A Man for All Seasons (1966)

An excellent lesson in integrity
I love this story, and this is a great portrayal. I teach the play in my English classes and it always fosters great discussions. The only misgiving I have is that Paul Scofield has such a typically dry British sense of humor that my students don't always realize how very funny More's character is. Still, I recommend this production wholeheartedly.

A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS-A Great Film for All Seasons
This film was a wonderful example of everything that makes a movie great. It deserves five stars and appears to have been so rated by the vast majority of Amazon reviewers. Prior to writing a review I try to read a reasonable sample of previous writers' opinions as something to gage against my own.

There appears to be a clear consensus on this film and also agreement on the performance of Paul Scofield which needs not be repeated here. Great, great film. I was a bit surprised to read that one individual was upset with the film because it wildly distorted the life of Sir Thomas More. This person, who rated the film at 1 star, further stated that the historical figure was an individual who was just short of being one of histories worst monsters.

I never knew this, and if true it really surprises me that the film would portray Sir Thomas as a God fearing man. Notwithstanding, this was a great film and should receive 5 stars. Concerning the historical accuracy, the previous writer has given me reason to do a little research of my own.

A Man for All Seasons for one reason....
1966's Academy Award Winner for Best Picture, "A Man for All Seasons" is the story of Sir Thomas Moore, counselor to King Henry VIII of England but a devout man of God first. This ordering of priorities places an dreadful air of inevitability over Director Fred Zinneman's austere but moving production, which features a talented cast and the superb dialogue from the play of the same name.

Henry VIII (played with egotistical gusto by Robert Shaw) wishes to divorce Catherine Parr, who had been unable to bear him a son and heir. The Catholic Church declines to grant him a divorce. The King demands the support of Sir Thomas More (Paul Schofield), his Chancellor since the death of Cardinal Woolsey (Orson Welles). Moore, a devout and relentlessly honest man, resists the King's demand. Henry will tolerate no resistance on this matter, and Moore's enemies, including the schemer Cromwell (Leo McKern) and an ambitious young man (John Hurt) will frame him, leading to his trial and death for treason.

"A Man for All Seasons" poses a number of provocative moral challenges, not least the sagacity of Moore's refusal to bend to the King, at the cost of his life and his family's welfare. A question not pursued by the movie is why Moore, an experienced man of government, would not take reasonable measures to defend himself against betrayal in a time of rough and tumble court politics, where the price of failure might be death. This refusal makes for a cleaner but less historically accurate story line

This movie is very highly reocmmended as a superbly done drama, still worth watching all these many years later.