Most remakes are pretty blatant about what they are. In fact most of them are counting on inheriting some brand-recognition from the original films on which they’re based. Occasionally though you’ll get a sneaky movie that for some reason or another doesn’t want you to know that it’s a remake. Such is the case with Lionheart.
Despite the fact that it’s not mentioned anywhere on the DVD box, Lionheart is in fact a rebranded 2004 2-part TV movie remake of The Lion in Winter; the 1968 historical drama built around an Oscar nominated performance from Peter O’Toole and an Oscar winning one from Katherine Hepburn. Adapted from his own play by acclaimed playwright James Goldman, the classic movie tells the story of the ultimate awkward family Christmas as aging King Henry II (O’Toole) brings together his three sons: fierce Richard (Anthony Hopkins in his screen debut), conniving Geoffrey (John Castle) and moronic John (Nigel Terry) to decide which will be named his successor. His scheming wife Eleanor (Hepburn), who he’s had imprisoned for the last several years, is also invited and she sets about turning the sons against their father and each other.
It’s a beautifully written and acted romp and director Anthony Harvey gave it a stately, wintry atmosphere that makes it the perfect film to gather round at Christmas time (mainly because it’ll make your family seem reasonable and well adjusted) so in the list of films that don’t need to be remade it’s somewhere near the top. But that didn’t stop director Andrei Konchalovsky and producer/star Patrick Stewart dusting off Goldman’s script and giving it a go.
Their remake is a Hallmark Entertainment production and despite it’s relatively luxurious budget it feels very television scaled. Its 4:3 ratio and studio-bound sets means it’s immediately less impressive than the widescreen authenticity of the original. And although there are some extra battle scenes sprinkled throughout, these feel like a very deliberate attempt to make proceedings feel more epic and don’t really add anything.
Luckily there are two powerhouse performances at the centre. Patrick Stewart has a certain advantage in that he’s 30 years older than O’Toole was when he played the aging king in his mid-thirties. He’s also a more physically dangerous presence and gives the impression he could easily tear each of his sons apart, while O’Toole was more of a mental threat. Glenn Close is equally impressive, and although it sometimes sounds like she’s doing an impression of Hepburn she plays the role with more manic intensity than Hepburn’s subdued and controlled performance. Ultimately both actors do manage to make the roles their own, and it’s probably fair to say many viewers will prefer them to O’Toole and Hepburn.
That’s probably not the case with the supporting cast though; while the original had the impressive likes of Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton (as French king Philip) bringing up the rear, here the smaller parts are mainly made up of TV actors giving forgettable performances. The only recognisable faces are Jonathan Rhys Meyers who isn’t a patch on Dalton as Philip and an extremely young (and fat!) Rafe Spall, who plays John as bumbling comic relief instead of the tragically pathetic figure he is in the original.
Unlike most remakes, Lionheart doesn’t feel completely pointless. The two central performances alone justify its existence and it’s an interesting novelty seeing a well known script brought to life in a different way. Personally, I still prefer the original but I can imagine plenty will prefer this newer version. I’m still confused as to why the title was changed though; anyone who knows their history knows that Lionheart is an inappropriate title for a film centred on Henry II. And there’s also the ridiculously misleading DVD packaging. With its picture of an anonymous sword wielding knight marching away from a burning castle it not only has nothing to do with the story but suggests Lionheart is an Ironclad style historical hack-em-up instead of an elegantly written and character-driven tale of court intrigue.
Overall Verdict: Like a well produced cover version of a favourite song; it’s interesting and different but ultimately just makes you want to listen to the original.
Special Features:
None
Reviewer: Adam Pidgeon