One of my fave quotes about hope comes from one of my fave movies, 'The Lion in Winter'.

Queen Eleanor & King Henry Plantagenet are having a come-to-Jesus moment in the wine cellar of Chinon castle, & they have the following exchange:

E: There's everything in life but hope.
H: We're both alive... & for all I know, that's what hope is.

From that line I take the idea that hope isn't a feeling, it's a state of existing: if you're still alive, there's still hope for all sorts of outcomes, really. & that's all you need: just to be alive.

So many great quotes & scenes from that flick. Eleanor's monologue about the barbarism of human beings is priceless: "Of course he's got a knife, we've all got knives, it's 1183 and we're barbarians!"

& it just goes from there.

The monologue, for anyone who hasn't seen it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbzcFbhPV-o

Delivered by the inestimably magnificent Katharine Hepburn, of course.

The flick has a top-notch cast, too. Hepburn, plus Peter O'Toole, Anthony Hopkins in his 1st feature-length film, Timothy Dalton in his 1st film at all - he's gorgeous & sinister & looks about 19 years old, yowza.

& lovely work by RADA alums John Castle & Jane Merrow, and RSC alum Nigel Terry.

Terry & O'Toole later worked together again in the movie "Troy". Yeah, the one with Brad Pitt as Achilles.

Nigel Stock also does a bang-up job as the oft put-upon Sir William Marshal. He doesn't have many lines, so had to deliver a physical performance & rely on facial expression & body language.

Whenever I watch the film I find myself thinking, holy shit, Marshal had a helluva job working for such a dynasty.

Marshall the historic figure actually had a really interesting life - here's an overview. Yeah, it's Wikipedia; use it as a starting point, not a final authority. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Marshal,_1st_Earl_of_Pembroke

Marshall's dad supported first Stephen, then switched sides & supported Matilda in the 12th-century English war of succession; 5-year-old Will was held hostage by Stephen. When Steve threatened to kill him, his dad basically retorted 'Go ahead, I got the hammer & anvil to make more & better sons.'

Steve didn't have the heart to kill young Will. & I have to wonder if he thought damn, that's cold, kid - your dad's a dick.

History is silent on the matter.

When the war was over Will was released, & later fostered & trained as a knight errant by this dude named William de Tancarville. Will was a younger son so didn't stand to inherit any land, so knighthood it was. He was particularly good at tourneys, not so great at battle combat, but earned a reputation for bravery.

He was escorting Eleanor of Aquitaine on a journey where they were all ambushed & held for ransom by Guy de Lusignan. He was injured but held his own, & later Eleanor hired him. & that was his intro into the household of the Plantagenets.

Dude managed to put up with 5 Plantagenet monarchs over the course of his career, & didn't get executed by any of them for treason or disloyalty, even when they all fought one another.

He didn't get married until he was 43, when he wed the 17-year-old Isabel de Clare, daughter of the Earl of Pembroke. They had 10 kids & by all contemporary accounts, the marriage was a happy one. Together they were something of a power couple, navigating politics through a number of conflicts & reigns.

They hung out with guys who had names like Ranulf & Guy & Gilbert & were nicknamed 'Strongbow' & shit like that.

So that should give you a sense of the time.

So yeah Marshall had one helluva career.

@Impious_Jade Wondering who you think the modern day equivalent might be.