V is for Victory!

I watched Henry V and decided to put my thoughts here.

Themes: I wasn't sure what the themes were in this movie exactly because I didn't recognize any obvious themes. I did notice that there seemed to be comradeship between the classes. Especially when King Henry walks around before the battle of Agincourt and talks with the soldiers about what they think about the war. It was a good moment, because it showed he cared for his people. Yes, he used the information he gathered in his rallying speech, but he still tried to understand the men better. It was a particularly good moment. It made the king seem human too. (I affirmed that it was a good theme on Sparknotes.com)
Another theme that I found was the ruthlessness of the king. We touched on this in class a bit, but he does seem overly cruel especially to the French when he threatens to rape all the women and spike the babies.

Screenplay: The flashbacks to Falstaff and King Henry's friends create background knowledge that was needed to understand the story better. It provided a better relationship between Harry and the men he killed for their crimes. It showed that he can make hard and mature decisions now that he is king. Transitions are seemly. I like how the chorus is more prevalent, he helps root the audience more firmly in the scene despite his modern dress. He appears and explains even though it is not necessary because with film they can show what he is saying, like the battle scene.

Script: It follows pretty closely with the text, only skipping what seemed inconsequential to the story line. It took out a lot of Shakespeare's dirtier lines which I don't think is a bad thing. Shakespeare did have a dirty mind. And it was understandable. I could follow the script and the plot. It flowed well and even if I wasn't knowledgeable in the play I could follow the movie.


Costumes: They are period except for Chorus, but he is the modern guide into the world of Shakespeare, so it fulfilled his role.

Acting: It's all very serious. The humor seems to lie only within the lines and their projection. The connections between the characters is very real. The actors did a fine job of understanding the difficult Shakespeare and performing it. King Henry seems very like a strong royal, very regal and yet caring. Scene I Act III where King Henry gives his imploring prayer is an incredibly moving scene. I almost melted with his tears and he begged for his men and his cause in the forest. The Saint Crispin's day speech is incredibly well rendered in reuniting the army. The King Henry Speeches are well done. His face is animated and he captures the audiences attentions. In the first major speech the smile on his mouth gives him a somewhat sinister and foreboding look, but none-the-less compelling.

Language: The language is rich and beautiful to the ears. Shakespeare is a genius especially the speeches. They are performed eloquently.