The Lion in Winter

"Eleanor: Out Eleanor... in Alais. Why?

Henry: A new wife, wife, will bear me sons.

Eleanor: That is the single thing of which I would have thought you had enough."

"Henry: What shall we hang, the holly or each other?"

A 1966 play written by James Goldman (adapted for film two years later) about the troubles in the family of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The 1968 movie and its acting got high acclaim. Katharine Hepburn went on to win an Oscar for her role as Eleanor. It was also the film debut of Timothy Dalton and Anthony Hopkins, who would later go onto fame as James Bond and Hannibal Lecter, respectively. Peter O'Toole, who played Henry, also played the role in the earlier film Becket, which many consider an unofficial prequel to this film. In 2003, it was adapted again for TV, with Patrick Stewart and Glenn Close.

All of Henry's three sons aspire to be king. Both he and his wife favour a different son and since she has instigated rebellion against him before, Henry had her locked up. This experience hasn't dampened her spirit and when this lovely family goes to celebrate Christmas with the French king, the power play begins in earnest.

The Lion in Winter provides examples of:
"John: Who says poor John? Don't everybody sob at once! My God, if I went up in flames there's not a living soul who'd pee on me to put the fire out!
 * Aloof Older Brother: more like long-dead Older Brother. Young Henry was the original heir to Henry II's throne, but died of dysentery in 1183 leading a rebellion (supported by Eleanor, Richard and Geoffrey) against his father. Young Henry's actions underlie the conflict within the play/film.
 * Arranged Marriage
 * Belligerent Sexual Tension: An astounding amount between Henry and Eleanor.
 * Black Vikings: In the 1999 Broadway revival of the play, African-American actors Laurence Fishburne and Chuma Hunter-Gault were cast as Henry and Richard, respectively. The actors who played Eleanor, Geoffrey and John were white.
 * Bloodless Carnage: Only one character is actually killed on screen in the 1968 film:  Despite the lack of blood, the scene is brutal and disturbing.
 * Butt Monkey: John. Historical in that as the youngest son he'd traditionally inherit the least (hence the real-life nickname of "Lackland"). Made painful in this telling because Henry's attempts to favor him over Richard and Geoff have turned John into a clueless spoiled brat.

Richard: Let's strike a flint and see!"

"Geoffrey: It's not the power I feel deprived of... it's the mention I miss. There's no affection for me here: You wouldn't think I'd want that, would you?"
 * Cheshire Cat Grin: Eleanor.
 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Geoffrey, even more than the others.
 * Cue the Flying Pigs: "There'll be pork in the treetops come morning"
 * Curtain Camouflage: The above tapestry scene is quoted on the page.
 * Dawson Casting: A rare inversion, as Peter O'Toole was 36 when the movie came out. His character claims to be 50. (In contrast, Katherine Hepburn was in her sixties at that time.)
 * Deadly Decadent Court
 * Deadpan Snarker: Henry, Eleanor and Geoffrey have honed their sarcasm into fine-cutting weapons. Philip and Richard aren't as clever with words but can give as well as they can take. If you're John and Alais, you can't keep up.
 * Defiant to The End: "When the fall is all there is, it matters."
 * Did I Mention Its Christmas
 * Did Not Do the Research: The inclusion of Christmas trees in 1183, for one.
 * As well as a reference to syphilis 300 years before the New World was discovered. (To be fair, there is evidence that a syphilis-like disease might have been around in the Old World since Ancient Roman times, but the term "syphilis" isn't thought to have arisen until 1530, and the disease wasn't commonly referred to by the name syphilis until the 19th century.)
 * Dueling Stars Movie: Two of Hollywood's best.
 * Dysfunctional Family: You think?
 * Evil Matriarch
 * Exact Eaves Dropping: Subverted:
 * Family Disunion
 * Freud Was Right: The homosexual  is very close to his mother. This was still the popular explanation for homosexuality when the play was written.
 * Gambit Pileup: Pretty much every character is running one, and it's complicated by the fact that Henry, Eleanor, Geoffrey and Philip are particularly capable of Xanatos Speed Chess.
 * God Save Us From the Queen: when it's Eleanor of Aquitaine, a Real-Life Chessmaster and trouble-maker...
 * Good Is Boring: What makes this movie so interesting is that none of them claim to be this.
 * Good Feels Good: Henry claims that, since he hasn't been to war in years, he's learned "how good it is to write a law, or make a tax more fair."
 * Grey and Gray Morality: None of the characters are particularly decent people, especially towards each other..
 * Ham to Ham Combat: When Henry and Eleanor put away the Snark Daggers and break out the Ham Cannons, there may as well be no-one else in the room.
 * Hey Its That Guy: Susan Vance is married to Anton Ego, the king of England.
 * And their son Hannibal Lecter is sleeping with the king of France, James Bond.
 * Historical Domain Character: The main characters, including Richard the Lion Heart.
 * Katherine Hepburn is a descendant of Eleanor of Aquitaine - not only through Eleanor's marriage to Henry II but also Eleanor's earlier marriage to the French King Louis VII.
 * Ho Yay:.
 * I Have No Son: Henry saying this to his three sons upon learning they were plotting against him.
 * I Know You Know I Know "I know. You know I know. I know you know I know. We know Henry knows and Henry knows we know it. We're a knowledgeable family." Just so you know.
 * In the Back: Or perhaps, better said, 'in the front', since everybody is quite honest about wanting to deceive each other.
 * Jacob and Esau
 * Like an Old Married Couple: They are, but despite the constant bickering, it's clear Henry and Eleanor still have feelings for each other.
 * Middle Child Syndrome: Geoffrey is a painfully pure example of this trope.

"Eleanor: Louis had a seizure and I damn near died of windburn. (smiles) But the troops were dazzled..."
 * Mommas Boy: Richard as a child. Not any more now that he's grown up, though.
 * Mood Whiplash: Like crazy. Generally from laugh-out-loud funny to crushing tragedy in the course of just a few lines.
 * My Beloved Smother
 * Oedipus Complex: Richard probably has one of the worst cases in all of history.
 * One Liner: Many, so many.
 * Only Sane Woman: Alais is the only one who doesn't join in the plots and counter-plots, but points out what the others are doing with loathing.
 * Slightly subverted at one point, when Alais attempts a few stabs at Eleanor.
 * She becomes a bit corrupted near the end,
 * Parental Favoritism: They're very blatant about it and a major driving force in the plot.
 * The Pawn: Alais, as she says so herself. She claims that because of this, she has nothing to lose.
 * Playing Gertrude: A male version of this, as Peter O'Toole is only five years older than Anthony Hopkins.
 * Psychotic Smirk: Geoffrey has a rather good one.
 * Queer Romance:
 * Requisite Royal Regalia
 * Revenge:
 * Revenge By Proxy:
 * Royal Brat
 * Royally Screwed Up
 * Sarcastic Clapping
 * Seen It All: Henry II is so old he's got ten years on the Pope, and uses those years of experience in dealing with Philip.
 * Eleanor has some interesting history herself. Her backstory involving the Crusades would count as a Noodle Incident if she hadn't given the audience Too Much Information...


 * Sibling Rivalry: played at the level of a contact sport, if not outright war.
 * Spiritual Successor: To Becket where Peter O'Toole played Henry II as a young man.
 * Straight Gay:
 * Succession Crisis: It doesn't help that the parents can't agree about which son should inherit..
 * Unwitting Pawn:
 * Warrior Prince: Richard.
 * Wise Beyond Their Years: King Philip of France is only seventeen, but one of the more able plotters.
 * Woman Scorned: One of the reasons Eleanor is pissed.
 * World of Ham: But it works.