Becket (1964 film)

Becket
Becket
	Original film poster by Sanford Kossin
Directed by	Peter Glenville
Written by	Edward Anhalt
Based on	Becket; by Jean Anouilh
Produced by	Hal B. Wallis
Starring	Richard Burton; Peter O'Toole; John Gielgud;
Cinematography	Geoffrey Unsworth
Edited by	Anne V. Coates
Music by	Laurence Rosenthal
Production; company	Hal Wallis Productions
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	11 March 1964;
Running time	148 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$3 million
Box office	$9.1 million

Becket is a 1964 British historical drama film about the historic, tumultuous relationship between Henry II of England and his friend-turned-bishop Thomas Becket. It is a dramatic film adaptation of the 1959 play Becket or the Honour of God by Jean Anouilh made by Hal Wallis Productions and released by Paramount Pictures.^[3] It was directed by Peter Glenville and produced by Hal B. Wallis with Joseph H. Hazen as executive producer. The screenplay was written by Edward Anhalt based on Anouilh's play. The music score was by Laurence Rosenthal, the cinematography by Geoffrey Unsworth and the editing by Anne V. Coates.

The film stars Richard Burton as Thomas Becket and Peter O'Toole as King Henry II, with John Gielgud as King Louis VII, Donald Wolfit as Gilbert Foliot, Paolo Stoppa as Pope Alexander III, Martita Hunt as Empress Matilda, Pamela Brown as Queen Eleanor, Siân Phillips, Felix Aylmer, Gino Cervi, David Weston and Wilfrid Lawson.

Restored prints of Becket were re-released in 30 cinemas in the US in early 2007, following an extensive restoration from the film's YCM separation protection masters.^[4] The film was released on DVD by MPI Home Video in May 2007^[5] and on Blu-ray Disc in November 2008. The new film prints carry a Dolby Digital soundtrack, although the soundtrack of the original film, which originally opened as a roadshow theatrical release, was also in stereo.

Becket won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and was nominated for eleven other awards, including for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and twice for Best Actor.

^ Variety Staff (31 December 1963). "Becket". Variety. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
^ Box Office Information for Becket. The Numbers. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
^ Variety film review; 4 March 1964, page 6.
^ "'Becket'". old.post-gazette.com.
^ "DVD details". IMDb.

[1] Variety Staff (31 December 1963). "Becket". Variety. Retrieved 20 March 2022.

[numbers-2] Box Office Information for Becket. The Numbers. Retrieved 19 May 2013.

[3] Variety film review; 4 March 1964, page 6.

[4] "'Becket'". old.post-gazette.com.

[5] "DVD details". IMDb.

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