Becket (1964)

Like most dramas by Jean Anouih (1910-1987), BECKET essentially sets two larger-than-life characters against each other in a relationship fueled by widening ideological rifts. In this instance, the rift is between the holy and the secular. King Henry II of England, who--frustrated by the frequent interference of the Roman Catholic Church in his rule--manages to have friend Thomas Becket appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury. He expects Becket to act on his behalf--and is shocked when Becket undergoes a spiritual transformation and takes his office seriously.

The 1959 play was tremendous successful throughout Europe, in England, and in the United States. In 1964 it reached the screen with Richard Burton as Becket, Peter O'Toole as Henry II, such notables as John Gielgud as Louis VII of France. The film was extremely well-received and received numerous critical accolades, particularly for Burton and O'Toole. It was not, however, widely available to the home market until this 2007 MPI DVD release.

In a technical sense, BECKET looks better than ever; the transfer is very crisp and the picture likely looks better here than it did on the 1964 big screen. At the same time, however, it is very evident that this is a film that really is best seen on the big screen, where the larger than life characters and their ideological battles have the advantage of a scope to equal their nature. It also has a slightly stagey quality, most often in the script, which doesn't quite manage to shed the theatrical trappings of the original.

Even so, there's a great deal to admire, and the leading actors are most certainly chief among them. Burton and O'Toole wench, brawl, argue, and explode with invective with complete conviction; it would be hard, if not impossible, to say which gives the better performance here. Gielgud is particularly memorable in his brief appearance as Louis VII--and Sian Philips, Pamela Brown, and Martita Hunt make the most of their relatively small roles as well.

The DVD has several notable bonuses. I personally found the interviews with Richard Burton, archival footage from 1967 and 1977, slightly over rated--but the "featurettes" on editor Anne V. Coats and composer Laurence Rosenthal are excellent, and the DVD commentary by O'Toole is consistently fascinating. I personally find the film as a whole a bit dry--Coats, tellingly, makes the comment that if the producers had put just a bit more money into BECKET it would have an undeniable masterpiece--but fans of the film will find this particular package an extremely welcome one.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Fmovies: This movie is a classic. It is so wonderful, my praises can't do it justice. The acting is second to none. The dialogue is incredible. The story magnificent. It's truly a masterpiece. I have seen this movie at the very least 25 times. It is one of those movies you can watch again and again. This movie has so many memorable scenes. Only Casablanca can be compared in that way. And it stands up over time, some great old flicks get outdated, this one has not. It's a rare movie. You can read the other posts about the storyline. If this movie was released today, it would win every academy award. DO NOT MISS THIS MOVIE. You will never see 2 actors this great starring together ever again. One of the all time best films.

What p****s me off about this film is that it, like "Metropolis", is a forgotten one. Why? Why is it that everything has to be razzle-dazzle eye candy, instead of a subtle, beautiful, fine piece of craftsmanship and storytelling. "Becket" was tough to watch, because of all the grain and clicks on the neglected print. But past all of the distortion of a neglected print, I found a very remarkable and exquisite achievement that ranks among some of the best films ever made! The craftsmanship is just the beginning! It gets better! Peter O'Toole, who ironically, played Henry II years later in "A Lion in Winter", does a superb job. He's so angry, volatile, and above all, whiny. When I saw the Disney version on "Robin Hood", with Peter Ustinov playing the voice of the whiny Prince John, I felt it was directly inspired by Peter O'Toole's Henry II! He was so good at being a great whiner. And Richard Burton, as Thomas Becket, looks so reserved, strong, and reverent, as a friend of Henry II who's faith and belief in God and serving the people, brings a rift in their friendship. I also felt bad that not only was this a crappy print, but also that the beautiful photography seemed so small on the TV. This is the kind of film that needs to be seen on the big screen in order to fully appreciate it. I hope that this gets some more respect and popularity, because it needs it and it has deserved it for years!

Becket fmovies. If this movie had won all that Academy Awards that it was deservedly nominated for it would be a well-remembered film today but it seems like a forgotten classic. I haven't seen it shown on TV in years and seldom hear people talk about or reference this film. It won a best screenplay Oscar but was basically shut out. Best Picture, Best Director, two Lead Actor, one Supporting Actor, Art Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Score and Sound nominations that all came up short. Two great Actors Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole during the peak or prime of their careers with the great John Gielgud as a bonus. Wow! What an acting duel between Burton and O'Toole. A great script and great direction. This film has a lot going for it and deserved and should have won most of it's nominations but any other two actors in the lead and I may not have given it a 10 but this is a 10 and I highly recommend it.

After having read the other comments, I hardly feel able to improve upon what has already been so eloquently expressed. For anyone who enjoys high-caliber acting, intriguing dialogue, and complex relationships in a film, this is a must-see. I agree with a comment that Burton was shafted the oscar for his performance of Becket. It does seem at times that the Academy veers from rewarding darker, complex, mercurial characters in favor of anaesthitized heroic caricatures. It is one of the greatest tragedies of film-making that the talented are often unrewarded and forgotten. Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole are perfect foils in this film. The souring of their friendship makes a deeply moving story. Historical inaccuracies I can easily forgive; this is a dramatic film, not a documentary, and a director and screenwriter must condense lives into a believable and appealing plot. It is far better to make alterations than to have nothing such as this produced... (Having exposed myself thus, I must own that I am also a history scholar and usually a stickler regarding more inferior productions.) All in all, I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys superior acting and thought-provoking drama.

Made in 1964 as the screen adaptation of the play by Jean Anouilh "Beckett or the Honor of God" written in 1959, the film takes place in the 12th Century's England but never for a second it feels outdated or old-fashioned. The subjects it explores, the passion and artistry it presents in every scene, its sunning beauty, the use of medieval music, and especially, the incredible craft and chemistry between two great acting legends in their finest performances make the film an outstanding cinematic event and one of the best history/biopics ever made. Magnificent in every sense, "Becket" examines the complex relationship between Henry II (Peter O'Toole), by the words of Sir Winston Churchill, one of the ablest and most remarkable of the English kings, and his best friend from the days if his youth, his trusted confident, his mentor, whom he loved, respected, and appointed his Chancellor, Thomas Beckett (Richard Burton). As Chancellor, Becket was involved in the important acts as the distribution of royal charters, writs and letters. Becket carried out many tasks for Henry II including leading the English army into battle. After Archbishop of Canterbury dies, Henry offers the post to Beckett counting on his unbending loyalty and support in religious questions. To his utmost surprise and anger, Beckett openly defies Henry on the matter of clergymen found guilty of serious crimes. Henry decided that they should be handed over to his courts. Thomas Becket insisted that the church should retain control of punishing its own clergy. The king believed that Becket betrayed him and was determined to obtain revenge which he finally expressed in front of his four knights, "Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?"

It's been several days since I saw the film but I still can't (and I don't think I ever will) decide whose performance was more powerful and remarkable. Both, O'Toole and Burton are simply outstanding and carry the film effortlessly. They both were nominated by the Academy for best leading roles. I will always remember the last Burton's words just before his Becket dies hacked with the knights' swords, "Poor Henry"...In the last moment of his life, he feels sorry for his murderer, his former friend whom he loved but would not betray his principles and beliefs even for him. Another scene is also imprinted in my memory - Henry invites his family for the reunion where he is expected to name his successor. Surrounded by his closest relatives, his mother, his estranged wife, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, his three sons, whom he never loved nor they loved him. All they want - the throne of England. All he wants - his friend Beckett next to him, but he lost him to God... I'd like to add that the scene of reunion is the source of another film featuring Peter O'Toole as Henry II. In 1968, O'Toole reprised the role of Henry in "The Lion in Winter" where his partner was Katherine Hepburn as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. O'Toole was nominated for the Oscar for both films and lost both times.

For the first time since 1964, "Beckett" is available on DVD with many bonus features that include Peter O'Toole's commentary, two archival interviews with Richard Burton from 1967 and 1977 where he does not speak about "Beckett" but we learned a lot about Richard Burton, the actor and the man, and interviews with editor Anne V. Coats and composer Laurence Rosenthal. Nominated for 12 Academy Awards, "Beckett" won fo