Synopsis
Henry IV usurps the English throne, sets in motion the factious War of the Roses and now faces a rebellion led by Northumberland scion Hotspur. Henry's heir, Prince Hal, is a ne'er-do-well carouser who drinks and causes mischief with his low-class friends, especially his rotund father figure, John Falstaff. To redeem his title, Hal may have to choose between allegiance to his real father and loyalty to his friend.
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Cast
- Orson WellesFalstaff
- Keith BaxterPrince Hal
- John GielgudHenry IV
- Jeanne MoreauDoll Tearsheet
- Margaret RutherfordMistress Quickly
- Marina VladyKate Percy
- Walter ChiariMr. Silence
- Michael AldridgePistol
- Tony BeckleyNed Poins
- Jeremy RowePrince John
Recommendations
- 100
The A.V. Club
The best and most touchingly personal of all Shakespeare adaptations, Chimes At Midnight is pervaded by melancholy and loneliness, even though its characters are almost seen never alone. - 100
Arizona Republic
It's powerful stuff. - 100
Chicago Reader
The one Welles film that deserves to be called lovely; there is also a rising tide of opinion that proclaims it his masterpiece. - 100
Chicago Sun-Times
A masterpiece. - 100
Chicago Tribune
Chimes at Midnight is one of Welles' peak achievements. Its depth of feeling seems very real, very deep indeed. - 100
Christian Science Monitor
It is quite likely the greatest Shakespearean film ever and, except for Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons, it’s also Welles’s greatest film – which is saying something. - 100
Entertainment Weekly
It’s a feast for the ears, eyes, and soul. - 100
The Guardian
Playing Falstaff might have been Welles’s creative and physical destiny: in the character he found a dignity and sensuality in his, by then, overweight form. The confidence and panache of his staging is a treat.
