The Lion in Winter (1968 film)
Updated: 12/20/2025, 1:48:05 PM Wikipedia source
The Lion in Winter is a 1968 British historical drama centred on Henry II of England and his attempt to establish a line of succession during a family gathering at Christmas 1183. His efforts unleash both political and personal turmoil among his estranged wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, their three surviving sons, the French king, and the king's half-sister Alais, who is Henry's mistress. The film stars Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn, was directed by Anthony Harvey, written by James Goldman, and produced by Joseph E. Levine, Jane C. Nusbaum, and Martin Poll. Actors John Castle, Anthony Hopkins (in his first major film role), Jane Merrow, Timothy Dalton (in his film debut) and Nigel Terry appear in support. Based on Goldman's play The Lion in Winter, the film was a critical and commercial success, winning three Academy Awards (including Hepburn's win for Best Actress, making her the first three-time winner in the category). A television remake of the film was released in 2003.
Infobox
Directed by
Anthony Harvey
Screenplay by
James Goldman
Based on
The Lion in Winter1966 playby James Goldman
Produced by
Martin Poll
Starring
mw- Peter O'Toole Katharine Hepburn Jane Merrow John Castle Timothy Dalton Anthony Hopkins Nigel Stock Nigel Terry
Cinematography
Douglas Slocombe
Edited by
John Bloom
Music by
John Barry
Color process
Color
Productioncompany
Haworth Productions
Distributed by
AVCO Embassy Pictures
Release date
October 30, 1968 (1968-10-30)
Running time
134 minutes
Country
United Kingdom
Language
English
Budget
$4 million
Box office
$22.3 million
Tables
· Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Picture
Nominee(s)
Martin Poll
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Anthony Harvey
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Peter O'Toole
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actress
Best Actress
Award
Best Actress
Category
Katharine Hepburn
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay
Category
James Goldman
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Award
Best Costume Design
Category
Margaret Furse
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Category
John Barry
Nominee(s)
Won
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Category
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominee(s)
Katharine Hepburn
Result
Won
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Award
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Category
Anthony Hopkins
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Category
James Goldman
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
Douglas Slocombe
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Award
Best Costume Design
Category
Margaret Furse
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Film Music
Best Film Music
Award
Best Film Music
Category
John Barry
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Sound
Best Sound
Award
Best Sound
Category
Chris Greenham and Simon Kaye
Nominee(s)
Nominated
United Nations Award
United Nations Award
Award
United Nations Award
Category
Anthony Harvey
Nominee(s)
Nominated
British Society of Cinematographers Awards
British Society of Cinematographers Awards
Award
British Society of Cinematographers Awards
Category
Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film
Nominee(s)
Douglas Slocombe
Result
Won
David di Donatello Awards
David di Donatello Awards
Award
David di Donatello Awards
Category
Best Foreign Production
Nominee(s)
Martin Poll
Result
Won
Directors Guild of America Awards
Directors Guild of America Awards
Award
Directors Guild of America Awards
Category
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Nominee(s)
Anthony Harvey
Result
Won
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Director – Motion Picture
Best Director – Motion Picture
Award
Best Director – Motion Picture
Category
Anthony Harvey
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Award
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Category
Peter O'Toole
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Award
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Category
Katharine Hepburn
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Award
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Category
Jane Merrow
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Category
James Goldman
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Category
John Barry
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Laurel Awards
Laurel Awards
Award
Laurel Awards
Category
Top Drama
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Top Female Dramatic Performance
Top Female Dramatic Performance
Award
Top Female Dramatic Performance
Category
Katharine Hepburn
Nominee(s)
Won
National Board of Review Awards
National Board of Review Awards
Award
National Board of Review Awards
Category
Top Ten Films
Nominee(s)
7th Place
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Peter O'Toole
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Category
James Goldman
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Writers Guild of America Awards
Category
Best Written American Drama
Nominee(s)
Won
Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards
Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards
Award
Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards
Category
Best British Screenplay
Nominee(s)
Won
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | Best Picture | Martin Poll | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Anthony Harvey | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Peter O'Toole | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Katharine Hepburn | Won | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | James Goldman | Won | ||
| Best Costume Design | Margaret Furse | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Score | John Barry | Won | ||
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Katharine Hepburn | Won | |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Anthony Hopkins | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | James Goldman | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | Douglas Slocombe | Nominated | ||
| Best Costume Design | Margaret Furse | Nominated | ||
| Best Film Music | John Barry | Won | ||
| Best Sound | Chris Greenham and Simon Kaye | Nominated | ||
| United Nations Award | Anthony Harvey | Nominated | ||
| British Society of Cinematographers Awards | Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film | Douglas Slocombe | Won | |
| David di Donatello Awards | Best Foreign Production | Martin Poll | Won | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Anthony Harvey | Won | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Won | ||
| Best Director – Motion Picture | Anthony Harvey | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Peter O'Toole | Won | ||
| Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Katharine Hepburn | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Jane Merrow | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | James Goldman | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Score | John Barry | Nominated | ||
| Laurel Awards | Top Drama | Nominated | ||
| Top Female Dramatic Performance | Katharine Hepburn | Won | ||
| National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films | 7th Place | ||
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | Won | ||
| Best Actor | Peter O'Toole | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | James Goldman | Nominated | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Written American Drama | Won | ||
| Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards | Best British Screenplay | Won | ||
References
- Tied with Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl.
- Also for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.
- Los Angeles Times
- The Numbershttp://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1968/0LIWT.php
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.proquest.com/docview/156111474
- Bergan 1996, p. 155.
- Callan 2004, pp. 90, 100, 105.
- Wapshott 1984, p. 145.
- Wales hosts Hollywood blockbustershttp://www.visitwales.com/holidays-breaks/days-out/tv-film-locations-uk/wales-on-film
- Director Anthony Harvey, audio commentary in Lion in Winter, 2000.
- Some kind of hero : 007 : the remarkable story of the James Bond filmshttps://search.worldcat.org/oclc/930556527
- "Big Rental Films of 1969", Variety, 7 January 1970 p 15
- "The World's Top Twenty Films", Sunday Times, [London, England], 27 September 1970: 27. The Sunday Times Digital Archive
- The New York Times
- Variety
- RogerEbert.comhttps://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-lion-in-winter-1968
- Champlin, Charles (December 17, 1968). "The Lion in Winter Opens Run". Los Angeles Times. Part IV, p. 1.
- Kael, Pauline (November 9, 1968). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker. p. 189.
- The Monthly Film Bulletin
- Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1012386-lion_in_winter
- New York Magazinehttps://www.vulture.com/article/best-oscar-best-picture-losers.html
- "The 41st Academy Awards (1969) Nominees and Winners"http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1969
- "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1969"http://awards.bafta.org/award/1969/film
- "Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film"https://bscine.com/media/uploads/Awards/bsc-cinematography-feature-film.pdf?v=1696018822
- "David di Donatello Awards 1968"https://mubi.com/awards-and-festivals/davids?year=1968
- "The 21st Annual DGA Awards"https://www.dga.org/Awards/History/1960s/1968.aspx?value=1968
- "The Lion in Winter"https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/lion-winter
- "The Lion in Winter – Awards"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063227/awards/
- "National Board of Review of Motion Pictures :: Awards"https://web.archive.org/web/20111218133047/http://www.nbrmp.org/awards/past.cfm?year=1968
- "1968 New York Film Critics Circle Awards"https://www.nyfcc.com/awards/?awardyear=1968
- "Awards Winners"https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551
- "Writers' Guild Awards 1969"https://writersguild.org.uk/writers-guild-awards-1969/
- Academy Film Archivehttp://www.oscars.org/academy-film-archive/preserved-projects?title=the+lion+in+winter&filmmaker=&category=All&collection=All
- Painter, S., William Marshal, Knight-Errant, Baron & Regent of England, p.268