They don't make them like this anymore and what a pity. Burton and O'Tooole at the peak of their powers and brilliant suppport by Martita Hunt,Pamela Brown and especially Sian Phillips.
shareIt had some great moments, but the portrayals of Henry's mother and wife, who were brilliant and powerful rulers in their own right, as a pair of ineffectual, nagging shrews still grates me.
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah...
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"pretty good"????
I guess you have a gift for understatement!
This is one of the best movies EVER when it comes to acting- it's not like their even acting, I feel like I'm watching a moment in the history of time. As for all the historical inaccuracies- I don't let it bother me, I just enjoy the ride! :)
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Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole were absolutely brilliant in Becket. Simply stunning performances.
The only other modern day actors to rival this superb acting duo are Dustin Hoffman and then newcomer, Jon Voight, in Midnight Cowboy in 1969. Interestingly, in that same year Hoffman and Voight (for Midnight Cowboy), Burton (for Anne of 1000 Days, and O'Toole (for Goodbye Mr Chips) were all nominated for best actor award. They lost to John Wayne for True Grit. This was an incredibly bad decision by the Academy given the performances of the other actors. It marked the last time I had any faith in the awards and have not really followed them since.
The real tragedy of this outstanding cinematic masterpiece is that, although nominated for 12 Academy Awards in 1964, it won only one - for best writing. The best film for that year was My Fair Lady (over Becket, Zorba The Greek, Dr Strangelove, and Mary Poppins). And Rex Harrison was awarded Best Actor for 1964 over Burton and O'Toole for Becket (and Anthony Quinn for Zorba, and Peter Sellers for Dr. Strangelove). I should have known then.
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Becket or My Fair Lady is a tough decision. I'd probably have gone for My Fair Lady as well, but it'd be close. It definitely deserved more than 1 Oscar though. Would this be the most Oscar nominations for only one win?
shareBecket is one of the best period pieces and political dramas that I've seen. But that year there was a fierce competition for Best Picture: Dr Strangelove (one of the best comedies ever), My Fair Lady (the winner and one of my fav musicals), Mary Poppins (a family classic) and the excellent Zorba the greek.
I mean that year the academy members couldn't go wrong even if they wanted to. Having said that IMO "Becket" was a bit better than the rest.
However it was a crime that neither Peter O'Toole nor Richard Burton or even Anthony Quinn/Peter Sellers won the academy award for Best Actor in a leading role. Rex Harrison was ok, but not in the same league than the aforementioned.
This is one of those movies where words can't really convey the depth and quality of the performances turned in by its stars. It's rare to find a film with one performance of such great magnitude; I don't ever recall seeing two such brilliant performances in one movie! For Burton and O'Toole are so very good in their roles as Becket and Henry, that they seem almost to become the very characters they're playing. Their acting is refined, unaffected, completely without ego, almost effortless.
As you are, I was. As I am, you will be.
magnificent performances by all actors.
"Because of my big legs and my karate, I can do the splits......Noo...Prroblemm"