Sunday, July 06, 2008

More's the pity


Today is the feast day of St. Thomas More, martyred July 6 in 1535. You don't have to be a Catholic or an Anglican to celebrate, just a film or theater buff. You can rent the 1966 Oscar winner A Man for All Seasons (it doesn't look to be telecast anywhere, a good tie-in opportunity wasted) or the 1988 TV version, headlined by stars who passed away earlier this year (not by execution); figure out a day this fall to see Frank Langella in the Roundabout revival of Robert Bolt's play, its first on Broadway since the original production of 1961-1963; or go to Showtime on Demand and order up the fifth episode of the second season of The Tudors, where More (played by Jeremy Northam) meets his maker. More deserves no less.

3 comments:

Alina Gordelli said...

Thank you for this entry.
And yet, brilliant British actor Jeremy Northam has not even been nominated for this year Emmy award for his sterling portrayal of Sir Thomas More.

Robert Cashill said...

There's hope. The nominations won't be announced till July 17 and as The Tudors made the cut for "pre-nominations" in the series category other nominations are likely to follow. I've always liked Northam.

Alina Gordelli said...

Mr Cashill, thank you for your optimistic outlook. I have a feeling that Mr Northam's work of a very good quality is not always officially appreciated as it should be, but, as you said, there is still a hope.
Interestingly, though "Utopia" is allegedly flying from the bookshelves (at least in London bookstores). Who would have thought it was possible before Mr Northam became Sir Thomas More?