Not many writers conquer the Middle Ages but Goldman did with this bright, clever look at Christmas time at the house of Henry II with his wife (out of prison temporarily), mistress (who's going to marry one of his sons), King of France (who wants him out of the country), and three sons (all of whom want to knock his block off - gay, war-loving Richard; weaselly, smart John; and was-there-another-son Geoffrey). There's twist upon twist, everyone is pulling a fast one, which makes it unpredictable - the emotion never seems genuine. Or is it.
After a while it does get a bit too bewildering though and you wish it calmed down a little so we could feel. Maybe that's just me being soft. The character of Alais is a bit of a ninny - you saw it a bit in late 60s pop culture, a beautiful flower child who just wants to adore her middle aged man. But gripping, fascinating stuff. As Goldman himself once commented, everyone can relate to a family squabble where business is involved.
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