Cromwell
Country
Production
Budget
$8 000 000
Box office
$0
Director
Actors
Scenario
Producer
Camera operator
Composer
Frank Cordell
Artist
John Stoll
Audition
Maude Spector
Editing
Bill Lenny
Whole Team (23)
Whole Team (23)
Short description
Disgusted with the policies of King Charles I, Oliver Cromwell plans to take his family to the New World. But on the eve of their departure, Cromwell is drawn into the tangled web of religion and politics that will result in the English Civil War.
What's left behind the scenes
- Ken Hughes became passionate about filming this movie in the early 1960s after reading a biography of Oliver Cromwell. Over the next nine years, he read more than 120 books about Cromwell, and in between filming sessions, he traveled across England, visiting historical sites and spending time in museums and archives. He came closer to realizing his dream when he met Irving Allen, who shared his passionate fascination with Cromwell. Allen became one of the film's producers.
- As a result of reducing the overall length of the film, all scenes featuring characters played by Felix Aylmer, Brian Pringle, Peter Bennett, Tony Carter, and George A. Cooper were removed. Patrick Magee was left with less than a minute of screen time, despite his name appearing among the first in the credits.
- Director and screenwriter Ken Hughes wanted Peter Finch to play Oliver Cromwell, but the studio decided he was not yet famous enough for such a role. Richard Harris, who eventually played the part, was in fact the least likely candidate to portray the Puritan who—as many historians claim—was responsible for what was practically a genocide unleashed in Ireland. A fierce Irish nationalist, Harris nevertheless became interested in Cromwell, seeing in him a "symbol of integrity" and a "drive to implement reforms." Harris insisted that an actor does not necessarily have to believe in the character they are playing. He drew inspiration from Cromwell's idealism, his "firm intention" to strip the aristocracy of power in the country, and his inner discipline, which the actor sincerely admired.
- A significant portion of the film was shot in England. The London square where the Parliament building is located was recreated on the stages of Shepperton Studios. The battle scenes were filmed in Spain. The original version of the film ran for 3 hours and 15 minutes, but director and screenwriter Ken Hughes cut it down to 2 hours and 24 minutes. At Shepperton Studios, over 200 workers constructed a square on two acres of land, which became the largest set in a British film. The square, featuring the Parliament building and about 50 other buildings, was designed to look as it did in 1642.
- Nearly 4,000 costumes, 16,000 props, and thousands of wigs ordered from various European countries were produced for the film.
- The actors wore heavy makeup to ensure they resembled the portraits of the respective historical figures.
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