Henry V (1944)

 Laurence Olivier's "Henry V"


To me, Laurence Olivier's 1944 Shakespeare adaptation of "Henry V" has the same intentionality of Sergei Eisenstein's 1938 film "Alexander Nevsky." Both deal with noble kings preparing their nation for battle against an aggravator army. Both are meant to be used by their respective nation as a morale boost and an encouragement for the collective hope in defeating the Nazi invaders. Olivier's "Henry V," partially commissioned by the British government, was "dedicated to the 'Commandos and Airborne Troops of Great Britain in the spirit of whose ancestors it has been humbly attempted to recapture." 

Olivier's film starts off as a performance of the iconic play itself in 1600s London, as spectators watch the opening scenes of Shakespeare's play in the Globe Theater. However, the film soon transitions back to 1415 so that we the viewers may watch the full encompassing event of the Battle of Agincourt. What's more about Olivier's film is that it employs a beautiful technicolor lens to heighten its images to something far grander. The whole film feels big and illustrious, as big and illustrious as Great Britain and its nobility as well. 

Laurence Olivier, known as one of Great Britain's most prolific stage performers is perhaps the perfect individual to adapt the Shakespeare catalog, including starring in the lead role. He would go on to adapt "Hamlet" and "Richard III" over the next decade, making a name for himself as a director of the screen as well as the performer he was known for. His first attempt with "Henry V" knocked it out the park and received global acclaim for doing so.

 


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