Adaptation, Master thesis.doc

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THE LION IN WINTER:Adaptation from Stage to Screen

The Lion in Winter: Adaptation from Stage to Screen

authors Haas, Alfke de

source Faculty of Humanities Theses (2007)

full text [Full text]

document type Master thesis

disciplines Letteren

abstract This thesis looks into the specific chan es made to a play !hen it is used as the

"asis for a tele#ision or film adaptation$ %t i#es a "rief o#er#ie! of rele#ant

adaptation theory and discusses the chan es made in !ritin , creatin the on

sta e&screen locations, characters and the film'specific a"ility to choose camera

an les and editin $

key ords Adaptation, Film
http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/student-theses/2007-0530-200340/S2f%20Lion%20in%20Winter%20Adaptations.dochttp://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/student-theses/2007-0530-200340/S2f%20Lion%20in%20Winter%20Adaptations.doc


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Alfke de Haas Nr. 9953043August 2006

Master Literatuurwetenschapni!ersiteit trecht

"criptie#egeleiders$dr. %. &rillen#urg'(urth

dr. ). *. %. &rands+a

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CONTENTS

%,N- N-" 2/N- ,1 %-/,N 3

/N- ,1 %-/,N -, -H *LA AN1 )/LM" 4-he "t r 4-he Auth r 4-he *la 5-he 96 )il+ 6-he 2003 Miniseries 6

%HA*- $ A1A*-A-/,N -H , 7. Adaptati n criticis+ 7.2 Adaptati n #etween theatre and fil+ 9

%HA*- 2$ - 8- -, )/LM 22. Additi ns 32.2 1eleti ns 32.3 -ransp siti n 42.4 ewriting the te t 5

%HA*- 3$ L,%A-/,N" 73. )il+ l cati ns3.2 ,pening ut 93.3 "h wing instead f telling 20

%HA*- 4$ %HA A%- " 224. %asting 224.2 % stu+es 244.3 Acting 24

%HA*- 5$ %AM A AN:L " AN1 1/-/N: 265. %a+era angles$ the direct r;s ch ice 265.2 diting$ the final f r+ 27

%,N%L "/,N 30

List f ( rks %ited 32

Appendi A$ A#stract f the pla 35Appendi &$ L cati ns 37Appendi %$ -he characters 4Appendi 1$ a+ples f sh ts 4Appendi $ "tage pr ducti ns 52

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Introduction

Adaptati n the r is a relati!el ung field f criticis+< ha!ing started in the 940s. /t alsften deals with relati!el ung f r+s f art such as fil+s r c +ic # ks. -he differences

+ade t st ries when the are adapted fr + ne +ediu+ int an ther can #e e tensi!e< #ut

adapt rs ften tr t #e as true t their s urce +aterial as p ssi#le. Adaptati n #etween theatreand fil+ has f cused +ainl n "hakespearean pla s and fil+s< esta#lishing the differences

#etween these +edia nl t a +in r degree. )il+ adaptati ns f "hakespeare;s pla s areften e tre+el different fr + their s urce< cl uding the real differences #etween the tw

+edia.-he pla The Lion in Winter was written # =a+es : ld+an in 966. /t was #ased n

hist rical characters and e!ents and tells the st r f a ficti nal %hrist+as in 3< cele#rated # >ing Henr // and his fa+il at his castle in %hin n< )rance. -he pla was adapted f r fil+in 96 < the screenpla als written # : ld+an. -he fil+ in!ig rated interest in the pla ing = hn appear in his screenpla f r

"obin and Marion and # writing a# ut the final da s f >ing = hn;s life in his n !el Myselfas Witness . He studied the *lantagenet fa+il hist r e tensi!el < #ut ad+its that hischaracters are fictiti us. N ne kn ws what these pe ple were reall like< #ut : ld+an triedt i+agine wh the were< what the felt and said and what the wanted ut f life. 4

/t is this intenti n that critics ha!e # th respected and c nde+ned. -he pla is stated tc +#ine Dkeen hist rical and ps ch l gical insight with delici us< + rdant wit;. 5 /t was calledD+ dern< as well as peri d; 6 # actress :lenn %l se< #ut has als #een said t #e Da+egaph ne f r the si ties the+e f fa+il +alice;. 7 The Lion in Winter is generall accepted

t #e a hist rical fa+il ' and ps ch l gical dra+a< #ut alth ugh s +e critics ha!e ch sen tdis+iss its sh wing f hist r as i+perfect< + st critics ch se t c ncentrate n the

ps ch l gical fa+il dra+a it is. : ld+an +erel ch se the setting as a #asis and then let thecharacters l se n each ther.

& far + st critics c ncentrate n the pla ;s language and the interacti n it sh ws #etween the characters. As ichard . 1ansk puts it$

D: ld+an;s great success in the pla is in his dial gue. His characters all carr ar undunsheathed and #l died rapier wits. (e get t kn w the+< n t thr ugh their acti ns< #utrather thr ugh their w rds< thr ugh the !er#al snares the set and the !er#al #ar#s the cast at

ne an therG -he attenti!e reader< the ne wh treasures whip'crack sharp writing and

characters s sharpl delineated that their edges see+ t cut< that reader will read and re'readThe Lion *n Winter and gain s +ething new fr + it e!er ti+e.;

The "#$% film

2 =a+es : ld+an.I Wi'i+edia, The Free #n y lo+edia E : ld+an< n. pag.E =a+es : ld+an B/C.I *nternet Mo$ie atabase .3 : ld+an< p. !ii.4 /de+5 : ld+an< c !er.6

: ld+an< n. pag.7 : ld+an< n. pag. 1ansk .

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-he fil+ that rein!ig rated the pla s successfull was #ased n the screenpla =a+es: ld+an wr te. -he fil+ was directed # Anth n Har!e and starred *eter ,;- le as kingHenr // and >atherine Hep#urn as lean r f A?uitaine. "ir Anth n H pkins +ade his fil+de#ut as ichard< as did -i+ th 1alt n # pla ing king *hilip //. = hn and :e ffre were

pla ed # Nigel -err and = hn %astle and Alais was pla ed # =ane Merr w. -he fil+ was

released n ,ct #er 30< 96 .9

-he fil+ was n +inated f r se!eral awards. /t w n Acade+ Awards f r thescreenpla < the +usic B= hn &arr C and f r &est Actress B>atherine Hep#urnC. /t als recei!edn +inati ns f r Acade+ Awards f r &est *icture< &est 1irect r and &est Act r B*eter,;- leC and f r % stu+e 1esign B# Margaret )urseC. 0 &esides these ,scars the fil+ w n&ritish Acade+ Awards f r >atherine Hep#urn;s perf r+ance and f r = hn &arr ;s +usic nchal !sk .I Wi'i+edia, The Free

#n y lo+edia .6 -he Li n in (inter.I "-* #ntertainment .

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Chapter ":Adaptation Theory

Introduction-here are +an f r+s f adaptati n< alth ugh that f te t t screen generall see+s t #e the

+ st c ++ n. (e ha!e all heard f fil+ adaptati ns f such classic n !els as =ane Austen;s Pride . Pre/udi e r Arthur % nan 1 le;s "herl ck H l+es st ries. Much research hasf cussed n the adaptati n f n !els< #ut an ther p pular f r+ f te t t screen adaptati n is+aking fil+ !ersi ns f pla s< such as (illia+ "hakespeare;s. 7

%ritics ha!e c +e up with !ari us reas ns wh adaptati ns are s p pular in cine+a.% +panies +a assu+e that p pular # ks will +ake p pular fil+s. )il+ +akers +a stri!et +ake the + st authentic< definiti!e fil+ !ersi n f a classic r t +ake a radicallre!isi ned !ersi n as a new w rk f art. ,ther intenti ns in +aking a fil+ adaptati n +a #et +ake a st r Dreal; in the wa nl a fil+ can r t gi!e pe ple wh will ne!er read the

# k a chance f #ec +ing Dcultured; # getting t kn w a classic. 9 -he success f suchfil+s f r the audience depends n their entertain+ent !alue< #ut f r sch lars it depends n itsrendering f the s urce +aterial.

-he f ll wing paragraphs will deal with s +e f the ke pr #le+s f adaptati nstudies. Alth ugh sch lars ha!e taken an interest in the field since the 960s< 20 e isting

pini ns n the different +edia ha!e l ng influenced all atte+pts at defining what adaptati nreall d es. (hen it first ca+e int e istence fil+ was a !isual +ediu+< #ut as the +ediu+de!el ped further this idea f its !isualit ne!er left adaptati n the r . /t was th ughti+p ssi#le t adapt a literar te t int a !isual +ediu+< #ecause it was c nsidered i+p rtantt c n!e as +uch f the riginal as p ssi#le.

")" Adaptation critici m

Adaptati n the r is a !er #r ad field< n t nl #ecause f the nu+er us +edia #etweenwhich adaptati n can take place r the nu+er us f r+s adaptati n can take< #ut als #ecausecritics ha!e !er different !iews n the +atter. %ritics f fil+ adaptati n ha!e ftena+illa lli tt< are transfera#le and!er likel t fall int the categ r f + thical ele+ents. H we!er< as Mc)arlane argues< the+atter depends highl n which ele+ents are f und t #e uni!ersal and f great i+p rtance tthe st r < lea!ing the ther functi ns t #e adapted rather than easil transferred. 34

land &arthes< alth ugh n t stud ing the field f adaptati n< als suggested thate!er narrati!e is +ade up f functi ns. " +e f these< fun tions +ro+er < are c ncerned withacti ns and e!ents and are linked linearl thr ugh ut the te t. -he ther functi ns< indi esatherine Hep#urn w uld pla Tueen lean r in the

96 fil+ e!en #ef re the direct r< Anth n Har!e was ch sen t lead the pr Fect. 99 =a+es94 "ee paragraph . .95 (hite< p. 75.96 (hite< p. 66.97 (hite< pp. 4< 7.9 Harr p< pp. 35'4 .99 Har!e < ti+e$ 0$02$ 5'0$02$3 .

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: ld+an descri#ed lean r as a fe+inine w +an f si t ' ne wh is still #eautiful and hasgreat presence and auth rit . 00 Hep#urn was the right age f r the r le and she had +uche perience in pla ing str ng w +en. Her lean r is ld< #ut her hair has n t l st its c l ur

et< n r has she l st her !italit . :lenn %l se;s lean r l ks unger< #ut is f si+ilar age as*atrick "tewart;s Henr and has n t l st her !italit either.

Henr was ele!en ears unger than his wife< #ut was pla ed in the fil+ # *eter,;- le< wh was thirt 'fi!e ears ld at the ti+e. 0 Acc rding t : ld+an Henr d es n tl k ld< alth ugh ld age is setting in. 02 -his i+age lea!es s +e r + f r interpretati n< #utt fit the part ,;- le;s Henr had t l k lder that the act r$ his hair is starting t l k greand his full #eard and + ustache hide + st f his face. -he real difference< h we!er< is +ade

# his acting< which will #e discussed #el w. 03 *atrick "tewart did ha!e the right age f r ther le. His Henr has l ng gre hair and a sh rt #eard and is well'#uilt< alth ugh +uch sh rterthan ,;- le;s Henr

: ld+an descri#es ichard as a hands +e twent 'si ear ld +an< graceful andi+pressi!e< and e+phasi@es that ichard is a warri r. 04 Alth ugh H pkins is n t as tall aseither ,;- le r -i+ th 1alt n< he see+s the ph sicall str ngest +e+#er f the casta+illa. "ethin'ing the No$el2Film ebate . %a+#ridge$ %a+#ridge *< 2003.

Harr p< = hn. A ting . L nd n and New rk$ utledge< 992.

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http://www.monum.fr/visitez/decouvrir/fiche.dml?lang=en&id=88http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Konchalovskyhttp://www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_goldman_lioninthewinter.htmlhttp://www.monum.fr/visitez/decouvrir/fiche.dml?lang=en&id=88http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Konchalovskyhttp://www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_goldman_lioninthewinter.html


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Appendi, A

The play

Act "

"cene is set in Alais; cha+#er in the late aftern n. Alais and Henr argue a# ut Henr ;srelati nships with lean r and his s ns< a# ut her d wr and >ing *hilip f )rance< her

#r ther and a# ut the c +ing %hrist+as t which e!er ne is in!ited. "cene 2 is set in a recepti n hall. /t intr duces all the characters t each ther and i++ediatel+akes clear the underl ing relati nships. /t #ec +es #!i us that Henr and lean r are

p werful pp nents and that all ther characters are tr ing t h ld their wn against e!er neelse. -he scene als intr duces the + ti!es these characters ha!e f r fighting !er the cr wning *hilip clearl states that Henr sh uld h n ur the treat he+ade with )rance and ha!e Alais +arr ichard.

/n scene 3< set in lean r;s cha+#er s +e ti+e after the first tw scenes< lean r tries t winichard #ack< #ut he d es n t #elie!e she reall cares f r hi+. He feels the nl thing she

wants is her preci us A?uitaine #ack. -hen the ther princes and Henr and Alais enter.Henr tells the+ he has decided what t d in the argu+ent with *hilip$ ichard getse!er thing and the kingd + will re+ain intact. ichard d es n t trust Henr either< #ut = hnand :e ffre d . = hn lashes ut at ichard and :e ffre parts with = hn in fa! ur f thewinning side. Alais and = hn lea!e< hurt and furi us. :e ffre lea!es intending t selle!er ne ut t e!er ne else if he can find a wa t d it and lean r is left t win ichard;sheart and with it the A?uitaine #ack< which she e!entuall d es. "cene 4 is set in the recepti n hall again< i++ediatel after scene 3. -he pl t thickens as:e ffre regains = hn;s trust and gets hi+ t pl t with *hilip t get an ar+ with which thecan gain p wer. Henr tries t get the A?uitaine f r = hn as a c ns lati n pri@e f r l sing thecr wn #ut lean r f rces hi+ t let ichard +arr Alais in return. (hen it #ec +es clear t

ichard that he will ha!e t gi!e up the A?uitaine f r Alais< he refuses t +arr her< declareswar n Henr and is +ade a pris ner inside the castle. = hn and :e ffre are sure = hn will

#ec +e king again and Alais and Henr are rec nciled. "cene 5 is set in lean r;s cha+#er sh rtl afterwards and c ncentrates n her relati nshipwith her s ns. "he feels heart'#r ken n w that she see+s t ha!e l st e!er thing. :e ffre

c +es t her and asks her wh she has alwa s #een s indifferent t wards hi+< #ut she cann tanswer. -hen ichard and = hn c +e in< still antag nistic t wards each ther. (hen = hnaccidentall re!eals his treacher us pact with *hilip lean r regains her strength< seeing an

pp rtunit t get ichard #ack in the ga+e. "he gets :e ffre t help her keep = hn awafr + *hilip and tells ichard t g and ask *hilip f r an ar+ .

/n scene 6< set in *hilip;s cha+#er late in the e!ening< the three s ns g t *hilip t ask f r anar+ < pr +ising !ari us regi ns f nglish )rance in return. /n a classic scene e!er ne hides

#ehind tapestries while thers c +e t the r +. = hn is there when :e ffre arri!es t ask*hilip t help hi+ #ec +e king instead f = hn. :e ffre then has t c n!ince = hn that itwas nl t +ake sure that *hilip w uld n t tell Henr a# ut their f r+er agree+ent< #ut the

are interrupted # the arri!al f ichard and hide. ichard turns ut t #e an ld friend andf r+er l !er f *hilip and is f rced t hide when Henr arri!es t discuss his treat with

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)rance. *hilip e!entuall #etra s ichard t his father< at which p int :e ffre #etra s = hnas well< stating that he is the nl s n Henr has left. Henr < h we!er< heart'#r ken !ere!er ne;s treacher declares that he has n s ns and that n ne f the+ will get his kingd +.

Act II

Act ended with e!er ne l sing as Henr disinherited all his s ns. *hilip at this p intdisappears fr + the pla . Act // sees Henr threaten t annul his +arriage with lean r sthat he can take Alais as his wife and get a new heir t the thr ne. An heir< wh < as e!er netells Henr < will #e unpr tected after his death. - ensure his safet Henr will #e f rced tkeep his ther s ns l cked up r ha!e the+ killed. -his new turn f e!ents unifies the #r thersin a c ++ n cause.

"cene is set late at night in Henr ;s cha+#er< where Alais sits al ne until lean r c +es in."he has c +e t ask Henr f r peace as she feels tired f all the intrigue. "he and Alais talkwith each ther as the + ther and daughter the nce al+ st were< #ut Alais re+ains sceptic

f lean r;s intenti ns. Henr returns t the r + and Alais lea!es. Henr and lean r talka# ut their s ns and ad+it that it is their fault the ha!e #ec +e wh the are. lean r tries tc n!ince Henr that she Fust wants a peaceful life< #ut as Henr re!eals his new plan she

pr +ises t fight hi+ e!er step f the wa . Henr is planning n g ing t +e t speakwith the p pe< #ut l cks his s ns up t st p the+ fr + taking his kingd + while he is g ne.

"cene 2 is set in Alais; cha+#er at dawn the ne t da . Henr c +es in t wake her up and tellher the will #e lea!ing f r +e. He has #een up all night t f r+ an ent urage and he hasl cked his s ns up in the wine cellar. Alais re+inds hi+ that a te+p rar c nfine+ent is n tg d en ugh and that if he wants her t +arr hi+ and +ake a new heir he will ha!e t keephis s ns l cked awa f re!er. He lea!es t tell the+ the will indeed ne!er #e released.

-he pla is c ncluded in scene 3< which is set in the wine cellar. lean r #rings her s nsweap ns t escape in the c nfusi n caused # Henr ;s preparati n f r his F urne . ichardi++ediatel Fu+ps at the chance t escape< #ut :e ffre suggests the can sta and killHenr . He accuses lean r f helping the+ nl with that purp se in +ind< #ut she is+ rtified that her s ns are willing t #ec +e assassins. (hen Henr enters she sh ws hi+ theweap ns t +ake sure that their s ns cann t trick hi+. Henr is sh cked< #ut dares the+ tc +e f r hi+. ichard turns ut t #e incapa#le f attacking his wn father and gi!es up.= hn #egs Henr f r f rgi!eness #ut when he runs t wards hi+< Henr keeps hi+ at adistance with his sw rd. As his s ns ha!e n w c ++itted seri us treas n he sentences the+

t death< #ut when he #rings his sw rd d wn t wards ichard he turns ut t #e e?uallincapa#le f killing his s n. He tells the+ t lea!e< which the princes d . Henr and lean rare left t face the realit the ha!e created. Henr feels his kingd + is useless< while lean rad+its that the nl thing f !alue she e!er had< and has n w l st< was hi+. -he c +f rteach ther and then laughingl pr +ise t c ntinue their ga+e at aster c urt.

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Appendi, 3

Location

Sali *ury Ca tle: . 96 < interi r M nt+aF ur A##e E 2. 2003< unkn wn castle.

Other location : . 96 < A #each in &rittan < fil+ed in (alesE 2. 96 < ichard;s castle

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Adaptation, Master thesis.doc