Henry V (1989, Drama)

Starring: Kenneth Brannagh, Paul Scofield, Michael Maloney, and Emma Thompson. Director: Kenneth Brannagh.

Great music, but I am not a fan of Kenneth Brannagh. I enjoy Shakespeare, but I don't appreciate his interpretations. This film version was okay. Shakespearen historical plays are rather boring, but the actors have made something from this mess. I mean, really, this play was a bit confusing with its chorus and larger than life stages. Can a stage actually capture a battlefield's violence and tragedy? However, the cast does an exceptional job at minimizing the confusion. I was excited to see Paul Scofield's name, and was astonished when I learned that Emma Thompson played the French-speaking Princess Katherine. I know, she and Kenneth Brannagh have a romantic relationship in real life, so it is interesting to see lovers act as lovers.

Henry V is a great politician, who is able to motivate his troops even when they are outnumbered five to one:

Henry enters from behind and over here's Warwick wishing for another ten thousand men. Henry speaks to Warwick and the assembled men and says, "No, my fair cousin. / ...The fewer men, the greater share of honour" (4.3.19,22). He tells them that any soldier who does not wish to fight with them should be allowed to leave immediately, because he does not want to share the honor of the battle with such a man. Henry then proceeds to give what is famously known as his "Crispin Day Speech" because he emphasizes that every man will always remember that on this Feast of Crispian (October 25th, a day dedicated to the martyred brothers Crispin and Crispianus) they were wounded while defeating France for the glory of England. In some of his most famous lines, Henry states, "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. / For he today that sheds his blood with me / Shall be my brother" (4.3.60-62).

I love these lines! "We band of brothers." Good movie! :-)