Boxoffice-March.09.1964

vine's astute direction, the two great actt
,
:
)
'.
\
fine emotional climax. Under Peter Qleli
li
give truly fine characterizations, ones t j
be long remembered.
In support are two of Britain's knight
actors. Sir John Gielgud, who contributes'
j
suave, elegant portrayal of King Louis V'|
of France, a comparatively brief role whlij
adds some lighter touches, and Sir DonaM
Wolfit, who is an outstanding figure
'•
jealousy and discontent as Becket's enenr,
the Bishop of London. These two. wl
young David We.ston, playing Broth
John, a Saxon monk, who first resents ai
then becomes devoted to Becket, ma:
their every scene count.
While women play a minor part In tl I
Peter O'Toole as King Henry II (left! and Richard Burton as Thomas Becket
in Hal Wallis' production of "Becket," in Panavision and Technicolor.
FEATURE
REVIEW
^Becket'
Paramount
By FRANK LEYENDECKER
PRODUCER HAL WALLIS, whose productions
over the years have won a
total
of 32 Academy Awards, has put forth his
finest effort in this British-made picturization
of the London and Broadway stage
hit—a magnificent film certain to be
nominated for many Academy Awards next
year and likely to garner an Oscar for
Richard Burton for his superb portrayal
of Becket. Certainly the soft-toned Technicolor
photography of Gteoffrey Unsworth,
which captures the rich interiors, many of
them reconstructed on the Shepperton
Studio's stages, and the incomparably beautiful
exteriors along England's lonely coastline
are visual masterpieces, rarely, if ever,
excelled on the screen.
Although Edward Anhalt's screenplay,
based on the Jean Anouilh play, re-creates a
tempestuous part of English history In the
late 12th Century, with its intrigues, adventures
and pageantry, the human story
of the devotion between Becket and King
Henry n and their later breakup which
culminates in the murder of Becket inside
Canterbury Cathedral, is always uppermost
and makes for a tremendously moving
drama.
With Burton so much in the news, in
the current film "Cleopatra," on the
stage In John Gielgud's production of
"Hamlet" and offstage, as well, and Peter
O'Toole so recently acclaimed for his
"Lawrence of Arabia," the picture has
strong marquee allure, both for the
sophisticated patrons who saw or read the
play and the mass audiences. The re-
14
served-seat engagements in key cities
should build up strong interest for the
later regular runs. The picture has already
been given special awards by Parents'
Magazine, Scholastic Magazine and Seventeen
and Photoplay, and Saturday Review
calls it "a imique triumph." Life and other
magazines have scheduled large space for it.
Burton, as the soft-spoken, withdrawn
Becket who changes from a pleasure-loving
young man to a deeply-religious figure
after he is made Archbishop of Canterbury,
is splendidly complemented by Peter
O'Toole, as the mercurial, hot-tempered
and flagrantly amorous ICing Henry II.
Burton's performance increases in intensity
while O'Toole's becomes more flashy, unpredictable
and compelling right up to
"BECKET"
Hal Wallis production for ParamounT reicose
Running time: 148 minutes, plus intermission
In Ponovision: 2;55-l and Technicolor
CREDITS
Produced by Hoi Wollis. Directed by Peter
Glenville. Screenploy by Edward Anhalt. Based
on the ploy by Jean Anouilh. Production designer,
John Bryon. Editor, Anne Coates. Musical score,
Lourence Rosenthol. Conductor, Muir Mathieson.
Cincmatographer, Geoffrey Unsworth- Assistant to
the producer, Richard McWhorter, Production
manager, Denis Holt. Art director, Maurice Carter.
Costume designer, Margaret Furse. 1 st assistant
director, Colin Brewer. Camera operator, Ernest
Doy, Set decorator, Robert Cortwright. Set dresser.
Potrick McLoughlin. Scenic ortists, FerdinorKj Bel-
Ian and Simpson Robinson,
his
THE CAST
Thomos Becket Richard Burton
King Henry II Peter OToole
King Louis VII of France John Gielgud
Gilbert Folliot, Bishop of Donald Wolfit
London . . .
Queen Matilda
Martito Hunt
Queen Eleanor Pamela Brown
Pope Alexander III Poola Stoppo
Cardinal Zambelli Gino Cervi
Brother John David Weston
Archbishop of Canterbury Felix Aylmer
Henry II Barons. .. .Nioll MocGinnis, Percy Herbert
Christopher Rhodes, Peter Jeffrey
Gwendolen Sian Phillips
Robert de Beaumont, Duke of Leicester
Inigo Jockson
Peasant's daughter Jennifer Hilary
Bishop of York Frank Pcttingcll
and John Phillips, Veronique Verxlell, Gerald Lowson,
Hamilton Dycc, Linda Morlow, Patrick Newoll,
Riggs O'Hora Grohom Stark, Mogdo Kopke, Gooffrev
Boyldon.
proceedings, Martita Hunt has two fli
scenes as the caustic Queen Mother ai
Pamela Brown also does well as Kli:
Henry's passionless wife. Queen Eleanc
Sian Phillips has one touching momei
and Jennifer Hilary, Veronique Wendt
and several other beautiful girls a
suitably cast as wenches and whores, tern
which "Tom Jones" has made acceptab
in today's period films. Felix Aylmer, i
an elderly Bishop, Niall MacGinnis, Pere
Herbert and other top British players a)
also excellent and two familiar Italia
actors. Paola Stoppa and Gino Cervi, ignll
one splendid scene as the Pope and h
adviser in a Rome sequence.
In addition to Unsworth's notab;
camerawork, which often resembles ol
English tapestries, the highest praise is dt
to John Bryan, for his production designi
Margaret Furse for her rich and authentJ
period costumes, and Laurence Rosenthi
for his musical score, which is hauntln
yet never distracts from the film's dram
and visual beauty and it is well conducta
by Muir Mathieson.
In the final analysis, the film revolve
around Becket and his King Henry n an
it is Richard Burton and Peter OTOoli
under Peter Glenville's direction, wh
bring these famed medieval figures to vlvl
life on the screen and make Hal Wall!
superlative production one of the screen
historical
triumphs.
Universal, Decca Declare
Quarterly Dividends
NEW YORK—The board of directors (
Universal Pictures has declared a quarter!
dividend of 25 cents per share on tl:
common stock, payable March 27 to stocli
holders of record March 17. 1964.
At the same time, the directors of Decci
Records declared a regular quarter!
dividend of 30 centos per share on the con:
pany's capital stock, payable March 30 t
stockholders of record March 16, 1964.
i
London to See 'Becket'
NEW YORK — Paramount has schec«
uled Hal Wallis' "Becket" for an overset,
premiere March 25 at the Plaza Theatre 1;
London. It will be presented on a reservecj
.seal, road-show policy.
BOXOFFICE March 9. 196,