Henry IV, Part 1
(An Age of Kings, Episode 3: “Rebellion from the North”, and Episode 4: “The Road to Shrewsbury”)
1960: Michael Hayes

This is the second play in the 1960 BBC black and white series called An Age of Kings. Like almost all the plays in this series, this is confined to the length of two one-hour television episodes. That necessarily requires a good deal of cutting, but the work was done respectfully and thoughtfully, and more is preserved, perhaps, than might be in a more consciously cinematic approach. The DVD release is likewise a bit fuzzy.

Unlike most of the other history plays, Henry IV, Part 1 focuses not so much on the eponymous king as on another character — specifically his wayward son Prince Hal — who will later become Henry V. Hal is a fascinating character partly because he is a social chameleon: he must maintain his relationship with his father, while still running around with the wrong crowd led by Falstaff. The juggling is not without its strains and inconveniences, but for the time Harry manages to keep everything (mostly) under control. His very adaptability to context remains a bit of a mystery. Near the beginning of the play, he articulates a plausible plan to conceal his true virtues in order to surprise people when he sheds his vices. Whether this is his real intention, or mere self-excuse, is of course one of those questions that cannot wholly be solved.

The role of Hal here is played by Robert Hardy, who carries forward the role into the same series’ Henry IV, Part 2 and Henry V. He’s probably better known to younger modern audiences as Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter movies. He’s a good actor, and he plays the part well, and with some nuance. He’s arguably too old for the young Prince Hal, but one can be a little imaginative and squint a bit while watching this fuzzy black and white print.

Frank Pettingell carries the role of Falstaff (one of the plums for older actors) with finesse and mirth. He is not taxing or reinterpreting the role in any peculiar way: he’s more or less what one expects from Falstaff, full of braggadocio and windy pretense, but perennially entertaining. One of he highlights of the play is the piece toward the end of Act II in which Hal and Falstaff take turns in playing out a scene anticipating an interview between the King and Hal. It’s always an occasion for high spirits, and the occasion is not wasted here.

The other part that may capture people’s attention is the engaging character of Harry Hotspur — Prince Hal’s opposite and foil in the political side of the game. Here it is played by a young Sean Connery.

The production is reduced and doesn’t support the subtlety the play really asks, but it’s a reasonable and interesting version to see, whether one views it as an attestation of Shakespeare’s play or as a marker for the aesthetics of the late 1950s.

Buy the BBC series An Age of Kings at Amazon. This is the black and white series made for television in 1960, containing both tetralogies of Shakespeare’s histories: Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2, Henry V, Henry VI, Part 1, Henry VI, Part 2, Henry VI, Part 3, and Richard III.