Der Löwe im Winter

A high quality conversational drama, full of scheming, intrigue and twisted characters with a script is worthy of Shakespeare. It's just a shame that the theatrical setting sticks out more than it should, to the detriment of a full-fledged cinematic experience. And although I'm a big opponent of dubbing, I'll make a rare exception here and have to praise it. It was excellent, with the voices of the old cast, from the old days of K.M. Wallo, when Czech dubbing was among the best in the world. (20.07.2009)

A beautiful movie for Christmas about the values that count - yearning for power, hate, pretense, revenge and intrigue, that are to be found in each sentence, in each glance. Shakespeare couldn’t have written it better (hi there, King Lear). Polished dialogs polished on a knife’s edge that go heavy on acrimony and cynicism. Dismantling the myth around Royal Majesty (mainly around this Richard) and sophisticated, living characters who aren’t mere puppets in the hands of the authors. All this is more than enough to make up for the undeniable fact that more than a “movie world", we see a theatrical stage. (20.03.2009)

An award-winning historical drama, which does not rely on a grand budget - after all, it is a television film rather than a big-budget one. It does, however, have an excellent cast, and carefully elaborated script that does not deny its theatrical roots, as its structure uses the blueprint of traditional Shakespearean dramas. The story revolves around six important characters who deal with power issues in medieval England. The intrigues at the court of King Henry II are very dark and repulsive. The most beautiful parts are the dialogues between Henry II and his wife, which are full of emotions, love, and hatred at the same time, and manifest themselves in a cynical poisonous provocation. Because the royal couple was played by Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn, it is clear that they thoroughly enjoyed their lines and were able to deliver them to the audience with incredible charm. Overall impression: 90%. Although at the beginning of the film we see a knight's tournament and some sword-waving, the majority of screen time is spent in the stone interiors of one castle and with the presence of only a few actors in front of the camera. (21.08.2009)

Für historische Dramen, die voll von Intrigantinnen und Intriganten sowie Dialogen sind, hatte ich schon immer eine Schwäche. Kein Wunder, dass ich von Der Löwe im Winter begeistert war. Das ausgezeichnete Drehbuch hat James Goldman geschrieben, der Autor des gleichnamigen Theaterstücks. Die Besetzung ist eine schauspielerische Extraklasse, die Musik hat der Meister J. B. komponiert… Was will man mehr? (19.11.2011)