The Wars of the Roses

The Wars of the Roses 1965

8.50

A 1965 BBC adaptation of William Shakespeare's first historical tetralogy (1 Henry VI, 2 Henry VI, 3 Henry VI and Richard III), which deals with the conflict between the House of Lancaster and the House of York over the throne of England, a conflict known as the Wars of the Roses. It was based on the 1963 theatre adaptation by John Barton, and directed by Peter Hall for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

1965

The Tragedy of Richard III

The Tragedy of Richard III 1983

6.00

Richard Duke of Gloucester, youngest brother of King Edward IV, will stop at nothing to get the crown. He first convinces the ailing King that the Duke of Clarence, his elder brother, is a threat to the lives of Edward's two young sons. Edward has him imprisoned in the Tower of London; killers in Richard's pay then drown Clarence in a barrel of wine. When news of Clarence's death reaches the King, the subsequent grief and remorse bring about his death. Richard is made Lord Protector, with power to rule England while his nephew (now King Edward V) is still a minor. Before the young king's coronation he has his two nephews conveyed to the Tower, ostensibly for their safekeeping. Richard's accomplice, the Duke of Buckingham, then declares the two boys illegitimate and offers Richard the crown, which after a show of reticence he accepts. After Richard's coronation, he and Buckingham have a falling-out over whether or not to assassinate the two children.

1983

Henry VI Part 1

Henry VI Part 1 1983

7.50

The life of King Henry the Sixth, in three parts.

1983

The Black Arrow

The Black Arrow 1988

7.10

One plotting politician, Sir Daniel Brackley, is using the royal unrest to his advantage and unwittingly giving rise to the arrival of a medieval hero, Black Arrow, whose steel cross bow and stout heart are pitted against the kingdom's villains. Black Arrow is saving one final arrow for the assassin who murdered his good friend, Harry Shelton, and left young Richard Shelton fatherless. Join the exciting adventures of Richard Shelton and the mysterious Black Arrow, brought together through turmoil and tragedy to begin the adventure of a lifetime.

1988

Black Arrow

Black Arrow 1985

6.70

In 15th century England, a civil war called Wars of the Roses is being fought between two rival houses who want the throne. Fresh from battle, a knight finds his family dead. He joins the outlaws led by the Black Arrow (Stephan Chase) to seek justice. The noble Black Arrow foils Sir Brackley's (Oliver Reed) plan to kill one ward (Benedict Taylor) and marry the other. This is a classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson turned into film by Disney pictures.

1985

The Black Arrow

The Black Arrow 1948

5.20

A young British nobleman comes back from fighting in the War of the Roses to discover that his father has been murdered by an old family friend who is now an outlaw. However, he becomes suspicious about the exact circumstances of his father's death and determines to find out exactly what happened.

1948

Henry VI Part 3

Henry VI Part 3 1983

7.00

The life of King Henry the Sixth, in three parts.

1983

Henry VI Part 2

Henry VI Part 2 1983

7.00

The life of King Henry the Sixth, in three parts.

1983

The White Queen

The White Queen 2013

7.40

Set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses, the series is the story of the women caught up in the protracted conflict for the throne of England.

2013

The Wars of the Roses

The Wars of the Roses 1966

9.00

The Wars of the Roses was a 1963 theatrical adaptation of William Shakespeare's first historical tetralogy (1 Henry VI, 2 Henry VI, 3 Henry VI & Richard III), which deals with the conflict between the House of Lancaster & the House of York over the throne of England, a conflict known as the Wars of the Roses. The plays were adapted by John Barton, and directed by Barton himself & Peter Hall at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The plays were heavily politicized, with Barton and Hall allowing numerous contemporaneous events of the early 1960s to inform their adaptation. The production was a huge critical & commercial success, and is generally regarded as revitalizing the reputation of the Henry VI plays in the modern theatre. Many critics feel The Wars of the Roses set a standard for future productions of the tetralogy which has yet to be surpassed. The 1965 broadcast was so successful that they were shown again, as 11 episodes, each 50 minutes long, in 1966.

1966