The Hollow Crown: Henry IV- Part 2 (Review)
Starring Jeremy Irons, Tom Hiddleston, Michelle Dockery, Julie Walters, David Bamber, and Iain Glen, Episode 3 follows a sick King Henry IV and his son, Prince Hal. Sir John Falstaff is still up to no good. King Henry urges his son, Prince John of Lancaster, to love his brother, Hal, and look after him. Prince Hal is spending time with his friend, Poins, but soon leaves. Lady Percy and the Duchess of Northumberland beg the Duke of Northumberland to stay away from the fighting. Prince John kills rebels through trickery and deceit. Hal and Poins eavesdrop on Falstaff slandering Hal while talking to Mistress Doll Tearsheet. Then, Falstaff recruits more men with the help of Master Robert Shallow. The King becomes so ill that he collapses to the ground during a meeting with several nobles. The Earl of Warwick and several nobles escort the King to his bed and at his instructions, place his crown on his pillow beside him. During his second visit to Master Shallow, Falstaff delivers one of the most famous lines in the entire play: "We have heard the chimes at midnight, Master Shallow." Prince Hal arrives at his father's palace and the Earl of Warwick informs that the King is gravely ill and asleep. When the Earl of Warwick asks if the Prince will come with him and the other nobles, Hal chooses to stay with his father. Kneeling at his sleeping father's bedside, the Prince believes his father to be dead, mourns him, and prepares for the weight of the new responsibility that has been placed upon him. He delivers a very touching monologue: "My gracious lord, my father,
By his gates of breath
There lies a downy feather which stirs not;
This sleep is sound indeed.
This is a sleep
That from this golden rigol hath divorced
So many English kings.
Thy due from me
Is tears and heavy sorrows of the blood,
Which nature, love, and filial tenderness
Shall, O dear father, pay thee plenteously.
My due from thee is this imperial crown,
Which God shall guard.
And put the world's whole strength Into one giant arm, it shall not force
This lineal honor from me."
He takes the crown, goes to the throne room, sits on the throne, places the crown on his own head, and cries. The King awakes and instantly notices the crown is gone. He enters the throne room to find his oldest son seated upon the throne and wearing his crown. King Henry scolds his son and snatches the crown off his head. Hal replies that he took the crown to scold it for wearing out the King. The King sits on the steps of the throne platform and tells Hal to come sit next to him and hear his last piece of advice that he will ever give anyone. When he is finished, Henry shows that he has forgiven Hal by his last gesture of placing the crown on Hal's head. Just then, Prince John enters the throne room and greets his father. After happily greeting his second oldest son, King Henry collapses to the ground and dies. Last Rites are adminstered to the deceased King. The next day, Hal, now clothed in a fur lined robe, wearing a gold chain of office to symbolize his new status as King, and accompanied by four guards, enters the throne room. Nobles are gathered inside. Hal reconciles with the Chief Justice, speaks lovingly to his three younger brothers, and ascends the steps to the throne platform, and faces the assembled nobles and officials. He gives the following speech: "Princes all, believe me, I beseech you: My father is gone wild into his grave,
For in his tomb lie my affections,
And with his spirit sadly I survive,
To mock the expectation of the world,
To frustrate prophecies,
and to raze out rotten opinion,
who hath writ me down
After my seeming.
The tide of blood in me
Hath proudly flowed in vanity till now. Now doth it turn and ebb back to the sea,
Where it shall mingle with the state of floods
And flow henceforth in formal majesty."
Then, he takes his seat on the throne. Meanwhile, Pistol arrives at Master Shallow's house. He tells Shallow and his guests that King Henry IV is dead and that Hal is now King. Falstaff, Shallow, and two other common men set off to fetch horses as the intro of Zadok the Priest plays, which leads into the coronation scene. Hal is crowned King Henry V at Westminster Abbey.
Now crowned and holding the scepter and orb of the Sovereign, King Henry V processes down the aisle to exit Westminster Abbey. Falstaff arrives at the abbey, expecting a promotion from the new King who casts him aside with a stern explanation that he has changed. Later, Falstaff, Poins, Pistol, Mistresses Quickly and Doll are arrested.
Content advisory:
Sex & nudity: Falstaff passionately kisses Mistress Doll.
Violence: Mutiple rebel soldiers are killed by men on horseback onscreen.
Pistol is drunk at one point, and becomes violent with Mistress Doll, even threatening to slash her with his sword. Falstaff and Pistol briefly cross blades. Falstaff sustains a minor wound.
There is a scuffle involving Mistress Quickly and Falstaff.
Drugs & alcohol: Falstaff still drinks a lot.
Pistol is drunk at one point.
Profanity: None. The dialogue is verbatim from the play, with some mildly foul name-calling in Shakespearean old English.
Performances: So we've got a couple more familiar faces in this episode. David Bamber, who I know as Mr. Collins from the 1995 BBC Pride & Prejudice and the Theatre Director for the coronation of King George VI in The King's Speech, is great as Master Robert Shallow. Iain Glen, who is known for playing Ser Jorah Mormont in Game of Thrones (which I've only seen bits and pieces of, and clean ones at that) and Sir Richard Carlisle in Downton Abbey, is terrific as the Earl of Warwick. Julie Walters, Michelle Dockery, Tom Hiddleston, and Jeremy Irons all reprise their roles and do marvelously.
Overall: Five-star episode! This one resonated with me more than the first two episodes did. That's because Tom Hiddleston is known for playing a character with a thirst for a throne that is seemingly unsatiable and doesn't get a one (Loki). So it was awesome to see his character in this series wear a crown and sit on a throne. I was sad when King Henry IV died, because it's Jeremy Irons' character. I felt bad for King Henry IV because not only did he bear the pressures of being a King, but he had the notion that he was a usurper eating at him in his mind, even though pretty much everyone, including Henry himself acknowledged that he was technically not a usurper. He didn't intend to take the throne. He just wanted his lands back. And King Richard II was a tyrant. And the role of King Henry IV was made for Jeremy Irons in my opinion.
Looking forward to Henry V!