The Lion in Winter

Play trailer

The Lion in Winter

PG

1968

2h 12m

History

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

It's Christmas 1183, and King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) is planning to announce his successor to the throne. The jockeying for the crown, though, is complex. Henry has three sons and wants his boy Prince John (Nigel Terry) to take over. Henry's wife, Queen Eleanor (Katharine Hepburn), has other ideas. She believes their son Prince Richard (Anthony Hopkins) should be king. As the family and various schemers gather for the holiday, each tries to make the indecisive king choose their option.

Critics Consensus

Sharper and wittier than your average period piece, The Lion in Winter is a tale of palace intrigue bolstered by fantastic performances from Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, and Anthony Hopkins in his big-screen debut.

Read Critics Reviews

Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

02/21/2025

5/5

Anthony Harvey’s star-studded inheritance drama about the Angevin Empire of Henry II (Peter O’Toole) and the three unsuitable sons who crave it is the original Succession.

Go to Full Review

Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

03/14/2024

4/4

There’s lots of double-dealing, a bit of back-stabbing, and a whole lot of familial dirty laundry strewn out on the table for all to see. All-in-all, it’s gloriously entertaining.

Go to Full Review

Ben Kern

Minneapolis Star Tribune

03/02/2022

I think all concerned in The Lion in Winter deserve Academy Awards for strangeness. They achieve a measure of believability in the face of it.

Go to Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

03/31/2023

8/10

The scripting is superb – a masterfully caustic examination of medieval politics and familial rebellion.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

08/30/2021

3.5/4

Plenty of swords and knives make appearances in The Lion in Winter, but none can possibly cut as deep as the caustic dialogue.

Go to Full Review

Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

02/18/2021

2.5/4

O'Toole's bluster echoes off the walls, leaving no space for anything else.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

David B.

@Baros1962 Apr 8

Great film with a superb cast. I first saw this in high school when I was a freshman. And I’ve seen this many times since then.

See more

Kyle M

@RT77296778 Jan 6

Exquisitely designed medieval period feat that functionally expresses dysfunctional family drama and bitter conflicts upon the holiday gatherings with minimal resonating value besides engaging with the ensemble cast’s captivating showcases between Hopkins at his debut, Hepburn’s award-winning performance and O’Toole’s attempt to enable character study onto his nuanced portrayal. (B)

See more

Jelisije J

@jjosifovic Jun 13

A classic movie masterpiece with great acting and great storytelling.......I just wish the ending would have been handled better because I felt their was so much more of a story yet to tell and thats surprising coming a movie over 2 hours.

See more

Tim M

@tgmacman May 27

Featuring an all-around acting clinic, particularly from Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn, The Lion in Winter lives up to the magnitude of its historical figures with gravitas and depth.

See more

Vicki H

@RT70816944 May 21

Some reviewers have remarked on KH's age in this movie. In 1183, Eleanor of Aquitaine would have been 61, Henry 50. You could argue that Peter O'Toole is too young! Loved this movie. Great dialogue, and wonderful acting.

See more

waddayaknow100 T

@RT46225050 03/11/2025

I have adored this movie from it’s beginning! It was THE movie that my first fiancée and I fell in love with. The actors and the characters and the dialogue were MAGICAL! We have long since parted ways but I did acquire the DVD.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Anthony Harvey

Director

Peter O'Toole

Henry II

Katharine Hepburn

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Jane Merrow

Alais

John Castle

Geoffrey

Timothy Dalton

King Philip of France

Anne of the Thousand Days

43%

82%

Anne of the Thousand Days

Watchlist

Nicholas and Alexandra

69%

78%

Nicholas and Alexandra

Watchlist

The Leopard

98%

88%

The Leopard

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Leopard

Sacco and Vanzetti

70%

88%

Sacco and Vanzetti

Watchlist

Lady Caroline Lamb

17%

12%

Lady Caroline Lamb

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

British Royals on TV

Jonathan Rhys Meyers’ Five Favorite Films

View more photos

Synopsis

It's Christmas 1183, and King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) is planning to announce his successor to the throne. The jockeying for the crown, though, is complex. Henry has three sons and wants his boy Prince John (Nigel Terry) to take over. Henry's wife, Queen Eleanor (Katharine Hepburn), has other ideas. She believes their son Prince Richard (Anthony Hopkins) should be king. As the family and various schemers gather for the holiday, each tries to make the indecisive king choose their option.

Director: Anthony Harvey
Producer: Martin Poll
Screenwriter: James Goldman
Distributor: Embassy Pictures, Nelson Entertainment [us], Image Entertainment Inc., MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: AVCO Embassy Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 30, 1968, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Dec 16, 2016
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 4, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $17.9K
Runtime: 2h 12m
Sound Mix: Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now