Product Details

• Actors: Charlton Heston, Vanessa Redgrave, John Gielgud, Nicolas Amer, Brian Badcoe
• Directors: Charlton Heston
• Writers: Robert Bolt
• Producers: Fraser Clarke Heston, Peter Snell
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Turner Home Ent
• VHS Release Date: February 5, 2002
• Run Time: 150 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301216601
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,137 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Adaptation of Robert Bolt's play chronicling Sir Thomas More's struggles with corrupt King Henry VIII.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Man of Conscience, January 11, 2001

By A Customer

When I first saw this movie, I didn't know much about Sir Thomas More other than the fact that he wrote Utopia. Through excellent acting, this movie retold the plight of More with Kingy Henry VIII. More refused to swear to an oath that said he accepted Henry's break with the Catholic Church for his new marriage to Anne Boleyn. Many people sweared to the oath to save themselves from execution, but More stood his ground and fought for what he believed was right. It is a movie about valuing one's conscience in the face of morality. It shows how More's life paralleled Jesus' life in many ways. More, too, was executed for his beliefs. People of all religions can relate to More's situation and question what they would have done in the same place. "I die the King's good servant. . . . but God's servant first." -- More to his executioners.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A different approach, April 9, 2006

By	M. Gray (London, UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I love this story, as a fragment of history (such as we know of it), as a dramatic work by a fine playwright and in both extant film productions. The 1966 film directed by Zinnemann is a wonderful filmic reworking of the play with some noble acting and art direction. It retains the essence of the story whilst changing 'operatically' the angle, rather like Milos Forman has done with Peter Schaffer's "Amadeus". Heston's TV film, on the other hand, sticks rather more closely to the play, in both script and format and succeeds equally well. This isn't a 'remake'; rather, it is a new approach in its own right. Both films are valid additions to the canon. Heston was, indeed, a great actor who was more than equal to this task; all too often he has been the target of 'casting snobs'. Finally, the late Roy Kinnear's contribution as the 'Common Man' (a part not featured as such in the 1966 film, Colin Blakely as More's servant, Matthew being the closest comparable) is a little gem!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Be fair to this film!!!, July 9, 2007

By	F. Van Doorn (Holland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I think most of the comments for this film are rather unfair. Unfair to the actor Charlton Heston and unfair to the film itself. Please let me explain:

It seems to me a sort of "England, England!" thing is standing in the way of a fair and objective comment on this film (as if I could give one...).
Even though Charlton Heston has sunk very much in my esteem since "Bowling for Columbine" I feel I need to set the record straight (for my own peace of mind): This film is great, and believe you me, I am a Scofield fan (I simply adored him in the 1966 version of this film as well as in the 1994 Martin Chuzzlewit television film/mini-series).

But to do away with this 1988 version of Heston as a failed attempt to improve on Fred Zinneman is not only an unfair comparison but also a foolish one.
To begin with: Heston's version is far closer and more true to Robert Bolt's play than is the Fred Zinneman version. In addition, Heston's performance, although more obviously dramatical than that of Scofield, is more passionate. The scene in which he thrashes Roper and stands for his daughter Meg is simply the greatest ("They put about too nimbly!!!"), as is his performance with the Duke of Norfolk when they discuss water spaniels.
Next to Heston, the performance of his fellow actors should not be discarded.

Roy Kinnear, bless his soul, is brilliant as the common man (a Robert Bolt invention that stayed alive in this version but was left out of the 1966 Zinneman production)

In addition, the role of the king is played simply brilliantly by Martin Chamberlain. The scene in More's garden is a scene that will never be mastered.

Vanessa Redgrave gives one of her finest performances as More's wife. The scene in the Tower where they part for the last time is always tearing me apart! (Oh God, all these plain simple men!)

And of course the roles of the "two ugly ladies" Benjamin Withrow and Jonathan Hackett are delicious and not to be found anywhere so great in the 1966 Zinneman version.

So I beg you: Please be fair, enjoy the Zinneman version, but also take the time to (learn to) appreciate Heston's version. The man has his faults, but just appreciate that what he has done right!