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Becket Overview:

Becket (1964) was a Biographical - Drama Film directed by Peter Glenville and produced by Hal B. Wallis and Joseph H. Hazen.

Academy Awards 1964 --- Ceremony Number 37 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorRichard BurtonNominated
Best ActorPeter O'TooleNominated
Best Supporting ActorJohn GielgudNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: John Bryan, Maurice Carter; Set Decoration: Patrick McLoughlin, Robert CartwrightNominated
Best CinematographyGeoffrey UnsworthNominated
Best Costume DesignMargaret FurseNominated
Best DirectorPeter GlenvilleNominated
Best Film EditingAnne CoatesNominated
Best Music - ScoringLaurence RosenthalNominated
Best PictureHal B. Wallis, ProducerNominated
Best WritingEdward AnhaltWon
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Becket BlogHub Articles:

Becket (1964, Peter Glenville)

on Dec 29, 2019 From The Stop Button

Becket has some genre constraints. Significant ones. It’s a king-sized 70mm Panavision English history epic only it doesn’t feature any big battles. In fact, it goes out of its way not to show battles. It’s also an early sixties historical epic and it’s trying to be a little edgy in how it s... Read full article

REGALING ABOUT RICHARD BURTON BLOGATHON: Becket (1964)

on Dec 4, 2018 From Caftan Woman

Gill is hosting the Regaling About Richard Burton Blogathon at her site Realweegiemidget Reviews. Click HERE for the tributes to the revered actor. A historical drama and a character study, Becket tackles such weighty subjects as politics, faith, the divine right of kings, love, jealousy, h... Read full article

Becket (1964) – As Film and As History with Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole

By Greg Orypeck on May 25, 2015 From Classic Film Freak

Share This! “It’s funny!  It’s too funny!  Becket is the only intelligent man in my kingdom, and he’s against me.”—— King Henry II (Peter O’Toole) Musicals have always been a part of movie magic, as well as other genres, even those lying outside the standard staples of drama and co... Read full article

Becket (1964) – As Film and As History with Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole

By Greg Orypeck on May 25, 2015 From Classic Film Freak

Share This! “It’s funny!  It’s too funny!  Becket is the only intelligent man in my kingdom, and he’s against me.”—— King Henry II (Peter O’Toole) Musicals have always been a part of movie magic, as well as other genres, even those lying outside the standard staples of drama and co... Read full article

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Becket Quotes:

King Henry II: Your body, madam, was a desert that duty forced me to wander in alone. But you have never been a wife to me!
Thomas a Becket: There, Lord - I'm ready: adorned for Your festivities.
Thomas a Becket: Tonight you can do me the honor of christening my forks.
King Henry II: Forks?
Thomas a Becket: Yes, from Florence. New little invention. It's for pronging meat and carrying it to the mouth. It saves you dirtying your fingers.
King Henry II: But then you dirty the fork.
Thomas a Becket: Yes, but it's washable.
King Henry II: So are your fingers. I don't see the point.
Brother John: You betrayed your Saxon race, now you betray God.
Thomas a Becket: Perhaps you will succeed in teaching me humility, it's a virtue I've never really mastered.
Thomas a Becket: [returning the Lord Chancellor's ring] Forgive me.
King Henry II: You give the lions of England back to me like a little boy who doesn't want to play anymore. I would have gone to war with all England's might behind me, and even against England's interests, to defend you, Thomas. I would have given away my life laughingly for you. Only I loved you and you didn't love me. That's the difference.
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Becket Facts
Composer Laurence Rosenthal got a hard time from producer Hal B. Wallis who insisted on a more upbeat score. Rosenthal held his ground - and was rewarded with an Oscar nomination.
Most of the film was shot in sequence.
Originally produced on Broadway in 1959 with Laurence Olivier as Becket and Anthony Quinn as King Henry. When Quinn left the play to make films, Olivier took over the role of Henry and Arthur Kennedy was brought in to play Becket.
Empress Matilda (Maud), King Henry's mother, had been chosen by her father King Henry I to rule after his death; but the ruling Council of England decided it would be inappropriate for a woman to rule, and named her cousin Stephen as king. This set off decades of war, during which Matilda captured much of western England and was proclaimed Lady of England. Though she never became queen, she successfully established her son Henry's claim to the throne. She died in 1167, three years before Becket's murder.
Peter O'Toole played the same character, Henry II, four years later in 1968's The Lion in Winter. He received Oscar nominations for both films.
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