Henry V (1989 film)

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Henry V

Directed by	Kenneth Branagh
Produced by	Bruce Sharman
Written by	Kenneth Branagh William Shakespeare (play)
Starring	Kenneth Branagh Derek Jacobi Simon Shepherd James Larkin
Release date(s)	November 8, 1989
Running time	137 min
Language	English
IMDb profile

Henry V is a 1989 film directed by Kenneth Branagh, and based upon the Shakespeare play about the famous English King. Branagh stars in the title role. Derek Jacobi, Brian Blessed, Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane, Christian Bale, Dame Judi Dench, Paul Scofield, Jimmy Yuill and Emma Thompson are also featured. Interestingly, the role of "Michael Williams" is played by the actor Michael Williams. It was produced by Bruce Sharman with the British Broadcasting Corporation and Renaissance Films.

The visual and verbal styles of the film are much grittier than the Laurence Olivier film (see: Henry V (1944 movie)), particularly with respect to the Battle of Agincourt scenes, which are strongly reminiscent of the battle scenes in the films of Akira Kurosawa. The film's budget was $9 million.

Henry V received near-universal critical acclaim for Branagh's Oscar-nominated performance and direction, for the accessibility of its Shakespearean language and particularly for its music by first-time composer Patrick Doyle, which was performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Simon Rattle.

Henry reads of the French dead after the battle of Agincourt

The film grossed $10 million in the U.S. and at the time of its widest release played on 134 U.S. screens.Phyllis Dalton won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design and the film was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Branagh) and Best Director (Branagh).