A Man for All Seasons

Rating

Director

Fred Zinnemann

Screenplay

Robert Bolt (Novel by Robert Bolt)

Length

120 min.

Starring

Paul Scofield, Wendy Hiller, Leo McKern, Robert Shaw, Orson Welles, Susannah York, Nigel Davenport, John Hurt, Corin Redgrave, Colin Blakely, Cyril Luckham, Vanessa Redgrave

MPAA Rating

Approved

Review

The historical tale of Sir Thomas More who refused to compromise his principles in the face of royal pressure is told intriguingly by director Fred Zinnemann in A Man for All Seasons.

The period of history in question surrounds British monarch Henry VIII’s (Robert Shaw) anger over the Catholic Church’s refusal to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. In his opposition to the church, he wanted to found his own Church of England, but needed the approval of the masses. Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield) was one of the church’s most trusted politicians and Henry attempted to gain his approval any manner he could.

In the end, More refused to speak out against the church but also refused to speak out against the crown. His fence-sitting approach, despite inner belief in the church’s position, is wonderfully portrayed by Scofield. His quiet resistance is an example of the power of one voice in the crowd to be heard and make a difference, even if that difference isn’t felt immediately.

It is clear from the beginning of the film that More is a well respected and well liked member of the Parliament. He is summoned to the presence of England’s Cardinal Wolsey (played by an incredibly rotund Orson Welles) to seek his blessing on the crown’s decision to request a marital annulment.

Though he refuses this, Henry VIII does not give up going so far as to grace More’s home in a surprise visit attempting to convince him of the legitimacy of his argument. It is once again to no avail. By the time he’s promoted to the position vacated by the Cardinal, it is evident that he will not betray his faith nor the crown.

It’s is a difficult position to lose one’s home, family and life in defense of one’s beliefs. History is filled with defiance against adversarial forces. We see time and time again where one man sacrifices himself for the common good. Most of these men and women spend their lives speaking out against the matter, but More is not like them. He never speaks out so as never to give the crown reason to put him on trial.

In the end, More is out-lawyered and is forced to admit his disagreement with the king. He is summarily executed. What we learn from his struggle is that the ethical conviction of man is paramount to all of the religious or political pressure with which we are regularly faced. More’s contrary stance gives us hope that people with the same convictions can still make a difference and help bring about the social and ethical changes needed for society to flourish.

A Man for All Seasons is a film of powerful thoughts and ideas persuasively delivered. Unlike many films set during the same period, the impact of lavish costumes and bright sets is diminished to give the audience a better ability to grab and hold onto the film’s weighty values.

Review Written

November 21, 2006