Cinematic Heraldry

 
gselvester
 
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gselvester
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23 January 2007 01:59
 

I was up late again tonight watching the wonderful film "A Man For All Seasons" on TCM. I have a great devotion to St. Thomas More and I absolutely love this film. I have always known there was a nice use of heraldry in the film. (In fact, Orson Welles insisted on using an authentic replica of Wolsey’s heraldic seal in making the film).

Anyway, even after having seen this film about 25 times (I’m not joking) I noticed something for the first time. In the colorful scene where Thomas More is created Chancellor of England the Duke of Norfolk presides over the ceremony. Just before he speaks the Letters Patent creating More Chancellor are handed to Norfolk by his own herald wearing a tabard of the Howard arms. This herald comes forward again at the ened of Norfolk’s speech to retrieve the letter.

 

If you have the film on video take a look.

 
liongam
 
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liongam
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23 January 2007 04:33
 

Dear Guy,

The other film that has a goodly amount of correct heraldry displayed for the characters played therein is Sir Laurence Olivier’s Henry V.  The film was made in colour during or about the time of WW2 in the 1940’s.  Shields, crests, banners/standards, horse trappers, tabards and jupons were all most colourfully reproduced for and within the English and French order of battle.

 

Although the film is available on DVD, I am sure that it is shown on occasion on one network or other in the USA.

 

Yours aye,

 

John

 
Daniel C. Boyer
 
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Daniel C. Boyer
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19 February 2007 09:08
 

liongam wrote:

Although the film is available on DVD, I am sure that it is shown on occasion on one network or other in the USA.


It can be bought at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0780021320/imdb-button/ .  I have been unable to find information as to when it is shown on TV.

 
Stephen R. Hickman
 
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Stephen R. Hickman
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19 February 2007 10:26
 

Also, for those who ever watched "Friends", in the Central Perk is a heraldic tapestry. You’ll find it on stage right/heraldic sinister in the background near that side of the couch.

 
davidappleton
 
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davidappleton
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19 February 2007 16:27
 

liongam wrote:

The other film that has a goodly amount of correct heraldry displayed for the characters played therein is Sir Laurence Olivier’s Henry V.  The film was made in colour during or about the time of WW2 in the 1940’s.  Shields, crests, banners/standards, horse trappers, tabards and jupons were all most colourfully reproduced for and within the English and French order of battle.


"_The_ other"?  There are a number of even modern films that have done a good job on the heraldry.  One of the best that comes immediately to mind is Kenneth Branagh’s "Henry V", where you can accurately tell the individuals being portrayed by their coat armor, shields, and breastplates.

 

David

 
David Pritchard
 
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David Pritchard
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19 February 2007 18:20
 

Though purely a cinematic contrivance, I have always thought that the armorial surcoat worn by Sophie Marceau as "Isabelle, Princess of Wales" was quite attractive. The historical character of Isabelle never met William Wallace and was never Princess of Wales as she married Edward II four years after he became king. Just the same, the surcoat of England bearing a label azure impaled with France Ancient is quite interesting. Unfortunately I only have a partial photograph:http://indomitus.net/images/sophie.jpg

 
gselvester
 
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gselvester
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10 July 2007 23:23
 

Found another tonight called "Lionheart" from 1987 about the Children’s Crusade. Not a great film but heraldry used nicely in it.

 
gselvester
 
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gselvester
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31 August 2008 18:32
 

I was watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang again today. (That’s right…you heard me.) I’ve seen this dozens of times and I noticed only for the first time the arms of Baron Bomburst of Vulgaria. He bears "Quarterly Or and Argent". Very simple and elegant for such an evil man!

 
Madalch
 
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Madalch
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31 August 2008 19:28
 

I thought "A Kinght’s Tale" did a good job with the heraldry, apart from the arms of the lead character (Vert on Sable?  What was he thinking?).

 
emrys
 
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emrys
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01 September 2008 03:51
 

The black shield of Falworth has just such a case, the heraldry in that movie is very nice except for that of the lead character who bears a griffin gules on a field sable.

 
Doug Welsh
 
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Doug Welsh
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01 September 2008 11:44
 

Madalch;62965 wrote:

I thought "A Kinght’s Tale" did a good job with the heraldry, apart from the arms of the lead character (Vert on Sable?  What was he thinking?).

Anodized aluminum?  A "new heraldic metal"?  :vader:

 
tmp617
 
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tmp617
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01 September 2008 15:55
 

I’m not sure what use of heraldry the staging will make, but "A Man for All Seasons" (Frank Langella as St. Thomas More) is coming for a limited engagement (Sept. 12-Dec. 7) to American Airlines Theater in New York.  I intend to see it and will report on any use of heraldry.

 
Marcus K
 
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Marcus K
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01 September 2008 16:10
 

The James Bond movie and Book On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the main villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld has been int tuch with the College of Arms to have his title as Comte Balthazar de Bleuville. As this is clearly not a British title i doubt that the CoA would have dealt with the issue in real life. But this have Bond visiting the CoA where he is shown the arms of Sir Thomas Bond of which he could be a decendant. Bond also poses a a representative of the College of Arms (dressed in Kilt! one would belive that this would more likely be found on a representative of Lord Lyon, to infiltrate Blofeld’s organisation.

Bond’s Arms is Argent a Chevron Sable charged with three bezants, the crest appears to be a Lion sejant Argent. Motto The world is not enough (which incidently was the name of th 19th Bond Movie).

 
tmp617
 
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tmp617
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01 September 2008 18:28
 
 
davidappleton
 
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davidappleton
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02 September 2008 13:18
 

Marcus K;62991 wrote:

The James Bond movie and book On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the main villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld has been in touch with the College of Arms to have his title as Comte Balthazar de Bleuville. <snip> Bond’s Arms is Argent a Chevron Sable charged with three bezants, the crest appears to be a Lion sejant Argent. Motto The world is not enough (which incidently was the name of th 19th Bond Movie).


You can find these arms and motto in Burke’s General Armory, which Ian Fleming (whether he found the entry on his own, or if it was pointed out to him during his research for the book, I do not know) had the College of Arms point out to his erstwhile hero in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.  The motto in Burke is, however, in Latin, with "the world is not enough" the English translation.

 

David

 
Marcus K
 
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Marcus K
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02 September 2008 18:15
 

Thanks for the picture tmp617 and to David for the information on Burke’s.