Becket 1964

Thomas Becket is a steadfast advisor and companion to the exuberant King Henry II, a ruler who wants Becket close enough to bend him to his will while indulging in the pleasures of the realm. Henry elevates Becket to Lord Chancellor, a move meant to keep a trusted Saxon ally within easy reach, but it also sows tension as Becket’s responsibilities draw him deeper into the day-to-day workings of the court. The arrangement sparks unease among Henry’s Norman nobles, and it unsettles Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine and Empress Matilda, who fear Becket’s rising influence could tilt the balance of power away from the crown’s usual channels.

The strain intensifies when the aging Archbishop of Canterbury openly resists Henry’s plan to tax church property in order to fuel campaigns in France. After the archbishop dies during a campaign in coastal France, Henry seizes the moment to name his favored successor, leaving Becket astonished by the royal choice. The turn of events pushes Becket toward a more principled stance that honors the church’s authority, setting the stage for a dramatic clash with the king.

Becket’s evolving allegiance becomes a flashpoint. He travels to France and encounters King Louis VII, who is both wily and sympathetic, offering Becket refuge and a chance to stall Henry’s momentum. Becket then journeys to the Vatican, seeking guidance from the pope and asking to renounce his position if necessary to avoid crossing the line into civil interference in church matters. The Holy See, embodied by Pope Alexander III, urges Becket to return to England and take a stand, framing the struggle as a test of conscience for both church and state. Louis agrees to help arrange a meeting with Henry on the beaches of Normandy, where a fragile understanding seems possible and a truce appears within reach.

Back in England, Becket’s stance wins him a following among the Saxon factions, while Henry’s temper grows more volatile. A royal conspiracy to discredit Becket through scandal and innuendo unfolds, but Becket refuses to yield, standing firm in his ecclesiastical garb and asserting his duty. The king’s advisers—fueled by envy and a sense of betrayal—make plans that culminate in tragedy on Canterbury’s soil. In a brutal moment that shakes the realm, Becket and his Saxon deputy, Brother John, are slain by Henry’s men, an act that leaves the king haunted and publicly chastened.

In the aftermath, Henry undergoes a painful penance, and the murder becomes a rallying point for reverence toward Becket’s memory. The narrative closes with a stark shift in perception: the once controversial cleric is poised to be canonized, as Henry announces Becket’s sainthood in a public act that reconciles parts of the realm but cannot fully erase the bloodshed that marked their quarrel. The story lingers on the profound tension between secular power and ecclesiastical authority, and the enduring question of where loyalty truly belongs.

Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?