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Film Review: Henry V, Shakespearean Play Filmed by Director Kenneth Branagh

William Shakespeare's history play Henry V gets its best, grittiest filming in the 1989 release by a master of his craft, Kenneth Branagh, and his perfect match of cast and crew.

England's fifth Henry is a hell-raising Prince Hal Henry V assumes dramatic, historical, and literary significance as the sixth, in terms of royal chronologies, of William Shakespeare’s (April 23, 1564? – April 23, 1616) English history plays, along with: • King John; • Edward III; • Richard II; • Henry IV, Part 1, Part 2; • Henry VI, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3; • Richard III; and • Henry VIII. It breaks ground with its world-famous, world-respected cinematographic adaptation in 1989 by Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh as a movie whose filming seamlessly matches cast with costumes, dialogues, and events and crew with props and venues. As a faithful rendition of its namesake play, the action/biography drama concentrates on a young king’s winning of a critical battle and a royal betrothal.

Henry V: late 16th or early 17th century oil on panel by unknown artist

National Portrait Gallery, London; Accession no. NPG 545 — Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

England's fifth Henry is a results-oriented young king

Henry V (Kenneth Branagh) deems significant:

Archbishop Henry Chichele (1364? – April 12, 1443) of Canterbury’s (Charles Kay) and Bishop John Fordham (died November 19, 1425) of Ely’s (Alec McCowen) advice;
Duke Thomas Beaufort (1377? – December 31, 1426?) of Exeter’s (Brian Blessed) and Earl Ralph Neville (1364? – October 21, 1425) of Westmoreland’s (Paul Gregory) counsels; and
Montjoy’s (Christopher Ravenscroft) delivery of tennis balls from Louis (January 22, 1397 – December 18, 1415), France’s Dauphin (Michael Maloney).

He expects France’s throne as:

Isabella’s (1295 – August 22, 1358) great-great-grandson; and
Philip IV’s (1268 – November 29, 1314) great-great-great-grandson.

He finds just Earl Richard of Cambridge’s (Fabian Cartwright), Sir Thomas Grey’s (Jay Villiers), and Lord Henry Scroop’s (Stephen Simms) beheadings in August 1415.

Catherine de Valois learns English from her gentlewoman Alice in a charming scene in Henry V: ". . . dites-moi, si je parle bien: de hand, de fingres, et de nails" (Act III, Scene iv).

one of 21 Shakespeare heroines commissioned by The Graphic, exhibited in 1888, and printed in March 1, 1890 issue (vol. XLI [41], no. 1057 — Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

England's fifth Henry is a risk-taking, spirituality-bound monarch

Henry goes from forcing the Governor of Harfleur’s (David Lloyd Meredith) surrender to:

allowing Lieutenant Bardolph (Richard Briers) to hang for looting Calais-area churches;
consulting with Dukes Humphrey (October 3, 1390 – February 23, 1447) of Gloucester (Simon Shepherd) and John (June 20, 1389 – September 14, 1435) of Bedford (James Larkin), and Sir Thomas Erpingham (1355? – 1428); and
disguising himself around Bates (Shaun Prendergast), Pistol (Robert Stephens), and Williams (Michael Williams).

He heads into battle after:

calculating Charles VI’s (December 3, 1368 – October 21, 1422) forces outnumbering his 5:1; and
invoking St. Crispin.

He is victorious because of:

Charles d’Albret (December 1368 - October 25, 1415), Constable of France’s death during cavalry charges; and
English archers and counter-chargers.

King Henry V of England battles his future father-in-law, Charles VI of France (December 3, 1368-October 21, 1422) in Kenneth Branagh's first Shakespeare-based film, Henry V (1989).

"Exorcisme de Charles VI par deux moines augustins" (1839); oil on canvas by François-Auguste Biard (June 29, 1799-June 20, 1882) — Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

England's fifth Henry is unforgettable then and now

Henry then joins:

Captain Fluellen’s (Ian Holm) lamenting luggage-boy Robin’s (Christian Bale) death; and
delegations negotiating and signing on May 21, 1420 the Treaty of Troyes.

He knows that Katharine (October 27, 1401 – January 3, 1437) will be a beautiful Queen even if her English needs work. So Henry V lets loose 137 culturally enriching, educationally entertaining minutes of European battles and betrothals, thanks to:

Michael Bradsell, editor;
Kenneth Branagh, director, screenwriter;
Patrick Doyle, music director, singer of Non nobis, Domine, sed nomini tua da gloriam (Not unto us, O Lord, but to thy name give the glory);
Derek Jacobi, narrator;
Kenneth MacMillan, cinematographer;
Bruce Sharman, producer; and
Venues at Crowlink, East Sussex, and Shepperton, Surrey, England.

"Henry V Official Trailer #1 (1989) Kenneth Branagh HD" (2:19)

Uploaded March 26, 2015, by Shout! Factory to YouTube ~ URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJZTlrQZMjY

Henry V Official Trailer #1 (1989) Kenneth Branagh HD

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image Credits

Henry V: late 16th or early 17th century oil on panel by unknown artist
National Portrait Gallery, London; Accession no. NPG 545: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_Henry_V_from_NPG.jpg

Catherine de Valois learns English from her gentlewoman Alice in a charming scene in Henry V: ". . . dites-moi, si je parle bien: de hand, de fingres, et de nails" (Act III, Scene iv).
"Queen Katherine of France"; illustration by Laura Theresa Epps Alma-Tadema (April 16, 1852 - August 15, 1909)
one of 21 Shakespeare heroines commissioned by The Graphic, exhibited in 1888, and printed in March 1, 1890 issue (vol. XLI [41], no. 1057: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Queen_Katherine_of_France_-_Laura_T._Alma-Tadema.jpg

King Henry V of England battles his future father-in-law, Charles VI of France (December 3, 1368-October 21, 1422) in Kenneth Branagh's first Shakespeare-based film, Henry V (1989).
Charles VI's first nickname, le Bien-Aimé ("Beloved; Well-loved") changed to le Fou ("Mad") after fits of mental illness began in 1415.
"Exorcisme de Charles VI par deux moines augustins" (1839); oil on canvas by François-Auguste Biard (June 29, 1799-June 20, 1882): Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:François-Auguste_Biard_-_Le_roi_fou_ou_la_folie_de_Charles_VI.jpg

"Henry V Official Trailer #1 (1989) Kenneth Branagh HD" (2:19)
Uploaded March 26, 2015, by Shout! Factory to YouTube ~ URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJZTlrQZMjY

"Henry V -- Speech -- Eve of Saint Crispin's Day -- HD" (5:40) ~ King Henry V: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers"
Uploaded May 3, 2009, by technicalmark to YouTube ~ URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yZNMWFqvM

"Henry V -- Speech -- Eve of Saint Crispin's Day -- HD" (5:40) ~ King Henry V: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers"

Uploaded May 3, 2009, by technicalmark to YouTube ~ URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yZNMWFqvM

Henry V - Speech - Eve of Saint Crispin's Day - HD

the end which is also the beginning — OpenClips, Public Domain, via Pixabay

Henry V with Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Paul Scofield, Emma Thompson et al. ~ Available via Amazon

Henry V [Blu-ray]

Me and my purrfectly purrfect Maine coon kittycat, Augusta "Gusty" Sunshine

Updated September 11, 2026

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