The Lion in Winter (1968)

The Lion in Winter is a 1968 historical drama centred on Henry II of England and his attempt to establish a line of succession during a family gathering at Christmas 1183. His efforts unleash both political and personal turmoil among his estranged wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, their three surviving sons, the French king, and the king's half-sister Alais, who is Henry's mistress. The film stars Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn, was directed by Anthony Harvey, written by James Goldman, and produced by Joseph E. Levine, Jane C. Nusbaum, and Martin Poll. Actors John Castle, Anthony Hopkins (in his first major film role), Jane Merrow, Timothy Dalton (in his film debut) and Nigel Terry appear in support.
Based on Goldman's play The Lion in Winter, the film was a commercial and critical success, winning three Academy Awards (including Hepburn's tie with Barbra Streisand for Best Actress, making Hepburn the first three-time winner in the category). A television remake of the film was released in 2003.
==Plot==
It is 1183 in the medieval Angevin Empire. Fifty-year-old Henry II of England seeks to establish a line of succession while he is still powerful enough to do so. He summons his family for Christmas at his castle in Chinon, Touraine. He wants his youngest son, John, a weakling, to inherit his throne, while his estranged wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, reprieved from imprisonment in England by Henry for the holiday, favours their eldest surviving son, Richard, a proven warrior. 
Henry invites Philip II of France, son and successor of Louis VII, Eleanor's first husband, to settle some important outstanding business with him. Louis had made a treaty with Henry pledging Philip's half-sister Alais, currently Henry's devoted mistress, in troth to Henry's future heir; Philip demands either a wedding or the return of her dowry, the strategically important county of Vexin near Paris.
Henry comes up with a solution that will make nobody happy. He agrees to give Alais to hard-hearted Richard to wed, and make him heir-apparent, in return for Eleanor surrendering the Duchy of Aquitaine she wishes to keep to the wretched John, buying with her gift her precious freedom. When the arrangement is revealed at the wedding, Richard, who coveted the Aquitaine himself, refuses to go through with the marriage – just as Henry had anticipated. 
Perceiving treachery in Henry's ploy, John is easily manipulated by his scheming middle brother, the "unloved" Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany, to plot with Philip to make war on Henry, in return for being named John's chancellor. Richard then appears and plots with Philip, being easily maneuvered while John and Geoffrey hide behind a curtain. Henry and Philip then meet to discuss terms, with all three princes in hiding. Philip reveals he had been caballing with John and Geoffrey, then with Richard separately, and that he and Richard may once have been lovers. Philip casts their romantic liaison as always having been a scheme. Richard emerges and decries this, but Philip, saying he had always loathed Richard's sight and touch, just turns the knife deeper.
Recognizing his sons' limitations, and their various and multiple plottings against him, Henry dismisses all three as unsuitable heirs to his throne and endungeons them. He readies a train to travel to Rome to demand an annulment of his marriage to Eleanor by the Pope, intending then to wed and have new sons with Alais. She protests he will never be able to release his treasonous offspring from prison as they will slay any new legitimate heir. Eleanor confirms this, thrusting a verbal dagger into her husband by telling him not to worry, they will wait till he is dead to do so.
Henry recognizes the peril to his plan and confronts all three sons at once, holding them at bay three knives to one. Condemning them to death, he raises his sword over Richard first, but brings the blade down harmlessly upon Richard's mailed shoulder. Weeping, he lets the threesome escape. 
Realizing all his hopes are lost, and that he has been successfully checked by Eleanor, he is resigned, and falls pitifully into her arms.
In the morning she leaves on her barge, waving affectionately while he bellows cheerful nonsenses, each realizing their love for one-another and their mutual plight as beholden to the other's spell. They will resume their jousting next year.
==Cast==
* Peter O'Toole as Henry II, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and of Aquitaine, Count of Anjou 
* Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine, his estranged queen
* Anthony Hopkins as Richard the Lionheart, their eldest surviving son
* John Castle as Geoffrey, their middle son
* Nigel Terry as John, their youngest son
* Timothy Dalton as Philip II, King of France 
* Jane Merrow as Alais, Philip's half-sister and Henry's mistress, betrothed to Henry's heir by treaty
* Nigel Stock as Captain William Marshall
* Kenneth Ives as Queen Eleanor's personal guard
* O. Z. Whitehead as Hugh de Puiset, the Bishop of Durham
==References==
Category:1968 films