It’s one of those movies that proves spectacular cinema doesn’t require explosions or special effects. Put two extraordinary actors in a room with an extraordinary script, and the result can be as gripping as any action film ever made.

Katharine Hepburn & Peter O'Toole could simultaneously be larger-than-life and also grounded characters of an intimate family drama. Which is why this film works so well. At its core, it's a family drama with major historical figures at its center.
  The script is a great one, not surprising at all considering James Goldman wrote it. For those that don't know, James' brother, William, also wrote the screenplays for Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, All The Presidents Men, and Marathon Man, to name a few. So great talent runs in the family.
  Seeing the crossover of acting generations here before some of their career highlights like Anthony Hopkins pre-Silence of the Lambs or even Magic, Timothy Dalton pre-Bond, and Nigel Terry pre-Excalibur is always interesting for a film buff.
  Katharine's third Oscar win for her role as Eleanor was well earned, imo. She's very deserving of her legendary status as one of the all-time great actresses in cinema (and those 4 Oscars). Interestingly, this was O'Toole's second time being nominated for portraying Henry II, first being Becket (1964).
  Thanks for the behind the scenes!

A glorious film .... Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn... Pure magic!💎💎

"You can get an awful lot done if you don't take credit."
so true.

Too bad they never mentioned the music. John Barry’s score was pretty iconic as well

I can watch that movie over and over ( which I have) It’s a gift ❤

“A little peace? How about eternal peace, now there’s a thought.”
Yup. Endlessly quotable.

One of my all time favorite. The lines, the lines.  Henry telling Eleanor that their sons would band  together only the day “ pigs get wings.”
And Eleanor says” There will be pork in the treetops come morning.”

It is such a shame Cliff Robertson won the Oscar for Charley over Peter O’Toole in The Lion in Winter. And this is still the only time Best Actress tied, with Katharine Hepburn winning for The Lion in Winter and Barbara Streisand winning for Funny Girl! What an amazing script and film, full of great performances.

I will forever feel nostalgic of this wonderful film. It was 1972, I was 16, I was on vacation in Portugal, at a camp site na Costa da Caparica, across the river from Lisboa. It was a cool evening, a huge screen was set up, al fresco, next to the pool. I was enjoying the film, when suddenly there was a power outage, I was so disappointed, as I walked back to the family tent. Luckly, the power came back 30 minutes later, and I ran back to resume watching Peter O'Toole and Catherine Hepburn.

That movie was a masterclass in "Acting"!  They were all outstanding!

This movie led me down a rabbit hole that started off with Eleanor of Aquataine and ended up reading multiple books about the Crusades and learning even more about the first and second Renaissance

This was a fantastic movie.

When movies told the story.  Superb

If you want to learn about acting and what makes a good actor, watch this movie. I never tire of it. Hepburn is outstanding.

Katharine and Peter’s delivery of Golding’s exquisite lines have taken up permanent residence in my mind since I first viewed Lion as a child. It’s eminently quotable

If it's not already, The Lion In Winter should be a required course in any acting or theatre school.

favorite movie seen a billion times

1:20 "My Lord!" "Your Grace"
Henry II. was duke of Normandy and thus vassal to the French king Phillip II. So he addresses Phillip II. correctly as "My Lord" and Phillip II. addresses him correctly as "Your Grace". Both through gritted teeth, of course.

My favorite movie of all time