An Age of Kings (1960) User Reviews

What a fine re-issue this would be!

[jpphipps · 9/10 · 28 March 2002]

I believe it has been over 40 years since I saw this series, yet memory of it hasn't faded a bit. This would be a natural for DVD re-issue, it seems to me. Many of the performers have gone on to greater fame (Robert Hardy, Sean Connery, to name a couple); though it was a smallish role, I still remember Judy Dench, then in her 20's, as Katherine of France (Henry V). She was very lovely then as now.

There is a hint on this site that the series was filmed in color - is this so? Who of us would know - virtually no color TV in those days. Mores the pity, no VCR's; if so, some might have recorded it. As a way of teaching English history, this series made it come alive in ways few class room teachers can manage.

What a fine re-issue this would be!

Lots of pleasure

[bob998 · 8/10 · 8 August 2013]

I borrowed this set from the public library. I am one of the few people, it seems, who did not see this series when it first aired on TV over fifty years ago. I can say that it gave me quite a bit of pleasure.

The performances are generally fine. Paul Daneman does a great job as Richard III, really funny and menacing. He reminded me of Olivier. Since the discovery of Richard's bones recently, we can see that he was really deformed and that Shakespeare's making him a hunchback is only just. Mary Morris as Henry VI's queen is wonderful; wide-eyed obstinacy and toughness directed at all who don't respect her husband. Sean Connery in one of his very first roles is very funny and moving as Hotspur--love those sarcastic exchanges with Glendower. And Eileen Atkins as Pucelle in Henry VI is great--sexualized, passionate, unforgettable. (Pity the director chose to give a tight close-up on Atkins's eyes at one point to show a dancer reflected in her pupils.) The rest of the cast is occasionally memorable. You're probably not going to remember who is a Yorkist and who a Lancastrian, and does it matter that much anyway? There are so many individual moments that will please you: Jack Cade's aide saying "First thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers!" is one, and there are many others.

TV at its finest

[ross_d · 10/10 · 17 May 2003]

Possibly the finest moment of TV, at least in my memory, as millions could watch Shakespeare's gripping Kings cycle (Richard II - Richard III) play out on prime time TV (I believe it was on Friday nights). No word was left out, and the plays awoke in me (who was then in elementary school) a thirst for history and a hunger for Shakespeare and drama.

Let's see these reissued on DVD. What a set this would be!

Great series that should be made available

[cybermole-1 · 10/10 · 8 April 2006]

This series has recently been unearthed and excerpts can be seen, at least within Britain, via http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/527213/index.html Presumably there is some hope that the series may eventually become available more widely. The problem is that this series was followed by the series THE WARS OF THE ROSES that had a similarly stellar cast and which has been available to cable TV, or at least crowding the market.

The two series are quite different in dramaturgy; THE WARS consolidates the plays through extensive rewriting and shifting of scenes; AN AGE OF KINGS follows Shakespeare more closely. Both series benefit from integral casting.

The granddaddy of all TV series

[annieoz · 10/10 · 8 September 2006]

All right - it was in black and white and probably on 2" tape - which means the BBC wiped it, right? But it stays in my mind from all those years ago (1960??) as a perfect slice of history enlivened by the most innovative editing and wonderful actors full of youth and bravado.

I WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN! Are you reading this, BBC? Find your original 2" tapes or the 35mm film, deal with the actors and directors for the rights, and re-issue! I know, I know, some of them are dead, some of them are missing in action.

Where else will I be able to see Mary Morris as the 'serpent's heart wrapped in a tiger's hide'? Where else will I be able to see Paul Daneman do 'Now is the winter of discontent....'? Or Robert Hardy deliver his speech about 'that idol ceremony'?

Absolutely the best PBS presentation ever!

[nancy117 · 10/10 · 28 November 2003]

It was so very long ago (1960), but I have never forgotten this series and often wished it would reappear. So taken with it, I corresponded with Mr. Rathbun, then president of Standard Oil, which sponsored the presentation on PBS. He sent me a photo of the tapestry (actually a charcoal rendering) used behind the credits.

To the opening theme music of Bayco's "Elizabethan Masque," my family and I gathered around our black & white TV to drink in Shakespeare's words as spoken by a group of excellent but relatively unknown players (at least to American audiences at the time).

We were introduced to such actors as Sean Connery, Dame Judi Dench, Tom Fleming, Patrick Garland, Julian Glover and Robert Hardy. I have continued to enjoy their accomplishments ever since. One of the most interesting things was the way in which the actors continued to age in their respective roles as Shakespeare's "King" plays were presented, perhaps for the first time, in chronological order.

I wish I could tell those actors just how much that series meant to me.

If "Age of Kings" could be revived on VHS and/or DVD, it would so please those of us who long to see it again and those who missed it the first time around.

GOOD NEWS! PBS HAS JUST ISSUED A DVD OF "AN AGE OF KINGS"! SEE THEIR JULY 2009 CATALOG, PAGE 19, OR CALL THEM TOLL FREE. I JUST ORDERED MINE!

Shakespeare at his best

[nybackus-1 · 10/10 · 29 November 2005]

I saw this mini-series when I was in high school. I remember it as being absolutely brilliant and compelling. At the time, I knew none of the British actors in the series, but have since learned that some of today's stars performed in it, including Sean Connery (the original James Bond among many other roles), Judi Dench (Queen Elizabeth in "Shakespeare in Love" among many other roles) and Eilene Atkins (probably best known for creating "Upstairs/Downstairs" but also superb in many acting roles). Like the other commentator, I would like to see it again. I'm certain the production remains timeless, and I would hope that it has been or will be released on VHS or DVD. If you get a chance to see it, do not miss it.

This was good

[dleet · 10/10 · 3 September 2001]

Watched this on KQED, with Frank Baxter commenting, as I recall. Have never seen it since, but would like to find out where it is available.

It is amazing how good something can be, but be in black and white, and have zero special effects. In fact, amazing how much BETTER something like that is!

Great Series...I still Humm the theme music!

[sndotyrd · 27 April 2006]

An Age of Kings was my introduction to Shakespeare. I still have the viewing guide you had to mail in for. I remember the series as stimulating, exciting, and entertaining. I saw the broadcasts when I was in 9th grade...15 years old. That was quite an accomplishment for any TV drama. I have awaited a Video or DVD reissue for many years. Also a devote of the films of Akira Kurosawa, I have collected his works when issued by the Criterion Collection. I feel that An Age of Kings is certainly deserving of such loving treatment. What can we as individuals do to move the BBC or some other group to actually reissue a quality set of this series. Living outside the UK, a trip over to view the series is currently not feasible.

Would really like this to be available

[mmduffy · 10/10 · 29 February 2008]

I followed this entire series when I was a child in grade school, by choice, not because it was required for school. I used to read the plays at the pace of the series. The experience gave me a life-long love for Shakespeare and history. It even gave me a bit of an acting bug, although at an amateur level only. Whenever I read any of Shakespeare's history plays, the images that come to mind first are from this black and white production, seen on a big "furniture" TV set with a rabbit ear antenna, with all the "ghosts" and wobbles that go with that.

Although the sets were minimal, if I remember correctly, that was totally irrelevant because the acting was so good. At the time I had no idea who any of the actors were. Now I see that many of them have become well known over the years. I particularly enjoyed Hotspur and Hal, whom I now see were played by Sean Connery and Robert Hardy. I would dearly love to see this available in video, especially since many of the plays are seldom performed and even fewer are available on video. It would be valuable also as a document of mid-20th century televised play production.

Classic Acting

[hilarynu · 2 April 2002]

Saw this series when it was broadcast by the BBC in UK when I was a child. (All in glorious Black and White 405 line transmission). Very good introduction to the history plays of Shakespeare, and in retrospect I now realise that this was the 'cream' of classic acting of it's day and certainly not wooden or histrionic. Many of the performers went on to make splendid films/theatre/videos/radio. Viz among them Sean Connery(James Bond) would you believe.

A superb version of the Shakespeare history cycle.

[jsilverstein · 10/10 · 5 February 2002]

A great production, that should be revived/rebroadcast. I doubt that it would be out of date! I'd love to hear from anyone who knows whether videos exist of this series, or any other information about where it could be found or viewed.

One day it will be seen again so why not now?!

[ben-lenthall · 10/10 · 29 December 2008]

Anyone who enjoyed this series when first broadcast (I rushed home from school to see it) now is of a certain age so I can only add my comments to those asking for a DVD release to enable those of us to relive the memories of first transmission before it simply becomes a piece of unremembered TV archive history. If so many old TV series from the sixties and seventies can be released, why not this? Surely the rights clearances can't be that difficult. Most of the Shakespeare lines I can quote comes from this iconic series and I remember swapping them with my school chums as we tried to outdo each other's memories of the text. Peter Dews rightly deserved the credit for having the foresight to bring it to the screen. This surely was public broadcasting at its finest. Robert Hardy and Sean Connery fighting to the death - it's riveting stuff and from the beginning of the BBC Television's golden age. Come on BBC. Clear it and license it please. March 2009 So finally the DVD is here and congratulations to those who have made it happen. The picture quality is remarkably good and the performances every bit as good as the memory thought. Now all those who clamoured for it must buy it and relive those magic moments.

UK viewers. Given the series was made in the UK by the BBC using British actors it's strange that the DVD release is not available there on Region 2 (Europe) DVD and can only be imported from the US and played on modified players. It seems hardly likely that there are major rights issues, perhaps the market was felt to be too small so why on earth wasn't it released 'region free?' so everyone could enjoy it?

I have waited 48 years for this

[bucksix · 10/10 · 30 March 2009]

In 1961, this series was shown on local TV here in southern California. I and many others have been petering BBC for tape or DVD ever since. Now all of a sudden, here it is on Amazon. I pre-ordered in January and now here on March 30 it arrived. It was a long wait (48 years). Was it worth it? So far I have just watched Richard II (I've only had the DVD since 2 o'clock) and I can truly say YEA!!! totally worth the wait. The acting, direction, and production are superb and even better than I remember. The production is in B & W but somehow it fits. The video is clear and very good, the sound is flawless. Further proof of how timeless Shakespeare truly is.

I gave this 10 stars even though I have only seen 1 of the 8 plays. I am sure that when I have seen them all I will change my rating to at least a 12.

It's currently in stock at Amazon (US region 1) at a reasonable price.

I'd better stop now so I can get back to watching. Next up is Henry the IV, part 1 of which is my all time favorite Shakespeare play.

Want to see this as soon as possible.

[anuzmen · 10/10 · 9 October 2008]

I have been trying to track The Age of Kings down for many, many years.My theater life was filled with the actors in this series. At the time, in 1960 I was not able to follow all of it, as I was myself working in the theater, lots of night work. Now in retirement I LONG to have this and keep it to myself. Please, please can it not be issued on DVD, I would not mind what it cost. I see that there are others out there who feel the same. What can we do to get this done? Something as great as this should not be sent into oblivion. I have to write two more lines. OK I can do that by saying that I want this series more than anything in the world. Just to be able to watch some of the finest actor of our age playing out the finest words of our wonderful Shakespeare. Isn't that enough! A Uzmen

Waiting nearly half a century for the return of Kings

[emm4 · 10/10 · 18 February 2009]

My introduction to a lifelong love of Shakespeare. My brother was 5 and I was not quite 7 when WTTW Chicago broadcast An Age of Kings. It became a family ritual to watch, including the reruns. As an autumn series, my father used to buy us a rare treat for the Midwest--pomegranates; and my mother would pop corn on the stove. Wonderful acting from actors whose names meant nothing to me then (although I will never forget the achingly young Sean Connery as Hotspur), but do now! And they published the scripts in paperback so we could follow along and figure out the language. I managed to memorize most of Richard III over that. So glad to see it coming out on DVD! Highly recommended for all ages and any level of familiarity with Shakespeare or English history.

The best Shakespeare series on TV ever produced

[terrence-paris · 30 July 2011]

When I first learned that this series of Shakespeare's history plays was on DVD I ordered it on the spot. I first saw it at the age of 11 on the Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) and it sowed the seed for a lifelong interest in British history and Shakespeare. It was great to see Sean Connery, Robert Hardy, Eileen Atkins, and Judi Dench as young actors, but even more pleasurable to enjoy again the late Robert Lang as the villainous Cardinal Beaufort and the late Frank Pettingell as Sir John Falstaff. Also, thanks to IMDb I am pleasantly surprised to learn that Geoffrey Bayldon, the Lord Chief Justice and nemesis of Sir John (and Prince Hal) in Henry IV, is still active over 50 years later. I've no problem with it being in black and white. The introductory music as the camera moves to each of the heraldic devices arranged in a row - the white hart of Richard II, the swan of Henry IV etc. takes me back in an instant to my first viewing of this remarkable series.

more praise for Age of Kings

[phytodoer · 18 October 2007]

As is true of so many, I loved this series and hope ! hope! hope! that it will be issued on DVD. It was far superior, in my view, to the subsequent Wars of the Roses. Please, BBC - make us happy and take our money! In addition to the fine actors mentioned by the others, I add Paul Daneman - unfortunately now dead - who was the perfect Richard III. When I read Shakespeare now, these are the voices I hear, the phrasing I remember. Daneman saying "So wise so young they say do ne'er live long" Or Jack May as the Duke of York - "Cold news for me, for I had hopes of France ..." Or Robert Hardy chuckling at the thought of old men remembering "with 'vantages" their deeds on St. Crispin's Day. I want to see it again!

Series available on DVD beginning March 31, 2009

[dgsweet · 7 January 2009]

Just noticed that this series will indeed be available beginning March 31, 2009. Just type the name in at Amazon or DeepDiscountDVD. An awful lot of Shakespeare for not that much dough. Would be nice if DVDs came out of the English Shakespeare Company's series with Michael Pennington and John Castle directed by Michael Bogdanov. That was released on VHS, though the picture quality wasn't great. Then there was the Peter Hall WAR OF THE ROSES with David Warner, Peggy Ashcroft and Ian Holm. But then I'm a fan of any productions of the histories we can get our hands on. The BBC productions of the HENRY VI-RICHARD III cycle directed by Jane Howell were the peak of the BBC-Time-Warner "complete" series.

Its here!!

[calberga · 28 March 2009]

The DVDs (5) are due to be released on 31 March. BBC Warner (if I recall). There is an item in the Sunday New York Times "Arts and Entertainment" section.

Check the NYTimes website, under Television, under Arts. (URLs seem to not be allowed here!)

NETFLIX has in listed already, with the following description:

Explore the history of the English monarchy through the prism of Shakespeare's plays -- including "Richard II," "Henry IV," "Henry V" and "Richard III" -- with this 15-part BBC series that features many of England's top actors. Originally broadcast on television in 1960, the ambitious project includes performances by Robert Hardy, Eileen Atkins, Sean Connery, Judi Dench, Julian Glover, John Warner and many others.