Caught on Tape: William Marshall

William Marshall, one of the greatest knights on the 12th and 13th centuries is going to be having an amazing year in 2010. In fiction, The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick is being released in March. In film, Robin Hood and Ironclad are coming out, both featuring Marshall prominently. With this looking to be Marshall’s year, why not take a look at what movies William Marshal has been in?

King John (1984)

“Assuming the throne after the death of his brother Richard I, King John (Leonard Rossiter) finds his rule threatened by his own family. His nephew Arthur's quest for power, fueled by Arthur's mother, Constance (Claire Bloom), gathers support from King Philip of France. As battle lines are drawn, the stage is set for John's destiny. Directed by David Giles, this staging is part of a BBC series of Shakespeare's complete works.” (from Netflix)

This is the tale, as told by Shakespeare – produced by BBC. William Marshall is only referred to as Earl of Pembroke – but the story that is told follows the lines of The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick. William is portrayed by Robert Brown. I was unable to find a clip of this movie, but I did find a clip of a stage performance.



The Lion in Winter (1968) and (2003)

“In this stylish costume drama, England's King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and his
dysfunctional family gather on Christmas Eve to decide who will inherit the throne. Henry fancies youngest son John (Nigel Terry), but his iron-willed spouse (Katharine Hepburn) thinks the crown should go to eldest son Richard the Lionhearted (Anthony Hopkins, in his film debut). What ensues is a bitter battle of wills that strains every family bond of love and trust.” (from Netflix 1968 film)

“In winter of 1183, as King Henry II (Patrick Stewart) and his family prepare to celebrate Christmas, Henry also prepares to announce the succession of his throne to one of his three sons -- none of whom is exactly qualified for the job. Disagreements with his wife, Eleanor (Glenn Close), over the subject quickly escalate and throw the family into turmoil. Andrei Konchalovsky remakes the 1968 version starring Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn.” (from Netflix 2003 film)

William Marshall appears in a small role in both – played by Nigel Stock in the 1968 version and by Clive Wood in the 2003 version.



Robin Hood (2010)

“The story of how an archer in the service of King Richard the Lionheart became to be known as Robin Hood, the famous archer and outlaw of English Folklore. Beginning after the Death of King Richard at the Siege of Chalus Chabrol, the film follows Robin on his rise to infamy among the English Barons and the newly crowned King John. Featuring historically accurate characters such as Sir William Marshall and grounded in reality (in a similar way to Gladiator), this is not Robin Hood as you have seen him before, rather the making of the legend we have come to know him as now.“ (from IMDB)

The upcoming Robin Hood movie features Marshall in a prominent role. As it has yet to come out yet, we will just have to wait and see what comes of it. I will likely see this when it comes to theatres. Marshall will be played by William Hurt.  You can check out my review of the movie here.



Ironclad (2010)

“It is the year 1215 and the rebel barons of England have forced their despised King John to put his royal seal to the Magna Carta, a noble, seminal document that upheld the rights of free-men. Yet within months of pledging himself to the great charter, the King reneged on his word and assembled a mercenary army on the south coast of England with the intention of bringing the barons and the country back under his tyrannical rule. Barring his way stood the mighty Rochester castle, a place that would become the symbol of the rebel's momentous struggle for justice and freedom.” (from IMDB)

Another upcoming movie this year about William Marshall. I found out about this one from a comment on my post about Robin Hood and William Marshall. I haven’t heard much about this one at all. Marshall will be played by James Purefoy.



The first 2 movies can be found on Netflix, the second two are yet to be released. Have you seen King John or The Lion in Winter? What did you think of them? Are you planning on seeing either Robin Hood or Ironclad?

Also today at HFBRT:

Allie's Book Review at Hist-Fic Chick
Marie's Book Review at The Burton Review

And don't forget the GIVEAWAY!





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