Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn, both legend of the silver screen (and favorites to AMPAS), are beyond excellent in The Lion in Winter. O'Toole gets a more in-depth role that what he had in Becket. For Hepburn, she gives one of the best performances of her career. Their scenes together made the movie feel like a 12th century version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
The Lion in Winter also has Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton in their film debuts. Both actors are better known for their later roles (Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, Dalton as James Bond), but they definitely leave an impact here.
Once I heard the first lines from James Goldman's script and the first notes of John Barry's score, I knew I was hooked. I've stated countless times before I'm not that crazy about costume dramas, but I believe that The Lion in Winter changed my opinion drastically.
My Rating: *****
The Lion in Winter is one of my favorite films (as said in my tweet yesterday) and one of the first films that hooked me on Katharine Hepburn. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant film! Amazing performances by Hepburn, O'Toole and Hopkins and a perfect screenplay!
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