In 1978, the BBC set itself the task of filming all of William Shakespeare??s plays for television. The resulting productions, renowned for their loyalty to the text, utilised the best theatrical and television directors and brought great performances from leading contemporary actors.
Caius Marcius, renamed Coriolanus after his victorious attack on the city of Corioli, returns to Rome to become its joint head of state. A warrior and not a politician, Coriolanus finds his pride and arrogance turning the citizens against him. As he seeks to wreak his anger on the city, it is left to his mother, Volumnia, to prevent a bloody battle...
Coriolanus is a compelling study of family, loyalty, war and politics. Of this production the Daily Telegraph wrote: ??The silver-haired and silver-tongued commands of Irene Worth??s Volumnia, the sinewy Aufidius of Mike Gwilym and the bluff Menenius of Joss Ackland all helped worthily to reflect back the towering emotion of Mr Howard??s Coriolanus.??.
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