This is one of my favorite films. After the St. Crispian's Day speech, I would have followed Kenneth Branagh anywhere. His charisma and charm are palpable. The Battle of Agincourt relays the filth, struggle, and lack of glory of war. Branagh, as director, understands Shakespeare's use of contrasting scenes to comment on characters and their motivations, especially Henry's; as a result, he too uses editing to relate similar ideas. Although many film experts prefer the 1945 Olivier version of the play (released in the US in 1946), I find it too much a piece of propaganda, too pretty, and a bit dated in its acting. Certainly, Branagh's version has an innate visceral effect missing from Olivier's.
Review of Henry V
