Kenneth Branagh's Henry V and Falstaff

I REALLY enjoyed watching Kenneth Branagh's version of Henry V! There were so many things that I found fascinating in the production it was hard to pick just one to write a blog post about. What I thought was really interesting was how Branagh incorporated the character of Falstaff into the movie by using flashbacks to Henry/Harry’s past; when Henry used to hang out with the “wrong” crowd at pubs etc. I found this decision to incorporate Falstaff very interesting because although Falstaff is mentioned in the text of Henry V, he doesn’t have any actual lines in the play and appears nowhere on stage/in the stage directions etc. I think that by using these flashbacks this film sets up an extreme contrast between the man that Henry is now and the man that Henry used to be.

For example one of the flashbacks is to a scene of laughter and drinking in the bar and it depicts an interaction between Falstaff and Henry. In this scene when Falstaff and Henry see each other they embrace. To me this signifies that they must have been close or had some sort of bond in order to greet each other with an embrace. And later on in the scene Falstaff is reminding Henry that when he is king that he can banish all others but he must not banish Jack Falstaff. Yet in this scene the present Henry doesn’t say anything all that viewers hear is a voice of a later Henry saying “I know thee not old man”; which is a reference to Henry IV part two when now king, Henry denies ever knowing Falstaff. I think the way that this scene is dramatically set up is great and really plays up the transformation of Henry. I think that by having the voice of a later Henry saying “I know thee not old man” really shows how Henry no longer associates with his past less than “desirable” friends. What I also think this scene does wonderfully is to cause viewers to sympathize with Falstaff a little, because he and Henry were friends and then Henry completely forgot and disowned Falstaff as soon as he became king. I know at least when reading the plays I felt a little sympathy towards Falstaff, especially when reading Henry V because Falstaff is apparently dying because of Henry V. I initially thought that when reading the play because Falstaff was excluded it was the right decision because this play is about the life of Henry V etc. and that having Falstaff in the play would have distracted from how great of a king Henry had become. But, now after seeing this dramatic interpretation of it I think that if Falstaff was included in the play it would have been really interesting to see. In the end I really enjoyed seeing Branagh’s interpretation of Henry V and I think that by including Falstaff, Branagh really showcased the transformation of Henry from an immature young boy, who steals and associates with the “wrong” crowd, into a valiant and great King