The Wars of the Roses
A 1965 BBC adaptation of William Shakespeare's first historical tetralogy (1 Henry VI, 2 Henry VI, 3 Henry VI and Richard III) that chronicles the clash between the House of Lancaster and the House of York for the English throne—the Wars of the Roses. It was based on John Barton's 1963 theatre adaptation and directed by Peter Hall for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Director(s)
Peter Hall
John Barton
Robin Midgley
Michael Hayes
Cast & Crew
Details
Reviews
CinemaSerf
Peter Hall really has worked these four plays together well and building on a really convincing performance from David Warner offers us a grand amalgam of Shakespeare's Henry VI and Richard III plays. There's history, tragedy, and comedy a-plenty as the tale starts amidst the Hundred Years War between England and France. Ostensibly, Henry VI (Warner) was king of both territories but that did little for the unity or stability of either. It is fair to say that the bard made the King into something a little lacking in politics or sharpness and with his increasingly conniving and vengeful wife Margaret of Anjou (Peggy Ashcroft) at his side we follow a story of manipulation, intrigue, betrayal, murder - indeed just about every vice known to humankind - all elements for which the King was ill-equipped to adequately or forcefully deal... Thus the white rose and the white rose vie for the throne creating a marvellously turbulent setting for the remainder of this drama to play out. Yes, it is presented in a very theatrical style with little by way of outdoor photography, but that dimly lit intensity coupled with plenty of tightly close photography delivers the story compellingly pretty much from the start. The abridgement misses little of substance as the scenario unfolds and the assembled ensemble of experienced and versatile RSC thespians delivers the gist of the dialogue passionately throughout. The visual standard of the production was never going to be great - but the quality of the acting delivery and the sheer vibrancy of the whole enterprise makes it a surprisingly easy compendium of human nature and nurture to watch.
The Wars of the Roses FAQs
The directors of The Wars of the Roses are Peter Hall, John Barton, Robin Midgley, and Michael Hayes.
The cast of The Wars of the Roses includes Paul Hardwick as Duke of Gloucester, David Warner as King Henry VI, Ian Holm as King Richard III, Colette O'Neil as Lady Bona, David Waller as Captain to Talbot, Peggy Ashcroft as Queen Margaret, Roy Dotrice as King Edward IV, Eric Porter as Henry VII, Clive Morton as Lord Talbot, Janet Suzman as Joan la Pucelle, Nicholas Selby as Duke of Winchester, Donald Sinden as Duke of York, and more.
The duration of The Wars of the Roses is 8h 5 mins.
The Wars of the Roses was released on 08 Apr 1965.
The Wars of the Roses is listed under Drama and History on Fanbiz.
The Wars of the Roses has 1 review on Fanziz, with an average rating of 7.0/10. One reviewer wrote: "Peter Hall really has worked these four plays together well and building on a really convincing performance from David Warner offers us a grand amalgam of Shakespeare's Henry VI..."
