The Lion in Winter | |
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by | Anthony Harvey |
Produced by |
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Written by | James Goldman |
Starring | |
Music by | John Barry |
Cinematography | Douglas Slocombe |
Edited by | John Bloom |
Production
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AVCO Embassy Pictures
Haworth Productions |
Distributed by | AVCO Embassy Pictures |
Release date
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Running time
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134 minutes |
Country |
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Language | English |
Budget | $4 million |
Box office | $22.3 million |
The Lion in Winter is a 1968 historical drama film based on the Broadway play by James Goldman. It was directed by Anthony Harvey and produced by Joseph E. Levine and Martin Poll from Goldman's adaptation of his own play, The Lion in Winter. The film stars Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, John Castle, Anthony Hopkins as Richard the Lionheart (in his film debut in a major role), Jane Merrow and, in early appearances, Timothy Dalton (in his film debut) and Nigel Terry.
The film was a commercial success (the 12th highest-grossing film of 1968) and won three Academy Awards, including one for Hepburn as Best Actress. There was a television remake in 2003.
The Lion in Winter is set during Christmas 1183, at King Henry II's château and primary residence in Chinon, Anjou, within the Angevin Empire of medieval France. Henry wants his youngest son, the future King John, to inherit his throne, while his estranged and imprisoned wife, Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine, favours their oldest surviving son, the future King Richard the Lionheart. Meanwhile, King Philip II of France, the son and successor of Louis VII of France, Eleanor's ex-husband, has given his half-sister Alais, who is currently Henry's mistress, to the future heir, and demands either a wedding or the return of her dowry.