I remember watching this film some time ago on one of those channels that used to exclusively play nothing but old classic films. Lady Delaney and I rented this film for the weekend and gave it a good watch over. At the heart of the film is Richard Harris' iron-willed portrayal of the Puritan Oliver Cromwell who almost left for America, but decided to stay in England and set things right for the common folk. King Charles and his Lords, it seems were running roughshod all over the common folk and peasants by siezing their land, stealing their livestock and abusing them in various terrible ways. Cromwell, angry at these injustices and fearing for the sanctity of his protestant faith in the face of Papal intrusions almost single-handedly launches the English Civil War. This is the conflict where we get the Cavaliers(soldiers on the side of the King) and the Roundheads ( Cromwell's commoners and New Model Army) fighting for control of the country. King Charles eventually loses his head (literally) and England is transformed into a Constitutional Monarchy. We learn all of this through the movie's dialogue and action, and there really are some nice battle scenes. Alec Guiness is great as the indecisive King Charles with a speech impediment. And a young Timothy Dalton makes an appearance as an arrogant and cruel foreign mercenary . A well-worth-it film that doesn't insult your intellect.
A new move came out in the last 2 years called To kill a king about Cromwell's rise to power told in a second person views, dame good movie and the costumes, Oh how I wish I could rob the costume department, every thing was historically accurate. I think thats what made the move so good.
I remember seeing this one at the movie theatres when it came out!
Can't remember who the date was though.... :D