"More is a man of an angel's wit and singular learning. I know not his fellow. For where is the man of that gentleness, lowliness and affability? And, as time requireth, a man of marvelous mirth and pastimes, and sometime of as sad gravity. A man for all seasons."
Now for our Saturday Cinema Feature, let's take a look back to when movies were actually good. Some were even based on plays, rather than old 1970's TV shows, comic books, or video games. For instance a Man for All Seasons was a highly successful stage play before it went on to become the 1966 Academy Award Winning best Picture. It spawned a ton of costume drama period pieces like The Lion in Winter and Anne of 1000 Days. They were hammy pieces mostly, with a cast jam packed full of ex pat Brits - often Peter O Toole or Richard Burton. They often replaced Man For All Seasons high minded themes of integrity and sacrifice with over acting and melodrama - Michael Sheen in Underworld 3 would've been at home in any of them!
A Man For All Seasons deals with the life, and more particularly the death of Sir Thomas More. Born on February 7 1478, More can be said to have anticipated the Age of Aquarius by writing a little book called Utopia. Utopia was full of some radical ideas for the day - like religious tolerance and equality of education for the sexes (In fact they'd continue to be radical stuff for a few hundred years after!). He also served as Chancellor of England, in which capacity he had many protestants burned at the stake for heresy - showing that there's a little bit of bad in the best of us. It was the collision of politics and religion that eventually got him into trouble. When his good friend Henry the 8th - or Horny Henry of Hampton - wanted to get rid of another wife, More couldn't support him. He reluctantly took a stand on principle, and paid the price. Here then, is the movie version of the life of St Thomas.Whether to the cross or to the crown the path goes through Gethsemane.
~EJ Pratt
Incidentally no mention of Thomas More would be complete with out also some mention of the man who had been his very good friend, until their falling out, Henry 8. Henry was the second Tudor king, his father having stolen the title fair and square from Richard 3 (that Richard). Had the battle gone down differently Henry 7 might have gone down in history as Henry the Usurper, or Henry the Pretender. Instead he became the founder of a dynasty. Pedigree and prerogative aside, the English Crown has been kicked around more than a soccer ball!
Pastime with Good Company
As for his son, Henry 8 wasn't supposed to be king. He had an older brother who was in line for that job. That left Henry - popular, athletic, and musical inclined - well educated and headed for the church. When his older brother died unexpectedly Henry got the bad news in an odd way. He was walking back into court from some tournament or another, and suddenly every one went quiet. As one of the boys, Henry wasn't used to this sort of treatment, and stormed off. A friend caught up with him and explained the situation "You're going to be king now and that means that no one will ever speak openly in front of you again." Henry would spend the rest of his life occasionally making music and constantly trying to find out who he could trust. It should be noted that Henry never asked for what happened him. It might also be worth taking a moment or two to remember him as I suspect he would have wanted to be remembered, as a musician!Incidentally the descendants of the Duke of Norfolk remain Catholic to this day. The Duke of Norfolk is England's Premier Duke - meaning that he ranks highest among the aristocracy. He's also the premier earl, as Earl of Arundel, and the Earl Marshall of England. The current duke is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the 18th Duke of Norfolk.
"... It isn't difficult to keep alive, friends - just don't make trouble - or if you must make trouble, make the sort of trouble that's expected... If we should bump into one another, recognize me."
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