Continuity mistake: In the last scene of the movie Eleanor leaves by boat to go back to her castle prison. When we see Henry waving good-bye he is standing right next to a post when we see him from the back, but this post is nowhere when he is shown from the water. (02:08:10)
The Lion in Winter (1968)
Directed by: Anthony Harvey
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, John Castle
Continuity mistake: When Eleanor comes to free Henry's sons from the dungeon, the officer who is accompanying her stabs the guard in the throat. When he pulls the dagger out there's blood only on one side and nothing on the straw when the guard is kicked across the floor. (01:53:20)
Factual error: Eleanor uses a paisley-shaped mirror. The paisley pattern comes from India and is designed after the mango, therefore unknown in the England of 1138, centuries before the British set foot on the subcontinent. (01:04:40)
Trivia: Filming was delayed for several weeks after Anthony Hopkins fell from a horse and broke his arm. In several scenes, his armor is concealing a plaster cast. Director Anthony Harvey was stricken with hepatitis, causing further delays in post-production editing. Only Katharine Hepburn's intervention stopped the film's Hollywood backers from handing editing duties off to someone else and from possibly shelving the entire project. (From the director's DVD commentary.)
Trivia: Katharine Hepburn, who played Queen Eleanor, actually is descended from Eleanor of Aquitaine along numerous lines, from both Eleanor's marriage to Louis VII of France, and her marriage to Henry II, of England.
Trivia: Shooting on the dungeon scene was held up for several hours due to a missing make-up man. The director and Katharine Hepburn, who needed her make-up done, trudged all over the castle grounds searching, only to find the man playing poker with Peter O'Toole and several crew members. Furious, Hepburn smacked O'Toole in the head with a heavy handbag. In retribution, O'Toole noisily interrupted her next scene. Moaning and groaning, he burst through a dungeon door swathed head-to-toe in bloody white bandages, sending the entire cast and crew into gales of laughter. (From the director's DVD commentary.)
Prince Geoffrey: I know. You know I know. I know you know I know. We know Henry knows, and Henry knows we know it. We're a knowledgeable family.
John: My God, if I went-up in flames there's not a living soul who'd pee on me to put the fire out.
Henry II: I stole the candles from the chapel. Jesus won't begrudge them and the chaplain works for me.
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