Barnes & Noble

This beautifully made, brilliantly acted, and altogether stirring film version of Robert Bolt's 1960 play dramatizes one of history's most infamous clashes between religion and politics. Among the film's many distinctions is Paul Scofield's Oscar-winning performance as Sir Thomas More, the 16th-century English judge and chancellor pressured to endorse the adulterous liaison of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn -- a union that prompts a break with the Catholic Church and the formation of the state-sponsored Church of England. More's personal faith compels him to condemn this expedient, yet too vigorously a protest will undoubtedly lead to accusations of treason and, possibly, even to his death. Henry VIII is wonderfully played by Robert Shaw, who earned an Oscar nomination for his depiction of the colorful king as educated, charming, and sensitive but also volatile, arrogant, and imperious. Also registering strongly among the uniformly superlative cast is Leo McKern, whose Thomas Cromwell is among those putting the squeeze on More, and Orson Welles, whose five-minute turn as Cardinal Wolsey is masterful in its economy of expression. Bolt's screenplay retains everything that made the stage drama so powerful. Consequently, this is a very talky film, but the speeches are so well crafted and delivered that you'll never notice the relative paucity of physical movement. An unalloyed triumph for producer-director Fred Zinnemann (High Noon), this Oscar-winning Best Picture of 1966 has stood the test of time and remains one of the most profound, and compelling, historical dramas ever brought to the screen. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Adapted by Robert Bolt and Constance Willis from Bolt's hit stage play, A Man for All Seasons stars Paul Scofield, triumphantly repeating his stage role as Sir Thomas More. The crux of the film is the staunchly Catholic More's refusal to acknowledge King Henry VIII (Robert Shaw)'s break from the church to divorce his first wife and marry Anne Boleyn (an unbilled Vanessa Redgrave). Sir Thomas willingly goes to the chopping block rather than sacrifice his ideals. Director Fred Zinnemann retains the play's verbosity without sacrificing the film's strong sense of visuals. The impeccably chosen cast includes Wendy Hiller as Sir Thomas' likably contentious wife Alice, John Hurt as the deceitful Richard Rich (More's put-downs of this despicable character provide some of the film's biggest laughs), Orson Welles as a dour Cardinal Woolsey, Leo McKern as the ambitious Thomas Cromwell, and Susannah York as More's daughter Margaret. The "Common Man," an important bridging-the-scenes character in the original play, is removed from the film version, which does just fine without him. A Man for All Seasons won six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, as well as seven British Film Academy awards. Hal Erickson

Product Details

• UPC: 043396032569
• Source: SONY PICTURES
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1), Theatre Wide-Screen (1.85.1)
• Presentation: Pan & Scan, Wide Screen
• Subtitles: English
• Time: 2:00:00
• Sales Rank: 8,435

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Columbia Best Pictures Collection

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