Everything about Cromwell Film totally explained
Cromwell is a
1970 film, based on the life of
Oliver Cromwell who led the
Parliamentary forces during the
English Civil War and, as
Lord Protector, ruled
Great Britain and Ireland in the mid-17th century. It features an all-star cast led by
Richard Harris as Cromwell and
Alec Guinness as King
Charles I. There is also
Robert Morley as
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester and
Timothy Dalton as
Prince Rupert of the Rhine.
Plot summary
Oliver Cromwell is a landowner and former politician. Disgusted with the policies of King Charles I, he plans to take his family to the
New World, but, on the eve of their departure, he's drawn into the tangled web of politics and religion that will result in the
English Civil War.
Charles needs money in order to fight
wars against the Scots and
the Irish. The
Parliament of England won't grant him his requests unless he agrees to reforms that could lead to a
constitutional monarchy. Committed to the
Divine Right of Kings, Charles refuses. When he attempts to arrest five members of Parliament (in reality Cromwell wasn't one of them), war breaks out in England itself, Parliament against the King, both sides convinced that
God is on their side.
When the Parliamentary forces in which he's an officer prove ineffective, Cromwell sets up the
New Model Army and soon turns the tide against the King. Charles goes so far as to call on help from
Catholic nations which disgusts even his most loyal
Protestant supporters. He is finally defeated but, a brave man in his own way, he still refuses to give in to the demands of Cromwell and his associates for a system of government in which Parliament will have as much say in the running of the country as the King.
Unable to bring Charles round to their point of view, Cromwell and his supporters have him put on trial for treason. He is found guilty and sentenced to death. Charles bravely faces execution and even his most ardent critics are moved by his dignity. There is little celebration or satisfaction in his death, even from Cromwell.
However, Parliament soon proves itself just as useless in governing the country and, like the late King, Cromwell is forced to undertake a
coup. But where Charles failed, Cromwell succeeds and takes over in order to bring in more stable government.
After Cromwell's death, Charles I's son,
Charles II, returns to become King of an England "never to be the same again".
Historical points
Although publicity for the movie boasted that it had been made "after ten years' research", it has been criticised for its historical inaccuracies. Costumes, locations and the
appearance of actors were generally accurate (the layout of the then-
House of Commons for example) but, as in many historical films, liberties were taken with the course of events.
The dates during which most of the events take place are not even mentioned in the film, so that the historical inaccuracies concerning them would go completely unnoticed by people who are not experts on the subject.
| Film Depiction |
Reality |
| It seriously exaggerates Cromwell's role in the events leading up to the outbreak of the English Civil War. Neither he nor Ireton were among the five Members of Parliament whom the King tried to arrest when he entered the House of Commons. |
|
| It puts forward a dated and inaccurate stereotype of Roundheads and Cavaliers wearing different clothing. |
In reality they dressed the same. |
| Cromwell tells Charles I that the kind of government that he believes England should have is a democracy. |
|
| Both the Earl of Essex and the Earl of Manchester are shown as sitting in the House of Commons |
|
| Cromwell is shown as a Colonel at the Battle of Edgehill |
|
| The famous soldiers' prayer: "O Lord, Thou knowest how busy I must be this day. If I forget Thee, don't forget me" is put into Cromwell's mouth. |
|
| The New Model Army is shown in black and gold hooped coats. |
|
| The Battle of Marston Moor goes unmentioned. |
|
| At one point just before going into action Cromwell says "And was Gideon not outnumbered when he fought the Amalekites?" |
|
| The Battle of Naseby is 'reconstructed' with the New Model Army outnumbered 3:2 or maybe even 2:1 by the Royalists. |
|
Cromwell's son Oliver is depicted as having been killed during the Battle of Naseby in June 1645.
The elder Oliver is seen at his son's gravestone towards the end of the film, which clearly reads the younger Oliver's year of death as 1644.
|
|
| Cromwell is named Commander-in-Chief of the Parliamentary forces, while Sir Thomas Fairfax is shown as Cromwell's subordinate. |
|
| Cromwell enters Oxford and personally arrests the King in the name of Parliament. |
|
| John Pym is pronounced dead in 1646 |
|
| Henry Ireton appears with a delegation of MPs to offer Cromwell the throne. |
|
| Cromwell dismisses the idea of becoming King instantly, laughing it off as absurd after what he fought for. |
|
| Near the end of the film, Cromwell tells the Rump Parliament that they've had six years to form a new government after the execution of Charles I. |
|
| The film gives the impression that Cromwell spent those years on his farm and lands in Huntingdon. |
|
Actors and Make-Up
To give the filmmakers their due, there was some accuracy in the locations and appearances of the characters. There is, for instance, the dining room at
Whitehall where Charles I and his Queen
Henrietta Maria are first shown eating together.
In particular, the actors wore make-up which, in many cases, made them closely resemble contemporary prints and portraits of their subjects.
Alec Guinness also
stutters as did Charles
(External Link
).
Cast
Awards
Further Information
Get more info on 'Cromwell Film'.
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