List Price: $14.98You Pay Only: $9.99 You Save: $4.99 (33%)Prices subject to change.
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Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9780792849209
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
ISBN: 0792849205
Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
Number Of Items: 1
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Publisher: MGM (Video & DVD)
Region Code: 1
Release Date: June 19, 2001
Running Time: 135 minutes
Sales Rank: 1944
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Theatrical Release Date: October 30, 1968
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Editorial Review:
Description:
Katharine Hepburn delivers an amazing (Variety), OscarÂ(r)-winning* performance 'that must be seen to be believed (Boxoffice) in this dazzling (Los Angeles Times) all-star film that is not to be missed. Behind the great stone walls of an English castle, the world's most powerful empire is in crisis. Three sons struggle to win their father's favoras well as his crown. King Henry II (Peter O'toole) and his queen, Eleanor (Katharine Hepburn), engage ina battle of royal wits that pits elder son Richard (Anthony Hopkins) against his brothers, while the cunning King Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) takes advantage of the internal fracturing in his bid to destroy their kingdom. *1968: Actress
Amazon.com:
In this 12th-century version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Henry II of England (Peter O'Toole) and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katharine Hepburn), meet on Christmas Eve to discuss the future of the throne. These two are having slight marital problems, as she is kept in captivity most of the year for raising a rebellion against him, and he flaunts his young mistress. Then there are the problems raised by their three treacherous and traitorous sons.
James Goldman won an Oscar® for the brilliant screenplay, based on his Broadway play. It is a tad wordy, as the action is kept to a minimum, but those words are sharp as daggers. The humor is wicked and black and delivered with very dry, dead-on precision. Sparks fly and the screen sizzles whenever Hepburn and O'Toole tango, which is often. Both were nominated for Academy Awards® for their vigorous performances. (She won; he didn't.) There's also an infamous homo-erotic exchange between Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) and Richard the Lionhearted (Anthony Hopkins). Both actors were making their feature-film debuts. --Rochelle O'Gorman
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Unforgettable Acting and Visuals
Want to see what real talent is; then take a seat, get out the popcorn, take the phone of the hook, and enjoy one of the best acting films of all times. Wonder why Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn are to be remembered as top of the chart artists- watch this film. Wonder why Anthony Hopkins is revered today in both stage and screen performances - watch this film. This film is one of very few that truly earned its keep.
Rating: - Top-notch period drama with great cast
THE LION IN WINTER was adapted for the screen by James Goldman from his stage hit. Director Anthony Harvey has a superb cast, with Peter O'Toole as King Henry II and Katharine Hepburn as Queen Eleanor. The first-rate supporting cast include young Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton, both making their screen debuts. The original Panavision cinematography looks great in this anamorphic transfer and the Dolby Digital enhances the great film score by John Barry. Hepburn, Goldman and Barry all won Oscars.
Extras include the original trailer and a commentary by Harvey. One of the great period dramas, with some witty contemporary-sounding dialogue. Also a fine companion to BECKET.
Rating:  - Even better the fourth time!
I saw the stage play forty years ago, and it was great. And every ten years or so, I watch the movie and enjoy it more every time.
But I have a question...
Why did James Goldman portray Henry II as a bisexual and pedophile ("Alais, in my time I've known...contessas, milkmaids,
courtesans...and novices, whores, gypsies, jades...and little boys..."), and his son Richard the Lionhearted as a homosexual?
Couldn't the story have been just as interesting and compelling, or even more so, without the homosexual fabrications? There was no historical or artistic reason to include any of that.
So, why? Could it be that Goldman was himself homosexual? Was he a closeted forerunner of today's hollywood writers, who include a homosexual character in nearly every television show and movie, to advance their own social agenda?
What other reason would there be?
Rating:  - Well-acted but depressing; historically doubtful
This is a great movie to watch once. But while it is clever, it is not a feel-good film. One could sum up the plot as "scheming humans making themselves and others as miserable as possible".
As a period film, it is a mix of accuracy and inaccuracy. Henry II washing his face with ice water is a good touch, but the rest of his surroundings are unrealistically primitive. 12th century life was far richer than we give it credit for. The castle should have been teeming with servants and retainers. The clothes are too simple and drab: trade routes imported materials and food as far afield as China. Henry II was arguably the most powerful man in Europe at the time--he controlled more land in modern France alone than the King of France did--and his surroundings would have reflected his status.
Henry II, Eleanor, and their three living sons did indeed meet for Christmas in 1183. But while the issues addressed--the question of succession and lordship of the Aquitaine--were real issues, the playwright has combined over 15 years of family strife into a couple days.
Henry II's fondness for his youngest son John is exaggerated: Henry wouldn't have dreamt of leaving the kingship to a younger son. The film shows John as having the IQ of a doornob, while administrative records from his reign indicate he was quite intelligent.
The film's portrayal of Richard is out of date: his weakness of character is entwined with his alleged homosexuality. Also, primary ... Read More
Rating: - The Lion in Winter
This is one of the best movies made! As close to Shakespeare as you can get in modern times. The dialogue is incredible,especially in the interaction of Hepburn and O'Toole. They also seem to be having such a good time with it.The whole cast couldn't have been chosen more perfectly.The tension between the brothers as they back stab at the machinations of their parents is palatable.For lovers of historical drama this is a must. For lovers of great dialogue and charisma between actors this is a must. For lovers of great film making in general this is a must!
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