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DramaHistory

Becket

- An age of rampant lusts, abandon, runaway passions. An age brought bristling to life by two of the most exciting stars of our time!

Thomas Becket, Henry II's longtime advisor, finds his friendship with the debauched king corroding when he is unwillingly appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury in an attempt to gain absolute loyalty from the Church.

Release Date : 1964-03-11

Language :WelshEnglishLatin

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount PicturesKeep Films

Production Country : United KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Richard Burton

Character Name : Thomas Becket

Original Name : Richard Burton

Gender : Male

Peter O'Toole

Character Name : King Henry II of England

Original Name : Peter O'Toole

Gender : Male

John Gielgud

Character Name : King Louis VII of France

Original Name : John Gielgud

Gender : Male

Gino Cervi

Character Name : Cardinal Zambelli

Original Name : Gino Cervi

Gender : Male

Paolo Stoppa

Character Name : Pope Alexander III

Original Name : Paolo Stoppa

Gender : Male

Donald Wolfit

Character Name : Bishop Folliot

Original Name : Donald Wolfit

Gender : Male

David Weston

Character Name : Brother John

Original Name : David Weston

Gender : Male

Martita Hunt

Character Name : Empress Matilda

Original Name : Martita Hunt

Gender : Female

Pamela Brown

Character Name : Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine

Original Name : Pamela Brown

Gender : Female

Percy Herbert

Character Name : Baron

Original Name : Percy Herbert

Gender : Male

Siân Phillips

Character Name : Gwendolen

Original Name : Siân Phillips

Gender : Female

Inigo Jackson

Character Name : Robert de Beaumont

Original Name : Inigo Jackson

Gender : Male

Felix Aylmer

Character Name : Archbishop of Canterbury

Original Name : Felix Aylmer

Gender : Male

Niall MacGinnis

Character Name : Baron

Original Name : Niall MacGinnis

Gender : Male

Christopher Rhodes

Character Name : Baron

Original Name : Christopher Rhodes

Gender : Male

John Phillips

Character Name : Bishop of Winchester

Original Name : John Phillips

Gender : Male

Frank Pettingell

Character Name : Bishop of York

Original Name : Frank Pettingell

Gender : Male

Véronique Vendell

Character Name : French Prostitute

Original Name : Véronique Vendell

Gender : Female

Jennifer Hilary

Character Name : Peasant's Daughter

Original Name : Jennifer Hilary

Gender : Female

David Davenport

Character Name :

Original Name : David Davenport

Gender : Male

Hamilton Dyce

Character Name : Bishop of Chichester

Original Name : Hamilton Dyce

Gender : Male

Peter Jeffrey

Character Name : Baron

Original Name : Peter Jeffrey

Gender : Male

Michael Miller

Character Name : Baron

Original Name : Michael Miller

Gender : Male

Peter Prowse

Character Name : Baron

Original Name : Peter Prowse

Gender : Male

Jack Taylor

Character Name :

Original Name : Jack Taylor

Gender : Male

Chris Adcock

Character Name : Sergeant (uncredited)

Original Name : Chris Adcock

Gender : Male

Michael Anthony

Character Name : Courtier (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Anthony

Gender : Male

Geoffrey Bayldon

Character Name : Brother Philip (uncredited)

Original Name : Geoffrey Bayldon

Gender : Male

Roy Beck

Character Name : Young French Boy (uncredited)

Original Name : Roy Beck

Gender : Male

Garrett Cassell

Character Name : Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Garrett Cassell

Gender : Male

Dave Clark

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Dave Clark

Gender : Male

George Lane Cooper

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : George Lane Cooper

Gender : Male

Ian Cullen

Character Name : Servant (uncredited)

Original Name : Ian Cullen

Gender : Male

Ivor Dean

Character Name : Monk (uncredited)

Original Name : Ivor Dean

Gender : Male

Guy Deghy

Character Name : Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Guy Deghy

Gender : Male

John Doye

Character Name : Priest (uncredited)

Original Name : John Doye

Gender : Male

Paul Farrell

Character Name : Farmer (uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Farrell

Gender : Male

Patrick Halpin

Character Name : Monk (uncredited)

Original Name : Patrick Halpin

Gender : Male

Laurie Heath

Character Name : Boy (uncredited)

Original Name : Laurie Heath

Gender : Male

Laurence Hepworth

Character Name : Bishop (uncredited)

Original Name : Laurence Hepworth

Gender : Male

Rose Howlett

Character Name : Farmer's Wife (uncredited)

Original Name : Rose Howlett

Gender : Female

Magda Konopka

Character Name : Girl on Balcony (uncredited)

Original Name : Magda Konopka

Gender : Female

Gerald Lawson

Character Name : English Peasant (uncredited)

Original Name : Gerald Lawson

Gender : Male

Wilfrid Lawson

Character Name : Old Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Wilfrid Lawson

Gender : Male

Paul Layton

Character Name : Boy (uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Layton

Gender : Male

Tutte Lemkow

Character Name : French Courtier (uncredited)

Original Name : Tutte Lemkow

Gender : Male

Linda Marlowe

Character Name : Farmer's Daughter (uncredited)

Original Name : Linda Marlowe

Gender : Female

John Moulder-Brown

Character Name : Boy (uncredited)

Original Name : John Moulder-Brown

Gender : Male

Patrick Newell

Character Name : William of Corbeil (uncredited)

Original Name : Patrick Newell

Gender : Male

Riggs O'Hara

Character Name : Prince Henry (uncredited)

Original Name : Riggs O'Hara

Gender : Male

Frederick Piper

Character Name : Monk (uncredited)

Original Name : Frederick Piper

Gender : Male

Dido Plumb

Character Name : Man in Crowd (uncredited)

Original Name : Dido Plumb

Gender : Male

Steve Plytas

Character Name : Cardinal (uncredited)

Original Name : Steve Plytas

Gender : Male

Robert Rietti

Character Name : Alexander III (voice) (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Rietti

Gender : Male

Alex Scott

Character Name : Priest (uncredited)

Original Name : Alex Scott

Gender : Male

Terence Soall

Character Name : Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Terence Soall

Gender : Male

Victor Spinetti

Character Name : French Tailor (uncredited)

Original Name : Victor Spinetti

Gender : Male

Graham Stark

Character Name : Pope's Secretary (uncredited)

Original Name : Graham Stark

Gender : Male

Fred Stroud

Character Name : Church Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Stroud

Gender : Male

Elizabeth Taylor

Character Name : Blonde Village Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Elizabeth Taylor

Gender : Female

Royston Tickner

Character Name : Royal Servant (uncredited)

Original Name : Royston Tickner

Gender : Male

Fred Wood

Character Name : Congregation Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Wood

Gender : Male

Edward Woodward

Character Name : Clement (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward Woodward

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Here's my royal foot on your royal buttocks! King Henry II of England has grown tired of the interference of the Church. When the Archbishop of Canterbury dies, he senses an opportunity to gain the upper hand. Much to the church, and Thomas Becket's surprise, he appoints his great friend Thomas to the highly important position. What Henry hadn't bargained for was that Becket takes the role very serious indeed and serves God to the full, so where once there was great friendship between the two men, there is now an uneasy feud. Based on the Jean Anouilh play, Becket is as near a technically perfect film as you could wish to see, with the acting on show coming right out of the top draw. Nominated for 12 Academy Awards, it won only one for Best Adapted Screenplay (Edward Analt), but on another given year it could quite easily have cleaned up. Peter O'Toole & Richard Burton play Henry II & Thomas Becket respectively, both men feeding of each others commitment to the project to bring peerless results, witness one scene in particular as they exchange views on horseback on a British beach, wonderful stuff. The costumes, the cinematography from Geoffrey Unsworth (now booming from the screen with the DVD restoration work), the sound, and the brilliant sets all come together to make a top of the range Historical drama. But all these would not stand out if the story wasn't any good, but Becket's triumph is in the story itself, a tale about the separation of great friends, and the separation of the state from the church, it really is an intriguing and beguiling way to spend your evening. One glaring error aside (Becket was not a Saxon, but a Norman), the makers have followed history rather well, and it leaves us with what i believe to be one of the best films of its type. 10/10