The Lion in Winter

A little rant about the awful movies coming out of Hollywood these days: 

It’s axiomatic that modern Hollywood is so far gone that rigor mortis has set in, yet the truth of that statement never really hits home until you come across a great film from a happier time. I recently watched The Lion in Winter and was both stunned by its magnificence and saddened by the realization that it’s like will never be seen again.

Briefly, The Lion in Winter is about Henry II (Peter O’Toole) and Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katharine Hepburn) gathering in Christmas Court to decide which one of their sons will be his successor. Henry favors the hapless John (Nigel Terry) while Eleanor favors the ruthless Richard (Anthony Hopkins in his first role); neither favor the scheming Geoffrey (John Castle). What results is a tale of scheming, plotting, love and hate all set against a thoroughly believable medieval backdrop.

As I watched it, it was clear that such a movie would never be made today for three principle reasons. First, the majority of the film concerns two aged elitists and their Machiavellian plans for the political welfare of their kingdom and estates. This is something modern Hollywood would never be interested in portraying. Think about it: when was the last time the hero and the heroine of a movie were over 40 (or over 50??)? And when was the last time you watched a movie where battles were conducted not with weapons but with words (and the words were made to seem just as deadly)? Today, this movie would have Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in the title role. Of course, they wouldn’t be royalty, but peasants that somehow revolted against a king (no doubt, an evil, elitist king with a deceitful bishop whispering in his ear) and created some sort of egalitarian commune. After the first five minutes, a sword fight would break out and continue until the end of the film. This would be a necessity because….

…Point two: I doubt there is a screenwriter who could write at the level of James Goldman today. Check out this wonderful dialogue:

Henry II: “I found out the way your mind works and the kind of man you are. I know your plans and expectations - you've burbled every bit of strategy you've got. I know exactly what you will do, and exactly what you won't, and I've told you exactly nothing. To these aged eyes, boy, that's what winning looks like!”

Eleanor: And when you die, which is regrettable but necessary, what will happen to frail Alais and her puny prince? You can't think Richard's going to wait for your grotesque to grow.
Henry II: You wouldn't let him do a thing like that.
Eleanor: Let him? I'd push him through the nursery door.
Henry II: You're not that cruel.
Eleanor: Don't fret. We'll wait until you're dead to do it.
Henry II: Eleanor, what do you want?
Eleanor: Just what you want, a king for a son. You can make more, I can't. You think I want to disappear? One son is all I've got, and you can blot him out and call me cruel? For these ten years you've lived with everything I've lost, and loved another woman through it all, and I am cruel? I could peel you like a pear and God himself would call it justice!

Simply wonderful.

Of course, today such dialogue would read:

Henry II: I hate you. I want a divorce.
Eleanor: You suck!

And both would draw swords and start swinging from the chandeliers....

That is why the majority of modern films are so action-oriented. If you’re fighting, running, or blowing things up, who needs intelligent dialogue? Nowadays, it is more of a feat to have a literate screenplay than it is to blow up a planet.

Lastly, there are precious few actors or actresses that possess the skill to deliver a series of powerful performances. Check out this scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBerczfrwlI

 or this scene:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXlDmAzrPi8

 Who could deliver such powerful, smart and classy performances today?

The Lion in Winter makes it clear how far we have fallen....

Bravo!  Wasn't a young Timothy Dalton in that picture, also?

To wit-I'm a Marx Brothers fan--try finding a writer these days who could handle that (especially Groucho's lines)! 

I knew there had to be somebody else out there besides me who values classic films (the lack of response was getting me scared!).   

 Yes, Dalton was in it as the cool Philipp II. 

 And yes, they could never do Marx comedy today.  I think modern comedies are simply atrocious.  The humor isn't smart, it's just vulgar and aimed at a high school level. 

Movies are all about the writing.  Today's screenwriters are technically proficient (i.e., they know how to make the type of exciting scenes that directors love), but they don't have much literary skill (there are always exceptions, of course).  I think this is a result of a society that is increasingly placing an emphasis on math and science and little value on the liberal arts (history and literature).  

The theater is going to the same way as well.  Broadway resembles more of a little Disney World than a place for great theater. Off-broadway is largely a collection of hack writers offering gimmicks rather than substance. 

 It is a sorry mess, this modern world.    

You're dead on about the writing.  We do have talent in the acting department, but noone's putting the words in their mouths.

They don't, however, spent the time on stage like they used to.  Even the 3 Stooges worked live audiences for years before they ever saw a camera!

That's definitely true too about the lost art of stagecraft.  Like everything else, Hollywood is all about getting rich quick and little else.

BTW: I just rented Beckett with Peter O'Toole and Richard Burton.  I've only seen the first few moments, but it looks like another good one.  Sort of like a prequel to The Lion....

Beckett is fantastic.  You'll love it.

PS-I'm also on LI. 

Today's films are geared to the 10-15 year old market.  Most theaters are in malls and kids are left there by their parents so that the mall can babysit.  The movie theater does what TV once did, keep the kids.

However, there have been some excellent movies made in the last 20 years.  A few of them are:

Tombstone - one of the finest westerns ever made.

How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog - a Kenneth Brannagh film, both funny and heartbreaking.

Henry V - K. Brannagh's make of Shakespeare's play.

Titus - w/Anthony Hopkins.  A great film of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus.  They filmed it all, by the way; unedited.

Much Ado About Nothing - another Brannagh adaptation of Shakespeare.

Finding Neverland - w/Johnny Depp.  The story of the author of Peter Pan.

and of course;

Searching For Bobby Fischer

The best place for finding good movies nowadays, I think, is Netflix.  They've got a very eclectic catalog.

Shakespeare is usually good for a flick if people don't try to make it fit their conception of the world, or make it "relevant" to today's audience.  Its also a mainstay of my audiobook choices for the commute.

You were correct, Becket was great!  That's an example of another movie that would never get made today: the story of a brave Catholic saint. 

 My favorite quote:

King Henry II: "Do you know how much trouble I went through to make you a noble?"
Thomas a Becket: "Yes, as I recall, you lifted your finger, pointed at me and said, 'Thomas Becket, you are noble.'"

CJBas:

You had some very good films on that list!  I would say that the best film I've seen in a good many years is Jackson's Lord of the Rings.  The movie already is a classic, and rightly so.  Admittedly, Peter O'Toole would have made a better Aragon (), but the acting was decent enough.  The story itself was brought grandly to life by Jackson.  He managed to keep all the emotion, intelligence and wonderful Beowulf-esque dialogue of the original story. 

 And you nailed the prime demographic of cinema these days.  I never understood why what with the nation growing grayer and grayer, that the majority of entertainment in marketed to a shrinking demographic. 

Carl:

Right on the money.  I hate "modern interpretations" of most classics.  The reason why something is "classic" is precisely because it is timeless!  Give me a break!

Beat me to it....

I want to see this movie.