MovieChat Forums > Becket (1964) Discussion > Becket was a Norman???????

Becket was a Norman???????

posted 18 years ago by bobcan653
19 replies | jump to latest

I am devastated. I have held this movie (and story) dear to my heart since I saw it the year it was released. I just read the "goofs" section on IMDb, and Becket was a Norman!!!! This ruins the whole story line and makes it so historically incorrect.

I can still admire the acting, cinematography, costumes, art direction, etc., but I am truly disappointed. The incorrect "fact" that Becket was a Saxon in the movie was so central to most all of the screenplay. It is constantly referenced throughout the movie. Henry's love for Becket, however, is factually correct, so I will have to close my eyes and pretend I didn't just learn what I learned.

I like my historical dramas to be largely correct, with only a few historical alterations attributed to cinematic license.

Too bad it can't be redone factually with these actors. How would you ever assemble such a cast again? Impossible.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] scion9 12 years ago

I don't think the dialogue implies that at all. The dialogue has Gwendolen drawing a parallel between Saxons and Welsh as both being under the Norman Yoke, not as literally identical. IIRC she even says Becket isn't a man 'of my race'.

[–] molarmaven59 11 years ago

DFear Ada:

You are starting to push my patience with your American HATRED.

Then stay off of these board, and worship the crown.

I am certain that there is not a single drop of foreign blood upon it.

[–] MrEdnablackadder 11 years ago

Yeah, this was a bit of a problem for me, too. I mean, the contrast between the power of man and the power of God is an ancient theme and, since that's the real heart of the play, it's not like Anouilh needed specific competence to talk about it.

But I think that a respected author like him should have known better: you makea play on a small bit taken by a book and then, once you're informed of its glaring historical mistakes, you leave it unchanged because it's too late? Come on. It's like if people, these days, were to use wikipedia as their main source of information to write a period piece. To really penetrate the psychologies of the characters and create the right setup should have been a more gradual and better meditated process. Otherwise you might just want to create your own story and your own characters and say that you've been vaguely inspired by an event you once read of. This is a bit different than Shakespeare retelling the myth of an ancient, obscure king called Macbett and forging the legend of his own Macbeth. Thomas Becket is an important historical figure.