Henry V

Henry V is a 1989 British drama film adapted for the screen and directed by Kenneth Branagh, based on William Shakespeare's play The Life of Henry the Fifth about the famous English king. The film stars Branagh in the title role and features a cast of numerous prolific English actors, including Derek Jacobi, Emma Thompson, Paul Scofield, Alec McCowen, Judi Dench, Robbie Coltrane, Ian Holm, Brian Blessed, and Richard Briers. The film also marks an early performance by British actor Christian Bale. Henry V received worldwide critical acclaim upon its release and has been widely considered one of the best Shakespeare film adaptations ever made. For her work on the film, Phyllis Dalton won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design and Kenneth Branagh, in his directorial debut, received Oscar nominations for Best Actor and Best Director. The film opens with Chorus in a modern setting, calling for a "Muse of fire" so that the actor playing King Henry might "assume the port of Mars" and that...