Both films were released in 1945, and it seems to me that there was a subtle competition between Vivien Leigh and her husband Laurence Olivier for movie supremacy, which Larry won. HENRY is considered a cinema classic, while C & C is all but forgotten (notice how few posts there are for this film).
Same thing in 1948: Olivier's Oscar-winning HAMLET versus Leigh's forgotten ANNA KARENINA.
With such clashing egos, their marriage was doomed to failure.
But do we know that Vivien cared? Do we have evidence that she was disturbed that "Henry V" and "Hamlet" received more aclaim than did her own movies?
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Posts on the boards are often more numerous based on availability of the movie to be seen. C & C didn't have a great dvd release for a number of years while Henry V had a great Criterion treatment among others.
In terms of a competition at that time, Henry V was certainly more acclaimed. C & C made more money however.
So the greater success depends on perspective. Larry and Vivian aren't around now to see the posts on IMDB.
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C & C was by GB Shaw, while Henry V was by Shakespeare. Olivier was heavily promoted as "the greatest actor of our age," etc. I think that right there explains why Henry V is shown more and became a "classic."
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