The Lion in Winter (1968 film)

The Lion in Winter is a 1968 historical drama film made by Avco Embassy Pictures, based on the Broadway play by James Goldman. It was directed by Anthony Harvey and produced by Joseph E. Levine and Martin Poll from Goldmans adaptation of his own play, The Lion in Winter. The film stars Peter OToole, Katharine Hepburn, John Castle, Anthony Hopkins as Richard the Lionheart in his film debut, Jane Merrow, and, in early appearances, Timothy Dalton and Nigel Terry.

The Lion in Winter is set during Christmas 1183, at King Henry IIs chteau and primary residence in Chinon, Anjou, within the Angevin Empire of medieval France. Henry wants his youngest son, the future King John, to inherit his throne, while his estranged and imprisoned wife, Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine, favours their oldest surviving son, the future King Richard the Lionheart. Meanwhile, King Philip II of France, the son and successor of Louis VII of France, Eleanors exhusband, has given his halfsister Alais, who is currently Henrys mistress, to the future heir, and demands either a wedding or the return of her dowry.As a ruse, Henry agrees to give Alais to Richard and make him heirapparent. He makes a side deal with Eleanor for her freedom in return for Aquitaine, to be given to John. When the deal is revealed at the wedding, Richard refuses to go through with the ceremony. After Richard leaves, Eleanor masochistically asks Henry to kiss Alais in front of her, and then looks on in horror as they perform a mock marriage ceremony. Having believed Henrys intentions, John, at the direction of middle brother, Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany, plots with Philip to make war on England. Henry and Phillip meet to discuss terms, but Henry soon learns that Phillip has been plotting with John and Geoffrey, and that he and Richard were once lovers. ........

Source: Wikipedia