A Man for All Seasons (1966) - Springtime for Classics

"I die his Majesty's good servant, but God's first."

Director
Fred Zinnemann

Cast
Paul Scofield - Sir Thomas More
Wendy Hiller - Alice More
Leo McKern - Thomas Cromwell
Orson Welles - Cardinal Wolsey
Robert Shaw - King Henry VIII
Susannah York - Margaret More
Nigel Davenport - the Duke of Norfolk
John Hurt - Richard Rich
Corin Redgrave - William Roper

"A Man for All Seasons," based on Robert Bolt's play of the same name, depicts the final years of St. Thomas More - the Lord High Chancelor of England under King Henry VIII from 1529 to 1535.

I have to say this movie falls into my most absolute top favorite of movies ever made along with other titles like "Amadeus," "The Kid," "The Sting," and "Casablanca." 

The act of watching or listening to a story about a person standing by their convictions and morals amidst pressure for powerful individuals and in the face of injustice, is always relevant. Nothing can be more timeless. 

The story covers a lengthy span of history. The movie opens with Cardinal Wolsey (Orson Welles), Lord Chancellor of England, as he rebukes Thomas More (Paul Scofield) for being the sole member of the King's advisory council to oppose his attempts to put pressure on Pope Clement VII in obtaining an annulment for King Henry VIII's (Robert Shaw) marriage to Catherine of Aragon. 

For those who slept through history class back in high school, the king wanted an annulment because Catherine had not been able to produce a male heir for Henry VIII. So, he wanted to toss her aside and marry another woman, Anne Boleyn (Vanessa Redgrave), with the hopes she would produce a male heir. 

As Henry is a Catholic married in the Catholic Church. The Church takes vows made before God very seriously. Failing to produce a baby boy is certainly no grounds for declaring no marriage ever took place. That's not how Henry wants it, though. 

The King is hell bent on getting his annulment. The Church is more concerned about protecting the sanctity of the marriage. 

As Wolsey tries to get More to support the King's wish, little do they know that Wolsey's aide, Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern), is eavesdropping on their conversation. 

Back at More's home in Chelsea, a young acquaintance named Richard Rich (John Hurt) has been trying to convince More to grant him a position in the King's Court. More doesn't think Rich is qualified for a position. Rather he offers him a job as a teacher. Rich declines the offer as he wants a position that will make him known in elite circles. This leaves him frustrated with More.

Also, More's daughter Margaret (Susannah York) is in love with a young lawyer named William Roper (Corin Redgrave). Though More is fond of young Roper, he refuses to allow his daughter to marry him because he's a Lutheran. If he wants to marry Margaret and have More's blessing, Roper must reject his heretical beliefs and return to the Catholic faith. 

After Cardinal Wolsey dies in the walls of a monastery, banished from the King's Court for failing to budge the Pope on the annulment issue, More is given the office of Lord High Chancellor. 

Having accepted the office, the King himself pays his dear friend More and his family an impromptu visit at More's home. He wants to ensure he has More's support in his annulment pursuit. King Henry thinks it should come easy as the two are friends. 

Orson Welles and Paul Scofield as Cardinal Wolsey and
Thomas More in "A Man for All Seasons."

More respectfully stands firm in his moral principles despite the King threats, promises of special favors, and screams. 

When the King departs, Cromwell finds Richard Rich and grants him his coveted position in the King's Court. His use of Rich is something sinister, but Rich doesn't see that. He's impressionable and way too covetous of influence and prestige.

Cromwell ultimately finds use in Rich as a witness to bring down More and get him out of the way of the King's annulment pursuit.

Seeing that the Church won't give him want he wants, King Henry demands parliament and the bishops to break ties with the Church and declare him "Supreme Head of the Church of England." Of course, they agree to these demands. 

More knows he cannot agree to any of these actions. So, he silently resigns as Lord High Chancellor. More is then pressured from all sides to just verbally accept that the King was never married to Catherine. At least, it would make his life easier.

His close friend and Third Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Howard (Nigel Davenport) tries to get More to reveal his true opinions on the situation during a private chat. More, however, knows that speaking openly with anyone, no matter how close they are to him, is a bad idea. 

Cromwell meets with More and says he can get off the hook if he just attends the King's wedding to Anne Boleyn. More, however, doesn't attend. So, he's brought back to Hampton Court for questioning about some trumped-up charges about accepting a bribe while employed as Chancellor.

More is smart and says very little. An angry and frustrated Cromwell tells More that the King views him as a traitor but lets him leave the interrogation regardless.   

Later, Margaret tells her father that a new oath is going around England and all must take it. Refusal to do so will be considered high treason. 

More doesn't initially refuse until he sees how the oath is worded. The oath declares the King as the Supreme Head of the Church. Well, to hell with that! 

More ends up imprisoned in the Tower of London. He will not take the oath, and much to the displeasure of his captures, does not explain why. 

He then encourages his wife Alice (Wendy Hiller), daughter and son-in-law not to defend him. But rather, he asks them to flee England. 

More is brought to trial with all kinds of false testimony thrown at him, even by Richard Rich who claims in court that More told him Parliament doesn't have the power to make the King head of the Church. 

While the outcome of the trial leads to his unjust death, More's success is found in his legacy of courage in the truest meaning of the word, and ultimately in his sainthood. 

There's something ongoing about the true story of More. Hence, the title. This period of his life is an example to be imitated for all seasons.

It's just as relevant in today's sociopolitical climate. Certain ideologies are treated like a religion. These blatantly false and repugnant ideas about individuals have a tight squeeze on our culture. Anyone who dares argue against them will be excommunicated, or cancelled as the kids call it. 

As for More, he could have verbally accepted in for the sake of being left alone regardless of what his conscience dictated. But as apologist G.K. Chesterton observes, tolerance is the attitude of those who do not believe in anything. 

Of course, today, More would likely be shouted at and branded a "hater." Angry mobs would mercilessly throw a label on him that ends in "ist" or "phobe."
Little is as alluring as power and influence. More chose a clean conscience. The rest of us, depicted through the other characters, especially Rich and Cromwell, easily fall under that weight and can easily give up our moral values for the "respect" of others, to meet their preferences, and win their favor and empty praise. When power is offered, weak people can rationalize anything, especially when a seat at the table is at stake. 

Robert Shaw as Henry VIII along with Paul Scofield.

In one scene, the Duke of Norfolk asks More, "Oh confound all this. I'm not a scholar, I don't know whether the marriage was lawful or not but dammit, Thomas, look at these names! Why can't you do as I did and come with us, for fellowship!"
More replies, "And when we die, and you are sent to heaven for doing your conscience, and I am sent to hell for not doing mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?"
"A Man for All Seasons" is a truly respectable film. And though the political situations and murky injustice against More initially seems complex and complicated, the story is told rather simply. It's an easy film to follow. 
More's story is a testimony to what courage really is - a word thrown around much too loosely to the point of nonsense these days. 
"If we lived in a state where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us saintly. But since we see that avarice, anger, pride, and stupidity commonly profit far beyond charity, modesty, justice, and thought, perhaps we must stand fast a little - even at the risk of being heroes," More later tells his daughter. Why does that ring so true in today's society at home and abroad. 
There is one conversation that stands out in film. I often hear it quoted in political discussions or see it printed in articles. 

After Rich unsuccessfully attempts to coax More into voicing his opinion, Alice, Margaret and her husband William voice their concerns about him, suspicious Rich is a spy.

"Father, that man's bad," Margaret says.

"There's no law against that," he replies. 

"There is! God's law!" Roper insists.

"Then God can arrest him," More says. 

His family grows impatient as Rich continues walking away. 

"While you talk, he's gone!" Alice says. 

"And go he should, if he were the Devil himself, until he broke the law."

"So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law," Roper asks.

"Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?"
"Yes, I'd cut down every law in England to do that!" Roper replies.
"Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws from coast to coast. Man's laws, not God's! And if you cut them down, and you're just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!"

Rule of law matters, even for those whom one disagrees with. 

It's worth mentioning that director Fred Zinnemann has some rather notable film titles under his belt - "High Noon" (1952), "From Here to Eternity" (1953), "Oklahoma!" (1955) and "A Nun's Story" (1959). "A Man for All Seasons" is a gem on his crown donned for his mark in cinema. It's a political story so it's likely going to ignite some political discussion among audiences for all times.