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'Becket' highlights conflict between Church and State
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Movie Poster for "Becket"
Tonight and early tomorrow morning, TCM will celebrate Richard Burton's birthday by playing four of Burton's best between the hours of 8:00pm and 7:00am Eastern. Showing off the range of one of the most talented and respected actors of his generation, these films have Burton play everything from angry young man to military anti-hero to fortune-hunting husband to reluctant saint and willing martyr. The saint, of course, is Thomas Becket, murdered Archbishop of Canterbury.
"Becket" (1964) puts Burton opposite close friend and drinking buddy Peter O'Toole for the first time in their screen careers. Both were classically trained for the British stage, and both had played larger-than-life characters on screen. The year before "Becket," Burton starred as Mark Antony in "Cleopatra" while two years earlier, O'Toole had been catapulted into movie stardom for his titular performance in "Lawrence of Arabia."
"Becket" gives these two magnificent actors the chance to put flesh on one of England's great historical conflicts—the battle between King Henry II and his former friend and Chancellor over whether or not the State has ultimate jurisdiction over the Church. They do not disappoint. O'Toole firms up his position as a major screen actor by giving a flamboyant yet tormented performance as the hotheaded King, while Burton takes a more modulated turn as the hollow Saxon collaborator turned defender of the Church.
Though 12th century ecclesiastical laws seem arcane today, the core issues of this struggle—issues of power, jurisdiction and personal integrity—are still very much with us. Henry seeks to consolidate the power of the State and assert authority over the Church—and as Chancellor, Becket helps him do so. But when Henry maneuvers his loyal servant into position as Archbishop of Canterbury, the once-worldly and cynical Becket casts off his former ambition, becoming an ascetic devoted to protecting what he now calls "the honor of God." Henry's resulting rage derives at least partly from his devotion to Becket, a devotion he believes Becket fails to reciprocate.
The script (adapted from Jean Anouilh's play) goes beyond the obvious Church and State issues to explore the relationship between conquered peoples and their conquerors. Is Becket, as Henry speculates, an angry Saxon, finally given his chance to strike a blow against the Crown? Is he, perhaps, an empty man incapable of love? While the film explores Henry's speculations, it comes down on the side of a possibility Henry can't conceive—that Becket was, in fact, a surprise saint, a saint who had no idea of the devotion inside him until he was forced by his position to confront it.
"Becket" was nominated for 12 Oscars, including Best Actor nominations for both of its principles, Best Picture and Best Director. It lost, in most categories, to a "My Fair Lady" sweep. But the film did manage to wrest the trophy away from "My Fair Lady" for best adapted screenplay—and rightly so. All its lavish sets, lush cinematography and careful composition would mean little without the intelligent, ruminating script that gave Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, the rest of the cast and the crew the raw materials to work with. In the end, "Becket" is a magnificent film, and well worth watching.
Richard Burton movies on TCM tonight (all times are Eastern):
- 8:00pm – The Taming of the Shrew
- 12:30am – Becket
- 3:15am – Look Back in Anger
- 5:15am – Bitter Victory
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