Henry V (1989) on Netflix

PG-1319892h 17mAction Biography Drama

King Henry V of England presses his claim to the French crown. The Dauphin answers with a chest of tennis balls, and Henry prepares a campaign across the Channel.

Netflix3.8/5
IMDb7.4/1033,596 votes
Rotten Tomatoes98%

Trailer

Plot summary

In the early fifteenth century, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Ely work together to draw King Henry V away from a decree that would take property from the church, and they push him toward invading France. Canterbury tells the King and his advisers that the Salic law unfairly blocks Henry's claim, and that it should be disregarded. Exeter and Westmoreland support him, and Henry declares that he will take the French crown by force if it is denied him. The Dauphin's reply is a chest of tennis balls, delivered by the herald Montjoy. Henry stays calm, dismisses the ambassador and begins to plan his campaign. John Falstaff falls ill at Mistress Quickly's inn, and Bardolph, Pistol and Nym recall their old days with Henry before he became king.

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Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Henry V (1989)

Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.

SPOILER
Because Falstaff is never seen in Shakespeare's Henry V, Branagh added flashbacks using extracts from Henry IV, and gave Falstaff's line "do not, when thou art King, hang a thief" to Bardolph, to highlight the poignancy when Henry later has Bardolph executed.
Charles VI of France was played by 67-year-old Paul Scofield, perhaps to enhance the effect of the king's mental illness of twenty years, though Charles was only 46 at the time of Agincourt. Olivier's film also used an older actor, the 66-year-old Harcourt Williams.
Where Olivier staged the Battle of Agincourt on a sunlit field, Branagh's takes place amid rain-drenched mud and gore, and nearly all the comic scenes were staged as drama because Branagh felt modern audiences would not see the humor in them.
The score was written by first-time film composer Patrick Doyle and conducted by Simon Rattle. Doyle also appeared in the film as the first soldier to begin singing "Non Nobis, Domine" following the battle at Agincourt.
Henry V was Kenneth Branagh's feature directorial debut; he wrote it, directed it and starred in the title role of King Henry V. Emma Thompson made her theatrical debut in the film, which also featured Paul Scofield, Judi Dench, Robbie Coltrane and Christian Bale.
Henry V grossed over $10 million in the U.S. even though, at the time of its widest release, it played on only 134 American screens.