Becket Overview:

Becket (1964) was a Biographical - Drama Film directed by Peter Glenville and produced by Hal B. Wallis and Joseph H. Hazen.

Academy Awards 1964 --- Ceremony Number 37 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorRichard BurtonNominated
Best ActorPeter O'TooleNominated
Best Supporting ActorJohn GielgudNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: John Bryan, Maurice Carter; Set Decoration: Patrick McLoughlin, Robert CartwrightNominated
Best CinematographyGeoffrey UnsworthNominated
Best Costume DesignMargaret FurseNominated
Best DirectorPeter GlenvilleNominated
Best Film EditingAnne CoatesNominated
Best Music - ScoringLaurence RosenthalNominated
Best PictureHal B. Wallis, ProducerNominated
Best WritingEdward AnhaltWon
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BlogHub Articles:

Becket (1964, Peter Glenville)

on Dec 29, 2019 From The Stop Button

Becket has some genre constraints. Significant ones. It?s a king-sized 70mm Panavision English history epic only it doesn?t feature any big battles. In fact, it goes out of its way not to show battles. It?s also an early sixties historical epic and it?s trying to be a little edgy in how it shows the... Read full article


REGALING ABOUT RICHARD BURTON BLOGATHON: Becket (1964)

on Dec 4, 2018 From Caftan Woman

Gill is hosting the Regaling About Richard Burton Blogathon at her site Realweegiemidget Reviews. Click HERE for the tributes to the revered actor. A historical drama and a character study, Becket tackles such weighty subjects as politics, faith, the divine right of kings, love, jealousy, h... Read full article


Becket (1964) ? As Film and As History with Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole

By Greg Orypeck on May 25, 2015 From Classic Film Freak

Share This! ?It?s funny!? It?s too funny!? Becket is the only intelligent man in my kingdom, and he?s against me.??? King Henry II (Peter O?Toole) Musicals have always been a part of movie magic, as well as other genres, even those lying outside the standard staples of drama and comedy, say, the mor... Read full article


Becket (1964) ? As Film and As History with Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole

By Greg Orypeck on May 25, 2015 From Classic Film Freak

Share This! ?It?s funny!? It?s too funny!? Becket is the only intelligent man in my kingdom, and he?s against me.??? King Henry II (Peter O?Toole) Musicals have always been a part of movie magic, as well as other genres, even those lying outside the standard staples of drama and comedy, say, the mor... Read full article


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Quotes from

King Henry II: Here's my royal foot up your royal buttocks!


[first lines]
King Henry II: Well, Thomas Becket. Are you satisfied? Here I am, stripped, kneeling at your tomb, while those treacherous Saxon monks of yours are getting ready to thrash me. Me - with my delicate skin. I bet you'd never have done the same for me. But - I suppose I have to do this penance and make my peace with you. Hmm. What a strange end to our story. How cold it was when we last met - on the shores of France. Funny, it's nearly always been cold - except at the beginning, when we were friends. We did have a few - fine summer evenings with the girls. Did you love Gwendolen, Archbishop? Did you hate me the night I took her from you, shouting "I am the king"? Perhaps that's what you could never forgive me for. Look at them lurking there, gloating. Oh, Thomas, I'm ashamed of this whole silly masquerade. All right, so I've come here to make my peace with their Saxon hero because I need them now, those Saxon peasants of yours. Now I will call them my sons, as you wanted me to. You taught me that, too. You taught me everything. Those were the happy times. You remember, at the peep of dawn, when as usual we'd been drinking and wenching in the town. You were even better at that than I was.


Archbishop of Canterbury: Those times are over. The priest is back in his sanctuary. It is peace time.


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Facts about

The first film of Peter Jeffrey.
Richard Burton claimed to have been offered either of the main roles. However, according to the producers this was not true, since Peter O'Toole had already been cast as Henry II and Becket had to be the older man. Burton was seven years older than O'Toole.
Final film of Frank Pettingell.
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Best Writing Oscar 1964











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Also directed by Peter Glenville




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Also produced by Hal B. Wallis




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Also released in 1964




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