No one has answered this question yet.
To "celebrate" Christmas in 1183 AD, England's King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) invites his exiled wife, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katharine Hepburn), and his three sons—Richard (Anthony Hopkins), Geoffrey (John Castle), and John (Nigel Terry)—to spend the holiday with him and his mistress Princess Alais (Jane Merrow) and her brother King Phillip II of France (Timothy Dalton) in order to determine which of his sons is worthy of his crown. Henry prefers John while Eleanor prefers Richard, and the "holiday" becomes a battle of double-dealing and treachery.
The Lion in Winter was originally an award-winning Broadway play written in 1966 by James Goldman, who adapted it for the 1968 film. A TV remake, also titled The Lion in Winter (2003), was released in 2003.
Aquitaine is a region in southwestern France, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and on the south by the Pyrenees, a mountain range on the border with Spain.
Eleanor takes daggers down to her sons in the cellar and tells them to escape, but, to Eleanor's horror, they decide instead to kill their father. When Henry brings them candles to light the darkness, Richard attacks him. Henry fights back, eventually pinning John to the ground. Eleanor urges Henry to kill them, calling them "assassins" and their actions "treason". Henry pulls out his sword and condemns his sons to death but finds that he cannot kill them. Instead, he breaks down, lets them go, and dismisses Alais. With tears in her eyes, Eleanor confesses her great love for Henry along with her great despair at knowing she can never get him back. In the final scene, Henry escorts Eleanor to her barge, and says his final words, "I hope we never die...do you think there's any chance of it?" With that, they laugh and wave goodbye to each other.
While all of the main characters existed and their backgrounds are largely accurate, the events portrayed in the film are fictional.
Powered by Alexa
- How long is The Lion in Winter?2 hours and 14 minutes
- When was The Lion in Winter released?October 30, 1968
- What is the IMDb rating of The Lion in Winter?7.9 out of 10
- Who stars in The Lion in Winter?
- Who wrote The Lion in Winter?
- Who directed The Lion in Winter?
- Who was the composer for The Lion in Winter?
- Who was the producer of The Lion in Winter?
- Who was the executive producer of The Lion in Winter?
- Who was the cinematographer for The Lion in Winter?
- Who was the editor of The Lion in Winter?
- Who are the characters in The Lion in Winter?King Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, King Richard Lionheart, Geoffrey, Prince John, Philip II of France, Alais, William Marshal, and Bishop of Durham
- What is the plot of The Lion in Winter?1183 A.D.: King Henry II's three sons all want to inherit the throne, but he won't commit to a choice. When he allows his imprisoned wife Eleanor of Aquitaine out for a Christmas visit, they all variously plot to force him into a decision.
- What was the budget for The Lion in Winter?$4 million
- How much did The Lion in Winter earn at the worldwide box office?$18,200
- How much did The Lion in Winter earn at the US box office?$18,200
- What is The Lion in Winter rated?TV-PG
- What genre is The Lion in Winter?Biographical, Drama, Historical Drama, and Historical
- How many awards has The Lion in Winter won?16 awards
- How many awards has The Lion in Winter been nominated for?34 nominations
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content