The Lion in Winter (1968)
Peter O’Toole’s second time around as King Henry II is in The Lion in Winter opposite the great Katherine Hepburn. Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton also pop up in this one, both making their film debut! The Lion in Winter takes place during Christmas Court in 1183, where King Henry II and his estranged wife Eleanor (Hepburn) battle over which of their children should inherit the throne. It’s basically a period piece melodrama version of an awkward family Christmas dinner, with long held rivalries and resentments coming to a head.
O’Toole and Hepburn are two of the greats, and watching them go head to head is enthralling, even if other aspects of the film haven’t aged as well.
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