A Man for All Seasons Reviews and Ratings


  • camritambar
    August 4, 2008
    camritambar
    Its the story of St. Thomas Moor, indeed a spiritual man!
  • SaberHead
    August 2, 2008
    SaberHead
    I saw both "A Man for All Seasons" and "the Lion in Winter" in a double-billing at a movie house for the first time in my teens back in the late 70s. Highly exceptional and fulfilling double feature for a teen hunting for engrossing content and magnetic performances in the cinem...( read more)a back in those days.
  • brothahawk
    July 25, 2008
    brothahawk
    one of the best movies ever made.
  • babubhaut
    May 21, 2008
    babubhaut
    click for review
  • FangsFirst
    May 12, 2008
    FangsFirst
    I've seen my handful of 60's period films, plenty dealing with English monarchs, and something always rubs me wrong about the production design. Somehow the costuming always ends up looking like a well-budgeted high school production to me. I'm not sure if the clothes are too cle...( read more)an--how is that possible for a monarch anyway? surely they'd have people around making sure they look clean a lot, or at least that their clothes did--or if they just use some strange cloth or what, but it dates back a decade or two as well, that feeling of overly bright, overly-separated technicolor, primary-oriented colouration. Something just does not look right. With that in mind, it can be challenging for me to watch films of this particular variety, as I have to overcome that particular aesthetic bias to enjoy them. This film benefits retroactively from the presence of six major Oscars, including some of the big ones--lead actor, director, picture, writing*--as well as actors I know like Robert Shaw, Leo McKern, Orson Welles, and a relatively young John Hurt.

    Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield) is a real figure in British history, and this is the story of his most famous actions. King Henry VIII (Shaw) wishes to coerce the Vatican into giving him a divorce (unheard of, of course, in those days) so that he can marry again. More is morally opposed to this idea, refusing to advocate or condone these actions, even when given a new position of power after the death of Cardinal Wolsey (Welles). When Henry withdraws from the Catholic Church to get his wishes and establishes the Church of England, More must carefully weave himself into the letter of the law to avoid persecution and save both himself and his family. He stands up to the king but refuses to give his actual stance about the issue, instead hiding behind and between religious and legal doctrine from both his lawyer and clergyman background.

    The film started on the shaky ground to which I first alluded, having some difficulty drawing me in past production values that are inherently off-putting to me, especially when coupled with a smartly written drama--seeming garish and amateurish, and only more pronouncedly so when they are behind such a strong script and performances, but eventually Scofield managed to draw me into the film on the sheer weight of his performance. Actors like this who clearly come from stage are becoming more and more rare, making it an even sweeter treat to see them at work in films of this age where they were allowed to work their craft on the screen just as well as the stage. They don't ride on their own names, appearances or characters, but inhabit the roles--not necessarily refining them to create Thomas More specifically, or anyone else, perhaps as characters they are merely themselves, insofar as their mannerisms and speech patterns, but they let us believe that those mannerisms are all perfectly natural to this character, and never intrude on the performance to remind us of who is behind them. Scheming from the likes of Leo McKern, or the easily tempted and led Rich (Hurt) serve simply as backdrops behind a performance like this. It holds the entire film, making it a pure character study despite the skill in everything and everyone behind them. It's hard to say whether removing the blocks of McKern, Shaw, Hurt and so on would truly pull the film down with it riding so heavily on Scofield, but I think it's more a testament to their acceptance of being in roles behind his and working purely to support it and not themselves that makes this so obscure--and I think indeed it would be harmful.

    Robert Bolt's screenplay, similarly, does not hog the spotlight from Scofield, though it definitely pulls in a teensy sliver of the spotlight, with clever wording of legalese spewed from More when cornered by someone convinced they have finally cornered this great logical wit and convinced him that he must confess his feelings, making it both just twisting enough that we realize how complex More's thoughts are without simply losing the audience as well. The words flow forth from every actor completely naturally too, and never once does it feel overly artificial or even talky, despite being so dialogue-oriented, and with only the ever-passionate Shaw showing such extreme emotion, the stoic nature (relatively speaking) of most characters does not serve to deaden the work but simply cause us to focus more strongly on the words being spoken.

    But the subdued, measured, controlled and hidden emotion--culminating in a shaking, exhausted indignation--of Scofield's performance are almost untouchably brilliant, and the primary (if not sole) reason for seeing this film.

    *And in complete contradiction to my distaste for the costumes, costuming. Oh well. What do I know about costuming?
  • nerd3point14
    May 11, 2008
    nerd3point14
    A Man for All Seasons is, I believe, the most profound cinematic depiction of the life of any saint. As visually stimulating as it is mentally absorbing, it is a film that inspires admiration and captivates from start to finish. An adaptation of a play of the same name, it loses ...( read more)nothing in translation and moves from scene to scene with elegance and grace, propelled by masterful acting and exquisite, engrossing dialogue.

    It tells the story of Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield), a man of moral integrity and principle, and his battle of wills with Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) over his first divorce and and break with the Catholic Church. This church is horribly corrupt, but More sees it as the tying moral and socio-political force in society and believes that it cannot be cast aside on a mere whim. He simply wants to withdraw into the limelight but as things heat up he realizes that in order to protect himself and his family he must maintain silence to escape conviction. For his uncompromising stand he is shunned and is ultimately brought to trial and executed.

    More's character easily steals the show. With his knowledge of law and clever witticisms he runs circles around the rest of the cast. There is no question that director Fred Zimmerman wished to portray him as a saint. He does this, however, with minimal reference to religious dogma, choosing rather to exemplify him though contrast with the other characters. Compare him with the king for example, who is an extravagant despot willing to crush all opposition to his second marriage. Compare him also with Richard Rich (John Hert), a morally bankrupt man who will break any oath and tell any lie to get ahead.

    The film is the richest and most moving historical drama I've seen. The final scene between More and his long-suffering wife and of course the trial scene almost move to tears. In the end, it remains the story of an extraordinary personality and the power of silence.
  • 00Film
    April 8, 2008
    00Film
    truly a monumental film!!!! took a while 2 get around the lingo but afta thta the film wasa joy 2 watch!!! paul s. was well deserved 4 the best actor oscar he was brilliant.. i loved the way he stood up 4 wat he believed and din't bcome a monster in order to defeat a monster!! a ...( read more)must see for cinema fans!!!
  • musicofthenightangel
    April 4, 2008
    musicofthenightangel
    I like classic movies, but this wasnt my thing. A little boring. Wouldn't mind being in the play, though
  • djwild11
    April 3, 2008
    djwild11
    A brilliant film and even more brilliant performances by Scofield and Shaw.
  • matricialynnicus
    March 15, 2008
    matricialynnicus
    This is about standing up for your convictions. It's a true story. (T)
  • moviempress
    March 8, 2008
    moviempress
    A strong performance by Scofield is the highlight of this film, helped significantly by the script. Quite educational though, in filling one in on the politics and religious snubbery behind the wanted divorce of HenryVIII.
  • 366weirdmovies
    March 6, 2008
    366weirdmovies
    With lawerly integrity, Sir Thomas More poltiely defies Henry VIII's increasingly threatening demands that he publically approve of Henry's divorce and break with the Roman Catholic Church. Released in 1966, More's principled, moving and fatal civil disobedience struck a univers...( read more)al chord and made this intricate character driven historical costume drama a surprise hit.
  • Natascia
    March 3, 2008
    Natascia
    "A Man for All Seasons" is definitely deserving of its Oscars! The imagery, camera work, and directing perfectly match the script. And, no need to mention that the acting is superb.
  • kenstachnik
    March 1, 2008
    kenstachnik
    There is something oddly intreageing about this film. I normally don't enjoy this kind of thing, but I found this very entertaining.

    Great dialog helps make the 120 minutes fly by.
  • famona
    February 11, 2008
    famona
    Excellent movie. Based on real events.
  • kohelet3
    January 20, 2008
    kohelet3
    A man of integrity willing to die for his convictions. Excellent.
  • trussell47
    November 19, 2007
    trussell47
    Greatest single acting performance i have seen, I never thought Peter Lorre in M could be beaten but Scofield is unfathomable in this, a best actor oscar well earned!
  • moviegirl50
    November 3, 2007
    moviegirl50
    This was a good movie if you can get through it! This Best Picture winner of 1966 is slow and talky, but says so much. About a man who sticks to his morals and princibles no matter what--I cried during one touching scene. Worth the watch, but you have to be patient to wait for ...( read more)the pay-off.
  • hugonar
    November 2, 2007
    hugonar
    Classified as a classic = Interested.
  • noydy
    October 28, 2007
    noydy
    Very inspiring historical story about friendship and one's values.
  • yellowolley
    October 22, 2007
    yellowolley
    Hay ive studied this peice. about the americn dream... its all about money...haha
  • vwlunchbox37
    September 29, 2007
    vwlunchbox37
    Recommended by Kevin Smith...
  • plpegasus
    September 25, 2007
    plpegasus
    Paul Scofield is amazing! My favorite epic flick.
  • MrsJensenAcklesx
    September 11, 2007
    MrsJensenAcklesx
    OMG this movie is fukin horse shit seriously!!!
  • katiecat77
    September 10, 2007
    katiecat77
    Superb acting, superb dialogue; even-handed church/state conversation
  • 404NotFound
    August 25, 2007
    404NotFound
    Haha. Love the costumes.
  • AgentLexi2132
    August 18, 2007
    AgentLexi2132
    Worth finding and watching!
  • Apachewitch
    August 10, 2007
    Apachewitch
    Paul Scofield triumphs as Sir Thomas Moore!
  • sneakypetegb
    July 26, 2007
    sneakypetegb
    Scofield simply is brilliant in this Robert Block adaptation ... heavy but worth it.
  • blindpilgrim
    July 17, 2007
    blindpilgrim
    Quite pro-Catholic, though not, IIRC, to the point of skewing the story. And let's face it, this is not the Reformation's finest hour.
  • fucall
    July 10, 2007
    fucall
    the simpsons version was better
  • apacheEbozorg
    July 3, 2007
    apacheEbozorg
    Beautifully written and scripted by Robert Bolt, beautifully acted by Paul Scofield and others
  • ivrognecommun
    June 21, 2007
    ivrognecommun
    Slow movie, but a good depiction of Tudor England.
  • spartacus007
    June 9, 2007
    spartacus007
    Fantastic acting; good story.
  • jazzmonk
    June 7, 2007
    jazzmonk
    Fine movie in a class with Becket.
  • upsfeup
    June 6, 2007
    upsfeup
    It is all about standing for what one believes.
  • zeravenyoej
    June 1, 2007
    zeravenyoej
    SO BORING. I watched it for class....but ended up turning it off anyway. I figured bs-ing an essay was better than finishing this.
  • thevivster
    May 29, 2007
    thevivster
    I think I fell asleep to this movie. It's the same thing as a documentary on sand.

Summary

A Man for All Seasons Summary