You know besides the costumes which frame the characters in that time I'd have to say that I believe this film has no peer when it comes to the fabulous dialogue between the characters. Just wondering if there is a legit contender out there that could surpass AMFAS. I think it's difficult.
shareVery difficult to surpass that indeed. I saw the play on the stage in London and rarely does a film come up to the standards of the play from which it derives ... but that certainly did. Perhaps Bolt writing his own screenplay from the play is the reason but much credit must go to Paul Scofield. He was brilliant. Few could have handled the very important presentation of dialog and make it easily absorbed by most people.
The most useful piece of learning in life is to unlearn what is untrue.
~Antisthenes~
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Much of the dialog comes from primary sources. More and Roper both wrote vivid, brilliant, often funny if somewhat verbose prose. Bolt was brilliant at editing the writings of More, Roper and the trial records so that throughout the play the characters are mostly speaking their actual words (condensed, honed and polished but still theirs). This makes the speeches very organic.
shareI could not agree more. I have seen a lot of movies in my 58 years and a movie with better dialogue does not come to mind.
shareThe only one that comes to mind that is reasonably close is another British history piece, also based on a play, and that's James Goldman's "The Lion in Winter."
shareOh I think there are quite a few movies that give it a run for its money:
Sleuth, which consists of several witty conversations between Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, in a rapid, back-and-forth way. Deeply engaging and funny.
Lawrence of Arabia, written also by Robert Bolt: for me dialogues here reached the level of poetry; everything Lawrence speaks is sublime.
This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel.
I haven't seen AMFAS yet - the bluray is on its way. But one period film with great dialogue, delivered by Peter O'Toole and Richard Burton on top form, is 'Becket'.
'Sleuth' does have a witty script delivered with relish but obviously not a period drama - more a very black comedy/thriller.