Shakespeare in Performance: Film
King John: The Life and Death of (1984, David Giles)
| Title | King John: The Life and Death of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1984 |
| Release Locations | GB |
| Director | David Giles |
| Medium | Color video |
| Length | 2 hrs, 35 mins |
| Languages | English |
| Audience | college and university general public |
| Play Connections | King John (interpretation) |
| Series | The Shakespeare Plays |
| Media Collections |
Description
The rarely filmed King John returned to the screen for the third time in this production that made use of the celebrated Claire Bloom as Constance and the comic actor, Leonard Rossiter, as King John. Many will remember Rossiter's performance as the pusillanimous British officer in Stanley Kubrick's widely acclaimed film of the Thackeray novel, Barry Lyndon. Rossiter is superb at looking frightened, confused, cunning, sinister and terrified all at once. He is ideal for the role of that unhappy and careworn monarch, whose most memorable achievement, or non-achievement, the signing of Magna Charta, was generated by pressure from his enemies. Shakespeare's play makes no mention of Magna Charta, of course
Description from Shakespeare on Screen : an International Filmography and Videography by Kenneth S. Rothwell and Annabelle Henkin Melzer. ©1990 Kenneth S. Rothwell. Cited by permission. — Added 2008-11-14
Cast Overview
Production Team and Crew Overview
Production information courtesy of: Kenneth Rothwell