A Man for All Seasons (1966 film)

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A Man for All Seasons is a 1966 film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Paul Scofield. It is based on the Robert Bolt play A Man for All Seasons.

Background

Paul Scofield, who played the leading role in the West End stage premiere, played More again in the first of two film versions (1966), winning an Oscar in the process. The film also stars Robert Shaw as Henry VIII, Orson Welles as Wolsey, a young John Hurt as More's nemesis Richard Rich, and an older Wendy Hiller as More's second wife. It was directed by Fred Zinnemann. In addition to the Best Actor Oscar won by Scofield, the film won Academy Awards for screenplay, cinematography, costume design, Best Director, and Best Picture.

Plot

The plot is based on the true story of Sir Thomas More, the 16th-century Chancellor of England, who refuses to endorse or denounce the king's wish to divorce his aging wife so that he can marry his mistress. The King is Henry VIII of England and his wife is Catherine of Aragon, the first of an eventual six.

The play portrays More as a man of principle, envied by rivals such as Thomas Cromwell and loved by the common people and by his family.

THe film opens with Cardinal Wolsey, played by Orson Welles, summoning More (Paul Scofield) to his palace at Hampton Court. Desiring his support in obtaining a divorce from the Pope so that the King can marry Ann Boleyn, Wolsey is shocked and dumbfounded by More's refusal to asist him. Wolsey suggests that if only More could see facts on the ground without his "horrible moral squint," he might have made a statesman. More retorts that when statesmen ignore their consciences they lead the State on a short road to chaos.

REturning to his estate at Chelsea, More finds Richard Rich (John Hurt) a young aquaintance from Cambridge, waiting by the dock for his return. Rich pleads with More for a position at Court, but More, citing the various corruptions there, advises him to become a teacher instead. More enters the house to find his daughter Meg (Susannah York) with a young Protestant named William Roper. When Roper announces his intention to marry Meg, More, a devout Catholic, announces that his answer is no as long as Roper remains a heretic.

Shortly thereafter, Wolsey dies in disgrace, having failed to obtain a divorce for the King. King Henry (Robert Shaw) then appoints More as Lord Chancellor of England. WHen the King arrives at Chelsea for a visit, More, rather than admit that his conscience forbids him to act against the Catholic Church, subtly provokes the King into a raging tantrum. The King screams that Queen Catherine is not his wife and that those who say otherwise "are not only liars but traitors," before storming off in a huff.

Roper, having heard of More's predicament from Meg, announces that his religious opinions have altered considerably. As Roper and More debate whether the King has become ''the Devil's minister," Rich arrives, pleading again for a position at Court. When More refuses, Rich denounces More's steward as a spy for Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern), one of More's enemies at Court. As a humiliated Rich leaves, More's family pleads with hims to have Rich arrested. More refuses, stating that Rich, while dangerous, has committed no crime. Rich goes to Cromwell and joins him in attempting to bring down More.

King Henry, tired of awaiting a divorce from Rome, declares himself "Supreme Head of the Church in England." More quietly resigns his post as Chancellor rather than accept the new order. The Duke of Norfolk, a friend of More's, reminds him as he resigns, "This isn't Spain, you know. This is England." Cromwell, however will not be appeased. He demands that More attend the King's wedding to Ann Boleyn. When More refuses, he is summoned again to Hampton Court, now occupied by Cromwell. When Cromwell interrogates him about his opinions, More refuses to answer, citing it as his right under English Law. Cromwell angrily declares that the King now views him as a traitor, but allows him to go.

As More returns home he is confronted by Meg, now married to Roper. Meg informs him that a new oath is being circulated that all must take on pain of High Treason. Unable to find any loopholes in the oath, More refuses to take it. He is then imprisoned in the Tower of London. Despite repeated threats from Cromwell and the pleadings of his family, More remains steadfast in his refusal to take the oath. When he is finally brought to trial, he remains silent until after being convicted of treason on the perjured testimony of Richard Rich, who has been promoted as Attorney General for Wales as a reward for doing so. With nothing left to lose, More angrily denounces the illegal nature of the King's actions, declaring that the immunity of the Church was geranteed both in Magna Carta and in the King's own Coronation Oath. As the spectators scream in protest, More is sentenced to death.

Later, in the Tower of London, More declares, "I die the King's good servant, but God's first," then kneels down before the headsman's axe.

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