I love many things about Kenneth Branagh’s film adaptation of Henry V, so much so that I could have devoted an entire week to picking out moments from it that bring me joy. Instead, I decided to highlight one of the goofier things about it that delights me to no end.
Brian Blessed is the man they invented the phrase “an imposing physical presence” for. His embassy to the French court is a thing of wonder, with his armor-clad bulk busting into the soft and silken French court like a wrecking ball, and his measured voice threatening without ever raising in volume. He continues to be a solid, mostly silent presence, right up until the battle begins, when he becomes a one-man wrecking ball. I love this specific shot of him. It looks like he’s having the time of his life.
April 23: Author Talk at Booksweet
If you’re in the Ann Arbor area, stop by Booksweet bookshop at 1pm on April 23 to hear me do a Q&A on Shakespeare adaptations and other fun Shakespeare-related things! Because it’s Shakespeare’s birthday! Details here.