Review of Henry V

I prefer Olivier's interpretation of the role. Branagh is very showy actor but his primary method of registering emotional variation is via the volume of his voice. There is a key point in the play when Henry's troops appear vulnerable and his allies begin to desert him that Henry expresses self-doubt. Branagh simply gets louder.

While Olivier's interpretation is bit romantic and his clipped English Boarding School accent has nothing to do with Shakespeare he at least possesses the technical facility to explore the subtleties of important scenes.