‎The Lion in Winter (1968) directed by Anthony Harvey • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

The Lion in Winter

1968 Directed by Anthony Harvey

The most significant reserved seat attraction of the year!

1183 AD: King Henry II's three sons all want to inherit the throne, but he won't commit to a choice. They and his wife variously plot to force him.

Peter O'Toole Katharine Hepburn Anthony Hopkins John Castle Nigel Terry Timothy Dalton Jane Merrow Nigel Stock O.Z. Whitehead Kenneth Ives Kenneth Griffith Henry Woolf Karol Hagar David Griffith

Country

Language

English

history drama

134 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Aaron ★★★★★ 12

Part of Buddy the Elf, What's Your Favorite Color?

“I hope we never die.” “So do I.” “Do you think there’s any chance of it?”

The year was 1969. Nominations for the 1968 Academy Awards were soon to be announced. Naturally, the films leading the Oscar discussion and the nomination field were 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick’s dazzling venture into the far reaches of space, human evolution, and the future, and Rosemary’s Baby, Roman Polanski’s American debut featuring an oustanding Mia Farrow performance and a memorable exploration of maternal anxiety and paranoia. The two films combined to sweep the ceremony held in March, with 2001 winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Cinematography,…
Review by CJ Probst ★★★½ 6

Katherine Hepburn’s voice really annoys the shit out of me. It was always irritating but as she grew older it got worse. It makes me want to stick ice picks in my ears. That’s not to say she isn’t a great actress because she is. But she sounds like a pretentious death rattle.

Peter O’Toole was the star of my favorite film of all time so he gets a free pass for everything he ever did. Even Caligula. I own Caligula on Blu-ray.

Sooooooo, I’m sort of typing this while I’m watching it because it’s preeeeeeetty boring. 2 hours and 14 minutes huh? Pfffffffffffff. Twiddles thumbs. I’ve never written ‘twiddled’ before now. I guessed right. Great cast. 2 great actors…
Review by sarah 🌙 3

If you thought YOUR family Christmas gatherings were dysfunctional, just watch The Lion in Winter, or read a sampling of my favorite quotes:

- "I'd hang you from the nipples, but you'd shock the children."
- "A king? Because you put your ass on purple cushions?"
- "Well, what shall we hang... the holly, or each other?"
- "Oh Eleanor, you've brought me my tombstone! You spoil me!"
- "I'm vilifying you for God's sake— pay attention!"

Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn are a pairing made in heaven.
Review by Florin Stan ★★★★ 11

Based on a play by James Goldman that is fictional but centers around historical facts and characters, The Lion in Winter is a historical drama about King Henry II and his family during Christmas of 1183. Henry (Peter O'Toole) has to decide which of his three sons will inherit the throne: Richard (Anthony Hopkins in his debut), a formidable soldier with a heart made of stone; Geoffrey, a cold and calculated man lacking honor; and John, the youngest and Henry's favorite, a simpleton with no muscles nor brain. Henry allows wife Eleanor (Katharine Hepburn) out of imprisonment for the holiday while King Philip II of France is Henry's guest at the castle.

The movie takes place almost entirely inside or…
Review by hllambis ★★★★

If the dialogues of today's films were half important and transcendent than they are in this film, I'm sure they would be much more interesting.
Review by ScreeningNotes ★★★★

There are so many great movies like this I still haven't seen that sometimes I feel my frame of reference for judging movies is a bit inadequate. I know the only way to progress forward is to keep doing my best, but occasionally it feels like there's just too much out there for me to wrap my head around it all.

In any case, this brought me back to my college days studying Shakespeare. Definitely feels like a play, and it's a bit slow and long, but the dialogue is just so perfect and snappy and all the characters work phenomenally well. Everyone was cast perfectly. Production design was through the roof. Very classically shot. A real pleasure.

Recent reviews

Review by Ian ★★★★

What family doesn’t have it’s ups and downs?

Katharine Hepburn could turn reading the phonebook into an Oscar-winning monologue.
Review by Luke Bauerlein ★★★½

“Oh God but I do love being king!”
Review by Nihar ★★★

Week 13: Katherine Hepburn Week

The Lion in Winter features two of Hollywood's most distinguished actors, in Katherine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole. Based off the James Goldman play, The Lion in Winter is classical in its approach, and retains the poeticism of the play. However, in the medium of film, the dialogue comes across as far too overwrought and clunk. This is one of those costume dramas, where characters are constantly arguing amongst each other at the top of their lungs. What remains powerful though is the performances by the entire cast, with scenery chewing aplenty.

Director Anthony Harvey made a name for himself as an editor, and the lack of expertise shows in some situations, as when there's a…
Review by nemanja ★★★★★

WHAT is this script...can't remember the last time I've had so much fun with a movie
Review by enk ★★★★★

One of the most endlessly fascinating stories I've ever seen.

If I found a genie, I'd waste one of my wishes on being able to write like this.
Review by charlotte ★★★★½

not one bad performance in the entire film
tag yourself: I’m the stupid mick jagger looking son who constantly seeks approval in the face of his glaring inadequacies
Review by Elnavi ★★★★★

A roller coaster of emotion and love and hate relationship.

letterboxd.com/elnavi/list/the-letterboxd-season-challenge-2018-19/
Review by David Aitchison ★★★★

The Lion in Winter is an often-overlooked Christmas film... Okay, so it's not that Christmassy, but it DOES take place over Christmas! It takes place in Chinon Castle, France and depicts King Henry II of England deciding which of his three sons shall succeed him as King.

The story doesn't sound all that exciting, but with plenty of plotting, treachery, backstabbery, scheming and manipulation combined with powerhouse performances from Peter O'Toole, Anthony Hopkins and Katharine Hepburn (ESPECIALLY Katharine Hepburn) it's a compelling watch. Normally I'm not a huge fan of Hepburn but it seems that she got better as she got older. That sharp tongue and manic gaze she has suits the film perfectly.
Review by Andy Nelson ★★★½

I enjoy this film, but not as much as I used to. O'Toole and Hepburn are magnificent as is their supporting cast. And it's full of British royalty, which I just love. But it's not as gripping as I remembered it to be. Still, it's constantly entertaining.

For my full review, tune in to The Next Reel's podcast here.