the theft. Giles retains such scenes (and, admirably, most of…