Film archive, 1968

The Lion in Winter

Director Anthony Harvey

1Festival entries

Overall

★Avg. rating

Adapted from James Goldman’s play of the same name. At Christmas 1183, the ageing King Henry II of England resolves to choose his heir. He orders his estranged wife Eleanor to bring their three sons, Richard, Geoffrey and John, back to court for a family gathering, so that he can use the occasion to choose his successor. But Henry and Eleanor disagree sharply about the heir, and Henry’s mistress Alais is caught up in it too. What is more, the young and cunning King Philip of France joins the court battle for the throne… Centred on a power struggle inside the medieval English royal family, the film packs dense dramatic conflict into its 135 minutes and won three Academy Awards. Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn give textbook performances, and actors including Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton made their screen debuts here.

Stills(3)

Film details

Director: Anthony Harvey
Country/Region: United Kingdom
Year: 1968
Length: 134min
Original language: English
Elsewhere: Letterboxd IMDb Wikidata TMDB Douban

Director

Anthony Harvey

Credits

Director: Anthony Harvey
Screenplay: James Goldman
Cast: Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins, John Castle, Nigel Terry

Festival appearances(1)

Choose a festival entry to see its screenings, articles and audience reviews.

The Lion in Winter (4K Restoration)British Flair: A Showcase of Classic Cinema 2026British Flair: A Showcase of Classic Cinema

Festival history(1)

Shanghai Film Archive, 2026British Flair: A Showcase of Classic Cinema

Film posters

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