A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
UK, 1966, 120 minutes, Colour.
Paul Scofield, Robert Shaw, Leo Mc Kern, Wendy Hiller, Susannah York, Nigel Davenport, John Hurt, Corin Redgrave, Colin Blakely, Orson Welles, Vanessa Redgrave.
Directed by Fred Zinnemann.
A Man For All Seasons is Robert Bolt's screenplay from his original play about St. Thomas More. The play was a great success in London, New York, and then on world stages, and had already (from 1960) become part of our literature. In the introduction to the text of the play, Bolt explains his interest in and admiration for More as an authentic human being, true to himself and what he believed was right. It cost him his life.
Paul Scofield repeats his stage performance as more and has been praised universally for it. Leo McKern? was the original common man. This stage device has been removed for the film. Mc Kern here plays the political bully, Cromwell. Supporting roles are generally excellently done, especially Wendy Hiller as Alice and Orson Welles as Wolsey in a short but important sequence. This film is not a spectacle although it is very beautiful to look at. Rather, whatever spectacle there is is made part of the plot - More's home, Henry VIII's visit, his marriage to Anne Boleyn, More's trial. The scenes on the river are varied and beautiful and, as Bolt says in his introduction, symbolic.
The film, Fred Zinnemann's direction, screenplay and Scofield all won Oscars in 1966, and many other awards. Fred Zinnemann has made many notable films such as The Search, The Men, High Noon, From Here To Eternity, The Nun's Story. Paul Scofield is a stage actor and has appeared in few films - That Lady, Carve Her Name With Pride, The Train. Robert Bolt has written a number of successful plays. His other screenplays were for David Lean's films. Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Ryan's Daughter (for his wife Sarah Miles who played the role.)
1. Did you find Thomas More a man of all seasons? What did the title man? Was More an attractive man?
2. Did the film present a rounded character study of More, or did it emphasise only his standing by his conscience?
3. Did you understand More's contribution to the kingdom of his time as well as the implications of the religious and political questions of the time?
4. What were the main issues of More’s conflict with Henry VIII? was it the divorce, the remarriage, the King's political position, Church authority?
5. Is it fair to say that all the other characters in the film are presented and are interesting only in relation to More? Why?
6. Since the film is based on a play, is it easy to consider the characters in relation to More, since they appear in only one or a few sequences: Wolsey: Church, politics, discretion, the nature of statesmanship and truth, the true churchman, Henry VIII: changes of mood, wanting to be liked, the obsession about a son, his respect for More and wanting him on his side because he was known to be honest, Archbishop Cranmer: religious antipathy, especially at the execution, Roper: changes of principle, loyalty, Alice: the ordinary practical woman, her lack of awareness of conscience issues, yet she showed that More was lovable, Meg: sharing More's intelligence, seeing the issues, yet feminine feelings?
7. The other principal characters provide the dramatic conflict of the film and their relationships with more are more complex; Norfolk: what values did he stand for, what kind of man was he, how did he value friendship, loyalty, fear, conscience; Richard Rich: shows the possibility of choice between good and evil; how did More see his character; what should he have done for him; why did he become Cromwell's tool; what did he gain; was it worth it?
8. Cromwell plays the villain conflicting with the hero More. Was there a clash of equals in personality and issues? What motivated Cromwell? Was he presented as too villainous? How gripping was the courtroom scene? Why? Did the fact that both were versed in law help interest?
9. In the play, Matthew, the boatmen and the gaoler were played by one actor, 'The Common Man', who represented what we all share as human beings, good points, failings, selfishness and self-preservation. Would 'The Common Man' have been effective in the film?
10. Anne Boleyn appears in the shortest of scenes and Vanessa Redgrave makes an impact. What did this scene contribute to the film?
11. How well was the period re-created? Was this film spectacular? Why?
12. Bolt considered More as a hero for our time. Do you agree? What has More's personality, conscience and heroism to offer us today?
