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Henry V

Play trailer Poster for Henry V 1946 2h 17m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Olivier's masterful, sweeping rendition of Shakespeare, filmed in rich color and ingeniously including a typical performance at the Globe Theatre as it might have been seen 400 years ago. The film earned Olivier a special Oscar for outstanding achievement as actor, producer and director.
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Henry V

Henry V

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Critics Consensus

A patriotic booster, Laurence Olivier's directorial debut and star turn as Henry V result in a sharply realized and resonant take on Shakespeare's deeply British warrior king.

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Critics Reviews

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Manny Farber The New Republic 08/31/2012
While definitely athletic, pageant-minded and somewhat recognizable after all of the war dramas that have come out since Elizabethan times, no movie has given a more poignant impression of men in battle or been so cutting about the waste and folly of war. Go to Full Review James Agee TIME Magazine 08/29/2012
The movies have produced one of their rare great works of art. Go to Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 07/09/2008
One can pick plenty of bones with Laurence Olivier's direction of the Shakespeare play, but this 1945 film is still a powerful production from many standpoints. Go to Full Review Fannie Hurst Modern Screen 06/15/2023
"With winged heels, like English Mercuries," the beauty of the Olivier version of Henry the Fifth soars to what comes close to perfect achievement. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 09/02/2020
A+
Overwhelming production of the William Shakespeare epic historical play. Go to Full Review Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine 11/14/2019
Like a cobwebbed bottle of the finest old wine, it has been improved rather than spoiled by time. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Andy F 01/30/2024 A true masterpiece. The cinematography and staging is as impressive as Shakespeare's play itself. See more Leaburn 01/18/2023 This film was woeful 👎 See more 11/09/2020 I first watched when I was a teen. The first Shakespearian movie I could understand. Now as an older man I can see the desire to raise British patriotism among a weary populace while acknowledging their weariness of the horror of war. The artistry that initially starts as if we are among the audience of the Globe Theatre for the premiere of Henry V. Gradually the scenes advance to move from the confines of the Globe Theatre to almost fairytale imagery until the very grim, cold, bloody reality of battle is shown. The spirit and theatrical scenery becomes more fairytale as Henry woos & wins Catherine and France. Unfortunately, this beautiful movie reveals an England and Britain that no longer exists, but replaced by children who have forgotten their strength in God. See more William L 10/26/2020 The combination of Shakespeare's magnificent compositional talents, Olivier's powerful delivery, and exceptionally high production value for the time results in a fantastic end product, still one of the greatest efforts to put the Bard's work to film (and with studios exhibiting a clear reluctance to allocate top-tier budgets to the adaptation of material that doesn't maintain the popular edge it did in centuries prior, it will likely retain its position for some time). It certainly requires a particular mood to immerse oneself in, but there are so many lines that have underpinned English-speaking culture, and they are so well-delivered (St. Crispin's Day still stirs the spirit), that it really is must-watch film at some point. Still, some of the vernacular in the less timeless is a bit difficult to get through, and the "French" accents can be rather distressing, so it's not like the film is without fault. (4/5) See more s r @ScottR 09/02/2020 1001 movies to see before you die. A fine performance from Olivier. See more steve d 07/22/2020 One of my favorite shows but this is the worst version put to film. See more Read all reviews
Henry V

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Cast & Crew

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Laurence Olivier

Director

Laurence Olivier

King Henry V of England

Robert Newton

Ancient Pistol

Renée Asherson

Princess Katherine

Leslie Banks

Chorus

Esmond Knight

Fluellen

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Henry V

Henry V (1945) Henry V (1945) Henry V (1945) Henry V (1945) Henry V (1945) Henry V (1945) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Olivier's masterful, sweeping rendition of Shakespeare, filmed in rich color and ingeniously including a typical performance at the Globe Theatre as it might have been seen 400 years ago. The film earned Olivier a special Oscar for outstanding achievement as actor, producer and director.
Director
Laurence Olivier
Producer
Laurence Olivier, Dallas Bower
Screenwriter
Laurence Olivier, Dallas Bower, Alan Dent
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
Two Cities Films Ltd.
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 17, 1946, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 2, 2017
Runtime
2h 17m
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