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Becket

  • 1964
  • PG-13
  • 2h 28m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
16K
YOUR RATING
Becket (1964)
Trailer for Becket
Play trailer4:48
1 Video
39 Photos
EpicHistorical EpicPeriod DramaPolitical DramaBiographyDramaHistory

King Henry II of England comes to terms with his affection for his close friend and confidant Thomas Becket, who finds his true honor by observing God's divine will rather than the King's.King Henry II of England comes to terms with his affection for his close friend and confidant Thomas Becket, who finds his true honor by observing God's divine will rather than the King's.King Henry II of England comes to terms with his affection for his close friend and confidant Thomas Becket, who finds his true honor by observing God's divine will rather than the King's.

  • Director
    • Peter Glenville
  • Writers
    • Jean Anouilh
    • Lucienne Hill
    • Edward Anhalt
  • Stars
    • Richard Burton
    • Peter O'Toole
    • John Gielgud
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    16K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Peter Glenville
    • Writers
      • Jean Anouilh
      • Lucienne Hill
      • Edward Anhalt
    • Stars
      • Richard Burton
      • Peter O'Toole
      • John Gielgud
    • 129User reviews
    • 58Critic reviews
    • 68Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 14 wins & 23 nominations total

    Videos1

    Becket
    Trailer 4:48
    Becket

    Photos39

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    Top cast63

    Edit
    Richard Burton
    Richard Burton
    • Thomas Becket
    Peter O'Toole
    Peter O'Toole
    • King Henry II
    John Gielgud
    John Gielgud
    • King Louis VII of France
    Gino Cervi
    Gino Cervi
    • Cardinal Zambelli
    Paolo Stoppa
    Paolo Stoppa
    • Pope Alexander III
    Donald Wolfit
    Donald Wolfit
    • Bishop Folliot
    David Weston
    David Weston
    • Brother John
    Martita Hunt
    Martita Hunt
    • Empress Matilda
    Pamela Brown
    Pamela Brown
    • Queen Eleanor [of Aquitaine]
    Percy Herbert
    Percy Herbert
    • Baron
    Siân Phillips
    Siân Phillips
    • Gwendolen
    • (as Sian Phillips)
    Inigo Jackson
    • Robert de Beaumont
    Felix Aylmer
    Felix Aylmer
    • Archbishop of Canterbury
    Niall MacGinnis
    Niall MacGinnis
    • Baron
    Christopher Rhodes
    Christopher Rhodes
    • Baron
    John Phillips
    John Phillips
    • Bishop of Winchester
    Frank Pettingell
    Frank Pettingell
    • Bishop of York
    Véronique Vendell
    Véronique Vendell
    • French prostitute
    • (as Veronique Vendell)
    • Director
      • Peter Glenville
    • Writers
      • Jean Anouilh
      • Lucienne Hill
      • Edward Anhalt
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Richard Burton initially turned this movie down because he felt the press would have a field day over the idea of him playing a saint. He also said he would be more suited to playing Henry II.
    • Goofs
      Thomas Becket was a Norman (Thomas Bequet), not a Saxon. Jean Anouilh based the play's script on Augustin Thierry's 1825 work "The History of the Conquest of England by the Normans", which presumed that Becket was a Saxon. Anouilh admitted he'd learned the truth after completing the play, but decided to leave it as is because it made for a better story.
    • Quotes

      Thomas a Becket: Tonight you can do me the honor of christening my forks.

      King Henry II: Forks?

      Thomas a Becket: Yes, from Florence. New little invention. It's for pronging meat and carrying it to the mouth. It saves you dirtying your fingers.

      King Henry II: But then you dirty the fork.

      Thomas a Becket: Yes, but it's washable.

      King Henry II: So are your fingers. I don't see the point.

    • Alternate versions
      Two different versions of the closing "A Paramount Release" card exist - one print has these words appear inside the standard Paramount logo of the time superimposed in red, while another has these words as plain text with a small version of a completely different Paramount logo (with a full circle of stars), also in red, beneath them.
    • Connections
      Featured in Precious Images (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      Dies Irae
      (Medieval Latin Hymn)

    User reviews129

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10

    Top Notch Historical Drama

    BECKET (4 outta 5 stars)

    Classic historical drama with excellent performances from the two leads... Peter O'Toole as King Henry II and Richard Burton as his best friend turned nemesis, Thomas Becket. From the start Henry II is not the most benevolent of kings... he steals young girls from their families for his own carnal pleasures... and even tricks Becket into sending the woman he loves to the King's bed. King Henry gets the idea that it might end his problems with the church if he names his best friend Archbishop... but he underestimates Becket's faith (as does Becket himself). Eventually Becket has to choose between his duty to the King and his duty to God... an unenviable choice that bodes ill no matter which choice he makes. Obvious homoerotic undertones to the relationship between the two strong-willed individuals... hard to imagine that this sort of material was palatable to audiences in the early 60s. Great script, great actors, great sets and costumes... a must see!
    • hokeybutt
    • Jul 28, 2004
    • Permalink

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    FAQ21

    • How long is Becket?Powered by Alexa
    • MIDWEST PREMIERE HAPPENED WHEN AND WHERE?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 11, 1964 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Latin
      • Welsh
    • Also known as
      • Бекет
    • Filming locations
      • Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Wallis-Hazen
      • Keep Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $149,327
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $7,912
      • Jan 28, 2007
    • Gross worldwide
      • $149,327
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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