Cromwell

CROMWELL

 

Director : Ken Hughes

Year : 1970

Genre : Historical Drama

Rating : *****

 

With an almost supernatural proficiency for detail, an unmatched regal and charismatic screen presence and a method of acting that can only be described as naturalistic, Sir Alec Guinness was the quintessential British actor. Best known for his roles in 'Oliver Twist', 'Dr. Zhivago', 'The Bridge On The River Kwai', 'Kind Hearts & Coronets', 'Hitler : The Last Ten Days', 'Lawrence Of Arabia' and of course the 'Star Wars' trilogy, Guinness was one of the most reliable and watchable English thespians to ever grace the silver screen. 

However while his roles in these films have rightly gone down in the annals of film history as some of the best, there is a film in his huge filmography that always seems to be overlooked. That film is 'Cromwell', Ken Hughes 1970 historical epic that tells the story of the bloody rivalry between King Charles I (Guinness) and the dictatorial Oliver Cromwell (Richard Harris). Chronicling the brutal and vicious civil war, the downfall of the King and his eventual execution in 1649, 'Cromwell' is a full blooded biopic that tells the true life story of one of the most reviled and hated humans ever to walk this green and pleasant land in a very entertaining and cinematic way. With astonishing performances from both of it's leads as well as a strong supporting cast which features some of the most revered British actors of the time such as Robert Morley, Dorothy Tutin, Frank Finlay and even a young Timothy Dalton, 'Cromwell' is a grand, sweeping spectacle that would clearly pave the way for later epics such as 'The Patriot', 'Rob Roy' and of course, 'Braveheart'.

Director Ken Hughes was a filmmaker who was known for making some of the most entertaining family fare during that time. With movies such as 'Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang', 'Casino Royale' and 'Drop Dead Darling' under his belt, he may not have been the most obvious first choice to helm an emotionally driven historical drama. However, thanks to his precise and controlled direction as well his riveting screenplay, Hughes pulls his job off perfectly. Of course, any material is going to be immediately elevated whenever Guinness or Harris walks onto screen but it is to the directors credit that the film is just as watchable and entertaining when neither actor is centre stage. 

As I said at the beginning of my review, Alec Guinness had a flawless knack for portraying a character with an unmatched level of class and stature and his performance as King Charles I stands out amongst the hundreds of others in his astonishing career. Bringing both a powerful regality and very human vulnerability to his role, Guinness nails his character and delivers to the screen the most pure and realistic portrayal of grandure and supposed power ever to be captured on camera. This especially stands out in the scenes where Charles is being falsely accused of treason in Westminster Hall by his peers. Standing his grounds and refusing to back down, Guinness perfectly encapsulates the fears and anxieties felt whenever put under extreme pressure but still retains a sense of gravitas and patience that instantly puts us on the side of the doomed King. However, while these moments are awe inspiring and mesmerising to watch, the actor really shines at the point he is forced to confront his inevitable death. The moments in which he says goodbye to his children before his imminent beheading is incredibly moving and reduces me to floods of tears everytime I watch it. In these scenes and in Guinness' unbelievable performance, Charles becomes so much more than a fabled monarch of our history; he becomes a husband, he becomes a father and he becomes a human being; a man senselessly executed due to another man's greed and lust for power.
 

 

Of course, Richard Harris is also brilliant as the tyrannical and warted Oliver Cromwell and his stoic and fierce portrayal perfectly balances Guinness' meek and humble personification. Unlike many history books would have us believe, Cromwell was not a blood thirsty monster. Rather he was a dedicated warrior who fought to bring England back from the dark ages of the monarchy and the Civil War and if this meant the death of the King, then so be it. Now, I'm not sure that I completely agree with the films ideology and I am sure that Cromwell was more than a little happy when Charles lost his head at the executioners block. But just like Oliver Hirschbergel's Academy Award nominated Hitler biopic 'Der Untergang' did to startling effect in 2004, 'Cromwell' paints the titular Protector not as a bloodthirsty savage but as a man and this humanisation of the seemingly inhuman tyrant makes the character much more believable and realistically evil than any amount of propaganda could do.

While the movie was nominated for two Academy Awards and eventually won the prize for Best Costume Design, 'Cromwell' was a relative failure both commercially and critically on it's release. It's various historical inaccuracies would prove too problematic for British critics and an overlong running time of 2 and a half hours would turn off many supposed audience members. However, watching the film again in 2014, it is surprising how well 'Cromwell' stands up against many modern war epics. The design of the film is beautiful, the battle scenes are incredibly intense and the performances are some of the best I have ever had the pleasure to witness. Even today, 'Cromwell' doesn't have the critical acclaim it deserves and I am not entirely sure why. So on this day, the day on which the late very great Sir Alec Guinness would have turned 100 years old, I am taking this opportunity to highlight a grossly underrated masterpiece which has been sorely overlooked over the many decades of cinema history and what is, for me the jewel in the crown of an illustrious and astonishing career.