A Man for All Seasons

Robert Bolt's successful play was not considered a hot commercial property by Columbia Pictures--a period piece about a moral issue without a star, without even a love story. Perhaps that's why Columbia left director Fred Zinnemann alone to make A Man for All Seasons, as long as he stuck to a relatively small budget. The results took everyone by surprise, as the talky morality play became a box-office hit and collected the top Oscars for 1966. At the play's heart is the standoff between King Henry VIII (Robert Shaw, in young lion form) and Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield, in an Oscar-winning performance). Henry wants More's official approval of divorce, but More's strict ethical and religious code will not let him waffle. More's rectitude is a source of exasperation to Cardinal Wolsey (Orson Welles in a cameo), who chides, "If you could just see facts flat on without that horrible moral squint." Zinnemann's approach is all simplicity, and indeed the somewhat prosaic staging doesn't create a great deal of cinematic excitement. But the language is worth savoring, and the ethical politics are debated with all the calm and majesty of an absorbing chess game. --Robert Horton

A Man for All Seasons is a handsome adaptation of the stage play on which it is based, with fine acting, solemn issues, and a message of moral order that conservative audiences of the 1960s found attractive. Historians, however, have objected to the glorification of Sir Thomas More, who was hardly the innocent martyr portrayed by playwright/screenwriter Robert Bolt. For example, the historical More urged the executions of various "heretics," a distasteful matter that the film somehow overlooks. The appeal of A Man for All Seasons to 1966 audiences was a direct reaction to the cultural upheavals in the world at large. In a era where once-confident values were being questioned and sometimes destroyed, the story of the principled More, who sacrifices himself rather than give in to change and wickedness, had resonance among those who longed for simpler days with more concrete values. AMPAS, still a bit embarrassed over having honored the libertine Tom Jones three years earlier, showered the film with six Oscars, including Best Picture. ~ Richard Gilliam, All Movie Guide

The Life of Saint Thomas More featurette

Adapted by Robert Bolt and Constance Willis from Bolt's hit stage play, A Man for All Seasons stars Paul Scofield, triumphantly repeating his stage role as Sir Thomas More. The crux of the film is the staunchly Catholic More's refusal to acknowledge King Henry VIII (Robert Shaw)'s break from the church to divorce his first wife and marry Anne Boleyn (an unbilled Vanessa Redgrave). Sir Thomas willingly goes to the chopping block rather than sacrifice his ideals. Director Fred Zinnemann retains the play's verbosity without sacrificing the film's strong sense of visuals. The impeccably chosen cast includes Wendy Hiller as Sir Thomas' likably contentious wife Alice, John Hurt as the deceitful Richard Rich (More's put-downs of this despicable character provide some of the film's biggest laughs), Orson Welles as a dour Cardinal Woolsey, Leo McKern as the ambitious Thomas Cromwell, and Susannah York as More's daughter Margaret. The "Common Man," an important bridging-the-scenes character in the original play, is removed from the film version, which does just fine without him. A Man for All Seasons won six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, as well as seven British Film Academy awards. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

• Disc #1 -- A Man for All Seasons
  • Play Movie
  • Audio Set Up
    • English 5.1
    • English Mono
    • French
  • Subtitles
    • English
    • French/Franais
    • Portuguese
    • Subtitles Off
  • Scene Selections
  • Special Features
    • The Life of Saint Thomas More
    • Trailers
      • Sense and Sensibility
      • Little Women
  • Trailers
    • Sense and Sensibility
    • Little Women

Disc #1 -- A Man for All Seasons
1. Start [5:15]
2. A Butcher's Summons [4:13]
3. With the Cardinal [6:43]
4. Petitions [1:00]
5. Home to Chelsea [5:07]
6. Saying "No" to a Heretic [4:06]
7. The Duke of Norfolk [1:22]
8. The New Lord Chancellor [1:47]
9. "Surprise" Visit [5:02]
10. Quiet Words [8:20]
11. Catching the Tide [4:12]
12. A Bad, Dangerous Spy [3:22]
13. Rich & the New Secretary [4:30]
14. The King's Answer [1:20]
15. More Resigns [1:36]
16. Explaining His Decision [1:34]
17. The King's Wedding Day [10:31]
18. A Letter [2:39]
19. Conversation With Cromwell [1:04]
20. Ending a Friendship [5:07]
21. News of the Oath [4:57]
22. In the Tower [1:36]
23. An Inquiry [2:34]
24. Family Visit [7:21]
25. The Trial [7:56]
26. Richard Rich Testifies [6:12]
27. Verdict & Discharge [4:21]
28. Sentence Carried Out [3:48]