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RUNTIME
Did you know
At 485 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Wars of the Roses
1965 8h 5m EN
🤯
8.7
MASTERPIECE
★8.7TMDB · 3
DramaHistory
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A 1965 BBC adaptation of William Shakespeare's first historical tetralogy (1 Henry VI, 2 Henry VI, 3 Henry VI and Richard III), which deals with the conflict between the House of Lancaster and the House of York over the throne of England, a conflict known as the Wars of the Roses. It was based on the 1963 theatre adaptation by John Barton, and directed by Peter Hall for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”
Cast
David Warner
King Henry VI
Janet Suzman
Joan la Pucelle
Peggy Ashcroft
Queen Margaret
Donald Sinden
Duke of York
Paul Hardwick
Duke of Gloucester
Roy Dotrice
King Edward IV
Ian Holm
King Richard III
Susan Engel
Queen Elizabeth
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Peter Hall
- Writers
- John Barton, William Shakespeare
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United Kingdom
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Peter Hall directs. Guy Woolfenden scores. A long sit — settle in. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1At 485 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.
- 261 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
- 3Original score by Guy Woolfenden. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 4David Warner and Janet Suzman and Peggy Ashcroft carry the top of the cast.
- 5IMDB entry: tt0060039 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 6Only 3 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
The technical file
- Original score
- Guy Woolfenden
- Runtime
- 485 min · 8h 5m
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
Also by
Peter Hall
Community reviews
What people are saying
- CinemaSerf★ 7/10
Peter Hall really has worked these four plays together well and building on a really convincing performance from David Warner offers us a grand amalgam of Shakespeare's Henry VI and Richard III plays. There's history, tragedy, and comedy a-plenty as the tale starts amidst the Hundred Years War between England and France. Ostensibly, Henry VI (Warner) was king of both territories but that did little for the unity or stability of either. It is fair to say that the bard made the King into something a little lacking in politics or sharpness and with his increasingly conniving and vengeful wife Margaret of Anjou (Peggy Ashcroft) at his side we follow a story of manipulation, intrigue, betrayal, murder - indeed just about every vice known to humankind - all elements for which the King was ill-equipped to adequately or forcefully deal... Thus the white rose and the white rose vie for the throne creating a marvellously turbulent setting for the remainder of this drama to play out. Yes, it is presented in a very theatrical style with little by way of outdoor photography, but that dimly lit intensity coupled with plenty of tightly close photography delivers the story compellingly pretty much from the start. The abridgement misses little of substance as the scenario unfolds and the assembled ensemble of experienced and versatile RSC thespians delivers the gist of the dialogue passionately throughout. The visual standard of the production was never going to be great - but the quality of the acting delivery and the sheer vibrancy of the whole enterprise makes it a surprisingly easy compendium of human nature and nurture to watch.
Production companies
Who made it
Royal Shakespeare Company
GB
Key crew
- Original StoryWilliam Shakespeare
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- based on play or musical
- tudor
- british history
- king of england
- war of the roses
- 15th century
Release history · US
When it landed
- TV1965-04-08
