MovieChat Forums > The Lion in Winter (1968) Discussion > Was the king a Pedophile?

Was the king a Pedophile?

posted 12 years ago by adamknox
53 replies | jump to latest

I watched this in film study a few days ago and I asked the tutor about one of the first lines in the movie. The line came when Henry lists off people he's had sex with. He also lists "little boys". When i asked the tutor if he had meant it in a literal sense she turned to me and said "People who think that have nothing more than a disgusting mind. Look beyond your dirty mind. Please refrain from talking about such things Adam." First of all i don't think it was a stupid question and i don't feel her reply was respectful or helpful. Is there any one out there who knows the answer? Some one who isn't scared of discussing such a subject. Thank you.

This message was done in the best possible of taste :) x 24/7

[–] craighenderson-925-318178 10 years ago

Not intended as criticism, but I think it is hilarious that in a page and a half of postings, apparently no one has considered the possibility that Henry had "little boys" when he was himself a "little boy." I took it to mean that he had played around, as we might call it today, as a youngster, and was belittling the other youngsters in the activity, just as he belittled everyone else. After all, he was an old man (50 was old then, and he repeatedly speaks of his advanced years.) looking back on his sex life as it spanned the years. That is not pedophilia, that is exploration, and kids have done it over the centuries.

[–] mike-h-williams 10 years ago

I suspect he had who or what he wanted whenever he wanted. There's also mention of sharing his bed with sheep so it looks like he didn't limit himself by age, gender or species!

[–] syntinen 10 years ago

But we gather from Henry's response to that jibe that he's well aware that 'sheep' is Eleanor's characterisation of the meek, yielding Rosamund Clifford, the mistress who first drove a wedge between him and Eleanor. So that's not an accusation of bestiality

[–] louiseculmer 10 years ago

it is a peculiar remark. there is no evidence i'm aware of that Henry had any interest in boys. For that matter, I don't think there's any evidence that Richard was gay. The film is amusing, but it is only very loosely based on history.

[–] ronfirv 10 years ago

I believe the evidence on Richard having been gay, possibly, was in large part, circumstantial. However, when a teenager and he and Philippe were close. That much was known.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] louiseculmer 10 years ago

Oh yes, though on Phillipe's side at least it seems to have been mainly for political reasons. he formed an alliance with Richard to fight henry II and force him to acknowledge Richard as his heir, but seems to have fallen out with Richard after he became king, though they did go on crusade together at one point. phillipe apprently wanted to destroy Angevin power in france more than anything, and formed alliances with all the sons of henry II at one time or another to that end. he succeeded in breaking up the Angevin empire in 1214.

[–] thesnowleopard 9 years ago

Oh yes, though on Phillipe's side at least it seems to have been mainly for political reasons. he formed an alliance with Richard to fight henry II and force him to acknowledge Richard as his heir, but seems to have fallen out with Richard after he became king, though they did go on crusade together at one point. phillipe apprently wanted to destroy Angevin power in france more than anything, and formed alliances with all the sons of henry II at one time or another to that end. he succeeded in breaking up the Angevin empire in 1214.

Ironically, his own empire only lasted about a century after that. And the Angevins had a lot to do with its decline.

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[–] michaeldecker 9 years ago

She should be fired - I'm guessing you are in your 30's, so it's not as if you are a schoolkid trying to get a laugh from the rest of the class. I noticed the line too and inferred from the script he was shagging not only small boys but sheep too.

Clearly it was quite deliberate, but I have no idea whether it is historically correct - by that part of the film I'd already suspended my suspension of disbelief when the Victorian Xmas tree appeared.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] Culliganator 8 years ago

No, the writer is jewish.