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An Age of Kings

1960

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1

EP1 Richard II, Part 1: The Hollow Crown Apr 28, 1960

The Duke of Gloucester, the King's uncle and arch-enemy, has been murdered. Most people suspect Thomas Mowbray did it at the King's command. Henry Bolingbroke, the King's cousin, has accused Mowbray to his face. Together they are summoned before Richard II.

EP2 Richard II, Part 2: The Desposing of a King May 12, 1960

Plot of this episode is not specified yet.
Please check back later for more update.

EP3 Henry IV, Part 1: Rebellion from the North May 26, 1960

Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, aided by the Earl of Northumberland and his son Harry Percy deposed the rightful King, Richard II, and Bolingbroke ascend the throne as King Henry IV. Richard was imprisoned and later murdered in Pomfret Castle. Henry, in remorse, vows a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Northumberland and Hotspur become dissatisfied with the King's lack of favour. Henry is worried about the behaviour of his son, the Prince of Wales.

EP4 Henry IV, Part 2: The Road to Shrewsbury Jun 09, 1960

The Percy family, Henry Bolingbroke's chief allies in deposing and murdering Richard II, have been cheated of their just rewards and now plot to overthrow the King. Worcester, the architect of their rebellion, arranges a meeting in Wales to decide how Great Britain will be divided among them. The King's army, part of it commanded by Prince Hal, marches westward to encounter the rebels. Even Sir John Falstaff receives a commission and marches off to join the battle at Shrewsbury.

EP5 Henry IV, Part 3: The New Conspiracy Jun 23, 1960

The rebellion promoted by the Percy family against their former ally King Henry IV has been heavily crushed at Shrewsbury. The rebels were weakened by the defection of the armies promised them by Northumberland and Owen Glendower, and greatly outnumbered by the King's forces. Their leader, the gallant Hotspur, has been killed in single combat with Prince Hal. Conflicting rumours reach Warkworth in Northumberland, where the Earl is eagerly waiting for news of the battle and of his son.

EP6 Henry IV, Part 4: Uneasy Lies the Head Jul 07, 1960

The burdens of kingship and of failing health weigh heavily upon Henry IV. After his victory at Shrewsbury he has to organise a new campaign against the northern rebels. Disappointed in Prince Hal, who returns to his customary low haunts in London, the King sends his younger son, Prince John of Lancaster, to negotiate with the rebel leaders. Falstaff goes off to Gloucestershire to muster recruits, and there falls in with an acquaintance, a simple country Justice, Master Shallow.

EP7 Henry V, Part 1: Signs of War Jul 21, 1960

The final defeat of the northern rebels marked the conclusion of the eight troubled years of Henry IV's reign. With the accession of Henry V, a new age has begun. Falstaff and his riotous companions have been banished from Court. The first public act of the young King has been to summon Parliament and consider ways of distracting his subjects from civil strife. Being advised of his right by succession, Henry now resolves to lay claim to the French throne.

EP8 Henry V, Part 2: The Band of Brothers Aug 04, 1960

Henry V's first public act after his accession was to lay claim to the French throne and to the hand of the French princess. When the Dauphin scornfully rejected these claims, the King and his army embarked at Southampton for France and captured the port of Harfleur. Now, marching inland on the road from Calais, they are confronted by an army that heavily outnumbers their own sick and weary forces. Both armies have encamped for the night near Agincourt. The French leaders feel confident of victory in the coming battle.

EP9 Henry VI, Part 1: The Red Rose and the White Aug 25, 1960

The English victory at Agincourt confirmed Henry V as an outstanding military leader and a greatly loved King. The ensuing treaty with France and Henry's marriage to Princess Katherine promised both kingdoms a long period of peace and prosperity. But Henry V died young, leaving an infant son behind him in the protectorship of his brothers Bedford and Gloucester. War now flares up again in France; and at home, leaderless nobles revive their disastrous quarrel about the rightful succession.

EP10 Henry VI, Part 2: The Fall of a Protector Sep 08, 1960

After Henry V's death his French conquests were soon lost. His brothers, Bedford and Gloucester, were appointed Protectors of the baby Henry VI. The leaderless nobles revived their old quarrels, siding with Lancaster or York, and choosing red or white roses as their emblems. In France Joan of Arc defeated the English, but was captured and burned as a witch. After the conclusion of a shoddy peace Suffolk arranged the King's marriage to Margaret of Anjou, intending to become her lover and so rule England.

EP11 Henry VI, Part 3: The Rabble from Kent Sep 22, 1960

Plot of this episode is not specified yet.
Please check back later for more update.

EP12 Henry VI, Part 4: The Morning's War Oct 06, 1960

After the murder of Humphrey of Gloucester, the Duke of Suffolk, banished for his part in the crime, was executed by pirates during his journey into exile. Soon afterwards a murderous rabble from Kent invaded London at the instigation of the Duke of York. Their rebellion was defeated, and the leader Jack Cade killed. The armies of the Duke of York and Queen Margaret have recently fought a battle at St. Albans. York and his sons won the day; but Margaret managed to escape, taking King Henry with her.

EP13 Henry VI, Part 5: The Sun in Splendour Oct 20, 1960

The Duke of York was killed by Queen Margaret at Wakefield, but the Yorkists, under their dead leader's son Edward, smashed the Lancastrians in the snow at Towton. Queen Margaret and her son have fled to France. Henry VI is Edward's prisoner. Warwick proclaims the new Duke of York Edward IV and goes to France to arrange a royal marriage, unaware that Edward has already decided to marry the widowed Lady Elizabeth Grey.

EP14 Richard III, Part 1: The Dangerous Brother Nov 03, 1960

The fortunes of the House of Lancaster have now reached their lowest point. The young Prince of Wales, heir to Henry VI, has been brutally murdered before his mother's eyes at Tewkesbury, and in the Tower of London the pathetic Henry VI himself has been killed by Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Edward IV, recently crowned in London, foresees a period of general peace and prosperity for the country under Yorkist rule - but his own security is already threatened by Gloucester's implacable determination to win the crown.

EP15 Richard III, Part 2: The Boar Hunt Nov 17, 1960

Nothing can now check Gloucester's devious and ruthless struggle to possess himself of the Crown. His brothers are dead, the Queen's party has been destroyed, and Richard, in his new guise as Lord Protector, has seized his two young nephews, Edward V and his small brother Richard of York, and imprisoned them in the Tower. With the powerful aid of the Duke of Buckingham, Richard is ready now to overthrow the last obstacles between himself and his Coronation.
8.3| 0h30m| en
Synopsis

A linking together of Shakespeare's history plays chronicling the rise and fall of monarchs over the 86 years between Richard II and Richard III.

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Reviews

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??
Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.
Asad Almond A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.
Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
bucksix In 1961, this series was shown on local TV here in southern California. I and many others have been petering BBC for tape or DVD ever since. Now all of a sudden, here it is on Amazon. I pre-ordered in January and now here on March 30 it arrived. It was a long wait (48 years). Was it worth it? So far I have just watched Richard II (I've only had the DVD since 2 o'clock) and I can truly say YEA!!! totally worth the wait. The acting, direction, and production are superb and even better than I remember. The production is in B & W but somehow it fits. The video is clear and very good, the sound is flawless. Further proof of how timeless Shakespeare truly is.I gave this 10 stars even though I have only seen 1 of the 8 plays. I am sure that when I have seen them all I will change my rating to at least a 12.It's currently in stock at Amazon (US region 1) at a reasonable price.I'd better stop now so I can get back to watching. Next up is Henry the IV, part 1 of which is my all time favorite Shakespeare play.
emm4 My introduction to a lifelong love of Shakespeare. My brother was 5 and I was not quite 7 when WTTW Chicago broadcast An Age of Kings. It became a family ritual to watch, including the reruns. As an autumn series, my father used to buy us a rare treat for the Midwest--pomegranates; and my mother would pop corn on the stove. Wonderful acting from actors whose names meant nothing to me then (although I will never forget the achingly young Sean Connery as Hotspur), but do now! And they published the scripts in paperback so we could follow along and figure out the language. I managed to memorize most of Richard III over that. So glad to see it coming out on DVD! Highly recommended for all ages and any level of familiarity with Shakespeare or English history.
Nancy Dallaire It was so very long ago (1960), but I have never forgotten this series and often wished it would reappear. So taken with it, I corresponded with Mr. Rathbun, then president of Standard Oil, which sponsored the presentation on PBS. He sent me a photo of the tapestry (actually a charcoal rendering) used behind the credits.To the opening theme music of Bayco's "Elizabethan Masque," my family and I gathered around our black & white TV to drink in Shakespeare's words as spoken by a group of excellent but relatively unknown players (at least to American audiences at the time).We were introduced to such actors as Sean Connery, Dame Judi Dench, Tom Fleming, Patrick Garland, Julian Glover and Robert Hardy. I have continued to enjoy their accomplishments ever since. One of the most interesting things was the way in which the actors continued to age in their respective roles as Shakespeare's "King" plays were presented, perhaps for the first time, in chronological order.I wish I could tell those actors just how much that series meant to me.If "Age of Kings" could be revived on VHS and/or DVD, it would so please those of us who long to see it again and those who missed it the first time around.GOOD NEWS! PBS HAS JUST ISSUED A DVD OF "AN AGE OF KINGS"! SEE THEIR JULY 2009 CATALOG, PAGE 19, OR CALL THEM TOLL FREE. I JUST ORDERED MINE!
jsilverstein A great production, that should be revived/rebroadcast. I doubt that it would be out of date! I'd love to hear from anyone who knows whether videos exist of this series, or any other information about where it could be found or viewed.

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