Richard II
Synopsis
Richard II, who ascended the throne as a child, is a regal and stately monarch. He believes he is the rightful ruler of England, ordained by God, yet he is a weak and ineffective king - wasteful in his spending habits, unwise in his choise of chansellors, and detached from his country and its people. When he seizes the land of his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, both the commoners and the barons decide that their king has gone too far...
Top Cast
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Derek Jacobi
King Richard II
John Gielgud
John of Gaunt
Jon Finch
Henry Bolingbroke
Wendy Hiller
Duchess of York
Charles Gray
Duke of York
Mary Morris
Duchess of Gloucester
David Swift
Duke of Northumberland
Clifford Rose
Bishop of Carlisle
Charles Keating
Duke of Aumerle
Richard Owens
Thomas Mowbray
Janet Maw
Queen
Jeffrey Holland
Duke of Surrey
Jeremy Bulloch
Henry Percy
Robin Sachs
Busby
Damien Thomas
Bagot
Alan Dalton
Green
David Dodimead
Lord Ross
John Flint
Lord Willoughby
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- David Giles
- Screenplay & Story
- Alan Shallcross, William Shakespeare
- Original Title
- Richard II
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 37m
- Production Studios
- Time-Life Television Productions, BBC
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
David Giles
Alan Shallcross, William Shakespeare
Cedric Messina
Department Leadership Roster
David Giles
Director
Cedric Messina
Producer
Tony Abbott
Production Design
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Richard II.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Richard II.
Medieval
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BBC Shakespeare
Imported from JSON – BBC Shakespeare
list_History
Movies categorized under History
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Frequently Asked Questions About Richard II
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Richard II about?
Richard II, who ascended the throne as a child, is a regal and stately monarch. He believes he is the rightful ruler of England, ordained by God, yet he is a weak and ineffective king - wasteful in his spending habits, unwise in his choise of chansellors, and detached from his country and its people. When he seizes the land of his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, both the commoners and the barons decide that their king has gone too far...
Who directed Richard II?
Richard II was directed by David Giles.
Who stars in Richard II?
The principal cast of Richard II includes Derek Jacobi, John Gielgud, Jon Finch, Wendy Hiller, Charles Gray.
When was Richard II released and how long is it?
Richard II was released in 1978 with a total runtime of 2h 37m.