A man for all seasons originated as a play on the west end in london with scofield in the lead, but director fred zinnemann from here to eternity orchestrates a sumptuous production. Some memorable quotes and witty remarks from a man for all seasons a 1966 film about the life of sir thomas more. Paul scofield, wendy hiller, leo mckern, robert shaw, orson welles, susannah york, nigel davenport, john hurt, corin. Paul scofield as more and robert shaw as henry viii in a man for all seasons, adapted from robert bolts play. It was directed by fred zinnemann, who had previously directed the films high noon and from here to eternity. Aug 18, 20 the scene from a man for all seasons fred zinnemann, 1966 in which sir thomas more is finally convicted of high treason and sentenced to death for refusing to swear an oath that king henry. If scofields more was a classical hero, achieving success through virtue, mark rylances cromwell is a modern hero, achieving success through any means necessary. It won the academy award for best picture at the 39th academy awards, while the cast and crew won another five, including best director for zinnemann and best actor for scofield. This vintage original still shows a very rare photo of from left to right paul scofield and susannah york. If on occasions i babbled about some actors performance being the best ive ever seen it was just because i hadnt seen a man for all seasons. The story of thomas more, who stood up to king henry viii when the king rejected the roman catholic church to obtain a divorce and remarriage. As sir thomas more, the devoted catholic who refused to rubberstamp king henry viiis split from the roman catholic church and wound up decapitated for it, scofield possesses a consistent air of calm and. Paul scofield, wendy hiller, leo mckern, robert shaw. A man for all seasons by fred zinnemann fred zinnemann, paul.
A man for all seasons fred zinnemanns classic turns. A man for all seasons 1966, from robert bolts acclaimed play about the trials of sir thomas more and adapted by bolt himself, presented perils of its own, but zinnemann navigated them with great skill, creating another masterwork. Paul scofield in a man for all seasons the british actor, who died wednesday, won an academy award when he took the role onscreen. Paul scofield in a scene from the film a man for all seasons, 1966.
While still high school age, he began training as an actor at the croydon. May i just say that paul scofield embodies great acting to its very core. A man for all seasons film by zinnemann 1966 britannica. This period drama swept the 1966 oscars, winning in six categories including best picture, best actor and best director. A man for all seasons 1966 biography, drama, history. Regarded as one of the greatest shakespearean actors of all time, scofield preferred the stage to film.
A man for all seasons is a play by robert bolt based on the life of sir thomas more. Paul scofields broadway debut took place in 1961 in a man for all seasons, a highly praised performance that won him a tony scofield isnt known as sir paul scofield because he refused to be knighted. The words man of principle should float over thomas mores head in colorful balloon letters after all, thats what he is and thats what a man for all seasons is all aboutsticking to your guns even when someone is literally threatening to chop your head off. A man for all seasons dvd, 1999, closed caption for sale. Wolf hall is a man for all seasons filtered through the modern sensibility of the godfather or game of thrones. Adapted by robert bolt and constance willis from bolts hit stage play, a man for all seasons stars paul scofield, triumphantly repeating his stage role as sir thomas more. He grew up in west sussex, the son of a schoolmaster. Jan 31, 2019 there are times when a man for all seasons seems like an older, gentler uncle to george r. A man for all seasons was a huge hit when it debuted in 1966. Scofield was appointed commander of the order of the british empire cbe in the 1956 new year honours. For another generation, paul scofield would become the living embodiment of a saint sir thomas more, who is known to us in the painting by holbein and more immediately in a portrayal of him in the motion picture. There are times when a man for all seasons seems like an older, gentler uncle to george r. With paul scofield, wendy hiller, robert shaw, leo mckern. Nevertheless, a man for all seasons, starring paul scofield as thomas more, ran for 320 performances in london before moving on to a yearandahalf run on broadway, where it earned the tony award for best play and the new york drama critics award for best foreign play in 1962.
A man for all seasons fred zinnemanns classic turns 50. Best actress winner for whos afraid of virginia woolf. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. Orson welles and paul scofield in a man for all seasons 1966. Paul scofield susannah york a man for all seasons 66. A man for all seasons struggles with ideas of identity and conscience. What marine recruits go through in boot camp earning the title making marines on parris island duration. A man for all seasons nyt watching the new york times. These characters also appeared in this movie, but are played by several cast members. Paul scofield is an actors actor man for all seasons dvd for sale it has been over forty years since i saw this movie.
A stunning performance by scofield who won best actor for his role as more. Newly appointed chancellor thomas more paul scofield suffers impertinence from suitor roper corin redgrave, daughter margaret susannah york and knave rich john hurt in a man for all seasons, 1966, from robert bolts play view the tcmdb entry for a man for all seasons. Robert shaw king henry viii and paul scofield sir thomas more in a man for all seasons john springer collectioncorbis via getty. The scene from a man for all seasons fred zinnemann, 1966 in which sir thomas more is finally convicted of high treason and sentenced to death for refusing to swear an oath that king henry. Paul scofield is astonishing in a man for all seasons, the 1966 academy award winner for best picture that also netted five other oscars, including one for scofields performance. Man for all seasons, a 1966 movie clip remember my office. Paul scofield in a man for all seasons getty images. A man for all seasons kcet a man for all seasons 1966 when the highly respected british statesman sir thomas more paul scofield refuses to pressure the pope into annulling the marriage of king henry viii robert shaw and his spanishborn wife, mores clashes with the monarch increase in intensity. Paul scofield, wendy hiller, leo mckern, robert shaw, orson welles, susannah york, nigel davenport, john hurt, corin redgrave, colin. Theatrical accolades include a 1962 tony award for a man for all seasons.
Adapted by robert bolt from his own stage play, a man for all seasons is a deeply intelligent study of the uneasy relationship between religion and politics, marvelously performed by a sterling cast that includes wendy hiller, orson welles, susannah york, and john hurt. I saw this film many years ago and was very impressed by it. A man for all seasons still holds up today as one of old hollywoods best tudor adaptations. As sir thomas more, the devoted catholic who refused to rubberstamp king henry viiis split from the roman catholic church and wound up decapitated for it, scofield.
The crux of the film is the staunchly catholic mores refusal to acknowledge king henry viii robert shaws break from the church to divorce his first wife and marry anne boleyn an unbilled vanessa redgrave. More has exchange with roper regarding the catholic church. Jane bown for the observer on stage, the actor paul scofield, who has died aged 86, was braver than a lion. Paul scofield wendy hiller leo mckern robert shaw orson welles susannah york nigel davenport john hurt corin redgrave colin blakely. The common man, an important bridgingthescenes character in the original play, is removed from the film version, which does just fine without him. A man for all seasons opens at fine arts paul scofield excels in film by zinnemann. A man for all seasons is a 1966 british biographical drama film based on robert bolts play of. A man for all seasons by fred zinnemann fred zinnemann. Adapted by robert bolt and constance willis from bolts hit stage play, a man for all seasons stars paul scofield, triumphantly repeating his. Martin was in part inspired by some of the more salacious and bloody episodes of english history, particularly during the 1400s and 1500s.
Though his number of film roles amount to a bit over 30, paul scofield has cast a giant shadow in the world of stage and film acting. The greatest shakespearean actor of his generation is dead at the age of 86. While vacationing on the crowded beaches of riccione, a group of teenagers becomes fast friends as they. And i definitely wont be that quickly amazed and impressed by a performance again. In the play, the lines stating what happened to the historical figures after. The crux of the film is the staunchly catholic mores refusal to acknowledge king henry viii robert shaws break from the church to divorce his first wife and marry anne. The story focuses on sir thomas mores friendship with henry viii and the kings ease with more. Actor paul scofield, who has been made a companion of honour for services to drama, is one of the greatest actors of his generation. He won the academy award for best actor for a man for all seasons and was nominated as best supporting actor for quiz show. The original stage device of having them all played by the same actor was kept in a man for all seasons 1988.
Paul scofield in a scene from the film a man for all seasons. A man for all seasons was a critical and boxoffice success. The film earned critical raves and six academy awards, including best picture and best actor for scofield. A man for all seasons original, play, broadway opened in new york city nov 22, 1961 and played through jun 1, 1963. If scofield s more was a classical hero, achieving success through virtue, mark rylances cromwell is a modern hero, achieving success through any means necessary. Sir thomas more, one of the most famous early lord chancellors, served and was executed under king henry viii. David paul scofield ch cbe 21 january 1922 19 march 2008 was an english actor of stage and screen who was known for his striking presence, distinctive voice, and for the clarity and effortless intensity of his delivery. Though all alone in his brave decison to stand firm with the church, mores valiant refusal to abandon his principles leads to his martyrdom. The next scene when more and rich part, and more expounds upon the devil. Great direction, great script, great supporting cast, but man for. Man for all seasons, a 1966 movie clip remember my. More argues repeatedly that a person is defined by his conscience. He attended the varndean school for boys in brighton. Man for all seasons movie it is as riveting and meaningful today as it was then.
A man for all seasons paul scofield, john hurt duration. He was the only great actor i have worked with who was not in any sense a star there was no great publicity about. A man for all seasons is a handsome adaptation of the stage play on which it is based, with fine acting, solemn issues, and a message of moral order that conservative audiences of the 1960s found attractive. Scofields somewhat reserved, understated performance plays beautifully alongside the explosive robert shaw.
The story of sir thomas more, who stood up to king henry viii when. Made on a tiny budget in 1966, the film is the screen version of the stage play a man for all seasons by robert bolt, who also wrote the screenplay. Great direction, great script, great supporting cast, but man for all seasons is scofields performance. Finally, the a man for all seasons script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the paul scofield as thomas more movie. A man for all seasons won the 1966 academy award for best picture. Paul scofield wendy hiller leo mckern robert shaw orson welles susannah york nigel davenport john hurt corin redgrave. An early form of the play had been written for bbc radio in 1954, and a onehour live television version starring bernard hepton was produced in 1957 by the bbc, but after bolts success with the flowering cherry, he reworked it for the stage. T he santa monica civic auditorium is not a likely place.
Newly appointed chancellor thomas more paul scofield suffers impertinence from suitor roper corin redgrave, daughter margaret susannah york and knave rich john hurt in a man for all seasons, 1966, from robert bolts play. A man for all seasons paul scofield, john hurt youtube. In the play, the lines stating what happened to the historical figures after the plays end are spoken by the common man. Dec 27, 2019 as for scofield the storys about people wanting to hear what scofields going to say next and the films about staring at scofield and waiting to see what itll be. This period drama swept the 1966 oscars, winning in six categories. Corin redgrave, who appeared with scofield in a man for all seasons, said. A man for all seasons dramatic depiction of the conflict between henry viii and sir thomas more. Paul scofield, who had played more in the west end stage premiere, also took the role in the film, starring alongside wendy hiller, robert shaw. A man for all seasons is a 1966 british biographical drama film based on robert bolts play of the same name and adapted for cinema by bolt himself. As for scofield the storys about people wanting to hear what scofields going to say next and the films about staring at scofield and waiting to see what itll be.
Adaptation of robert bolts play about sir thomas moore, a catholic statesman in england who rebelled against henry viiis selfproclaimed. Nov 05, 2008 some memorable quotes and witty remarks from a man for all seasons a 1966 film about the life of sir thomas more. Historians, however, have objected to the glorification of sir thomas more, who was hardly the innocent martyr portrayed by playwright. If you want a title, he told benedict nightingale, whats wrong with mr. A man for all seasons won six oscars, including best picture, best director, and best actor, as well as seven british film academy awards. Jul 06, 2015 wolf hall is a man for all seasons filtered through the modern sensibility of the godfather or game of thrones. Paul scofield susannah york a man for all seasons 66 ebay. Paul scofield is astonishing in a man for all seasons, the 1966 academy award winner for best picture that also netted five other oscars, including one for scofield s performance. Winner of six oscars r, including best picture 1966, best director fred zinnemann, and best actor paul scofield. Paul scofield, wendy hiller, leo mckern, robert shaw, orson welles, susannah york, nigel davenport, john hurt.
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