Henry V

Laurence Olivier directs and stars in this Oscar-winning version of Shakespeare's historical drama. The young king of England, having renounced his wild youth, determines to reclaim lands in France once the property of England - driving the two nations toward a climactic confrontation on the battlefield at Agincourt. The film adopts a stylised technique, with early scenes presented as a stage performance at the Globe theatre, becoming more cinematic as the war gets underway. Olivier is a dab hand at the inspiring soliloquy, while a spectacular cavalry charge sequence can still give the CGI-assisted likes of The Lord of the Rings a run for their money. The cast includes Robert Newton, Leslie Banks and Esmond Knight. Featuring an acclaimed score by William Walton