A Man for All Seasons (1966)

 Fred Zinnemann's "A Man for All Seasons"


Based on Robert Bolt's 1960 play, the 1966 film "A Man for All Seasons" centers on Thomas More and his defiant resolution to silently oppose King Henry VIII's dissolution of marriage to Catherine. Beyond a simple period piece, the film acts as a more contemporary reflection on how authoritarian figures demand cohered narrative. As the fifth highest grossing film in the U.S. in the year it was released, "A Man for All Seasons" went on to also gain critical acclaim and even win 6 Academy Awards. 

The film spans the years of 1529 to 1535 during King Henry VIII's reign. Sir Thomas More, a Lord Chancellor to the king, is intellectually opposed to the King's dissolution of his marriage to Catherine and his eventual ascendancy to the title of Supreme Head of Church of England. Despite avoiding direct dissent, Thomas's opinion causes concern to the crown. Thomas is stripped of his titles, imprisoned, and put on trial.

I found that the film resonates with a contemporary American landscape in which political figureheads must subjugate their opinions to the dominant positions of the president. In fact, the film was eerily similar to contemporary authoritarian issues. To witness the slow removal of a constitutional authority in favor of an autocrat's personal demands called to mind many of these.

However, Thomas's resolution to his adherence to law and constitutional order, even at the dangers to his own life, demonstrates the moral courage needed for these types of abuses. As we see in the film, many are quick to adhere to constitutional backslides so as not to cause trouble for themselves. This is precisely why authoritarian powers are easily replicated. It is necessary to stand up for what you know is right, despite whatever tragic consequences come.

Despite the flames of its thematic messaging and observations, however, "A Man for All Seasons" does little to expand its simplistic notions to more entertaining or even artistic heights. While the central character arcs the audience connection with a moral embrace, the film still feels like an 'Oscar-bait' film for 1966 and less like a complex examination of its contents. That being said, there is still plenty of worth in its confines.



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