The Movie Channel is showing Kenneth Branaugh’s Henry V. As much as I love the play of Hamlet — and think that Branaugh did some amazing things with his adaptation — this remains my favorite Shakespeare film adaptation, and mostly because of the speech before the battle at Agincourt.
It is a powerful speech meant by Shakespeare to rouse a nation for war – not necessarily a speech that I’d agree with politically, but still… the Bard was at the height of his powers when he wrote it. And Branaugh — all of twenty-eight when he starred in and directed the movie — delivers it perfectly. Starting with Westmoreland’s wish for more troops and doubt that they can win the battle that day, Henry stirs in his men all of the passion and belief and will that they will need for battle that day. (O.k., sure, historically, it was the English use of archery that tipped the scales that day, but hey, the speech still rocks.)
I admit — whenever I have to give a big pre-game or halftime speech, I think about this speech. And, while I’m not cool enough to be able to pull this off, Mike Porter, when he was captain of Rutgers Ultimate in college, once gave the entire speech before a game to fire up the team — a feat he now repeats every year at the Fools Fest Reunion Tourney.
For me, I just love Westmoreland’s reaction after the speech:
God’s will! my liege, would you and I alone,
Without more help, could fight this royal battle!
Isn’t that the reaction most coaches want in their players after the big fire-up speech?
And if you’ve never read the speech… or you just need a refresher… click the link.
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