St. Crispin's Day Speech - Henry V (1944)

Laurence Olivier's 1944 version of Henry V

Here's the speech, I'm pretty sure it's word for word and the film version:

What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.

This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

• Category

  Film & Animation

[miklitov23]

Pretentious dudes keep thinking that this version is better simply because it's in 1944.. I'm sorry, but compare this version to branagh's version.. Which one makes you feel more PUMPED, PSYCHED, and HAPPY to fight alongside King Henry, for me it's Branagh. I'm sorry but this version makes it seem like a king is giving orders to his army to be pumped for battle, he says "we few, we happy few" in a very unhappy manner.

[Michael Hardy]

Britain's participation in WW2 can easily be explained in terms of its traditional role of preventing any one power dominating the Continent. This predates Churchill by at least 300 years. In this case we were also preventing liberal democracy from being wiped out in Europe which I don't think is anything to be ashamed of. Anyway there was no compromise that could be made with Germany it was either fight or submit and we made the right decision.

[Milo Garner]

The speech was designed to inspire the simple soldiers. It is only right it also inspires the simple viewer, which, although this version achieves, to a lesser extent.

[Milo Garner]

The First World War was not avoidable. Only a matter of time.

As was the loss of Empire.

[mrhotpinkkitty]

Their interpretations are very different. Both are great, though I might prefer the Branagh version. By a hair

[RockAndRoll123456]

You see, the fact that branagh's version creates a more significant reaction in the majority of listeners is the very proof of its lesser quality. It's the same for music: the bad is of great success and the good music sells little.

[hannah sauceda]

Just mesmerizing. Love it.

[Cheyenne Kauha]

Well to each his own, I certainly prefer Olivier.

[grip C]

kenp3l.?empire you silly fool its now called commonwealth.you silly old doffer.

[spackhollogay]

Whether you prefer this version of the speech or Kenneth Branagh's, I think we can all agree Tom Hiddleston's rendition was terrible. 

[Bartles AndJames]

I am honored , sir. That you should take time, between deep inhalations from your crack pipe , to reply. :-)