On the third day of the Film Festival, a Hollywood movie ‘Henry V’ was screened at Abhirang Auditorium, Bharat Bhavan. The festival features the movies based on the plays of William Shakespeare. Organised by Chhavi series of classical cinema, Bharat Bhavan, the festival began here from Friday and would conclude on August 20.
Directed by a noted British actor, director and producer laurence Olivier, Henry V was his first Shakespeare movie that was screened here on Sunday. While talking to The Pioneer, in charge of film screening festival Prem Shankar Shukla said, “We endeavor to entertain the Bhopalites with classical movies based on the novels by William Shakespeare. This is something different we have got for the theatre goers of the city. Something like this has become uncommon, and at this time it has become next to impossible to watch Shakespeare classics once again on the big screen. So we planned a festival where the people could watch the classical era once again.”
The movie watchers of the city are enjoying the movies whole heartedly. As all the movies are based on Shakespeare classic novels, not only the literature lovers but the spectators who love Shakespeare work of art are also visiting the festival. Henry V is a 1944 film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play of the same name. The on-screen title is The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fifth with his battle fought at Agincourt in France. It stars laurence Olivier, who also directed. The play was adapted for the screen by Olivier, Dallas Bower, and Alan Dent. The score is by William Walton.
The film begins as a recreation of a stage production of the play in the Globe Theatre, and then gradually turns into a stylized cinematic rendition of the play, with sets reminiscent of a medieval Book of Hours. It follows the overall pattern of Shakespeare’s play, depicting Henry’s campaign in France, through the siege of Harfleur.
The film then shows the Battle of Agincourt in a real setting, after which the film quickly begins to revert to backdrops that are once again more and more like medieval illuminated manuscripts. We then see the negotiations for Treaty of Troyes and Henry’s courtship of Princess Katherine followed by their marriage. At the end of the scene, the setting reverts to the Globe Playhouse and the audience applauding. The screening was much enjoyed by the audiences.