Having just seen the movie, I have to say I was less than impressed. The story opens with Alfred (David Hemmings) being called from seminary only moments before he is to be ordained as a priest. He finds his elder brother, King Ethelred, who was injured in battle, unable to lead the army against the encroaching Vikings. Alfred reluctantly takes up the sword, devises a strategy, and trounces the Vikings. However, the bloodshed troubles him because he enjoys it too much. He swears never to kill with a sword again and make his return to the monastery. His brother has other notions, arranging a marriage with Aelhswith (Prunella Ransome), a Mercian Princess. No sooner are they married than Ethelred dies, making Alfred the king. Lacking a sufficient army to beat back the Danes, Alfred pays Guthrum (Michael York) to go away and offers his new wife as a hostage. Of course, Guthrum betrays and Alfred finds himself hiding in a marsh with Roger the Bandit (Ian McKellen). Eventually, he assembles an army and defeats the Danes at the Battle of Edington. The movie notes that Alfred is the only English king to ever earn the appellation of Great but it then fails to demonstrate why. Perhaps this was made for an English audience that would realize that Alfred stopped the Danish conquest and dramatically reversed it in his later years. This story only offers the point where Anglo-Saxon fortune turns for the better.
The movie only covers the period from about 868 to 878; Alfred ruled until his death in 899. It shows Alfred marrying Aelhswith on the very day that King Ethelred died. In fact, Alfred married in 868 and his brother died in 871. For simplicity, the various Vikings who attacked during that period are consolidated into the single figure of Guthrum. The sons of Ragnar (see The Vikings on History Channel to be misinformed about Ragnar) are generally overlooked though Ivar the Boneless does appear as one of Guthrum's underlings.
It was fun to see all the familiar faces. In addition to Michael York and Ian McKellen, there was Peter Vaughan, who would go on to play Maester Aemon in Game of Thrones, as Aelhswith's father here. Julian Glover, who appeared as Grand Maester Pycelle in Game of Thrones, is one of Alfred's chief nobles, Aethelstan. They are all so young!
The movie puts entirely too much emphasis on a love-hate relationship with his wife that is not attested in the historical record. Morever, it shows Alfred to be very foolish in his initial dealings with Guthrum. Who would blindly agree to allowing Guthrum to pick the hostage of his choice? Alfred is about the only person surprised and shocked that Guthrum chose Aelhswith. And then we have Aelhswith falling in love with Guthrum and having an affair with him for the next 4 years of her captivity. Really? By what little is known, the marriage was successful and resulted in half a dozen children who survived to adulthood. The movie shows Edward the future king (899-924) but omits his elder sister, Aethelflaed, future queen of Mercia. This ill-considered love-triangle detracts from the main story and makes it hard to like Alfred. It is no wonder the movie didn't do well and is mostly forgotten.
Alfred figures prominently in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories and, though the central character has a contentious relationship with Alfred, Alfred clearly earns his greatness. As most of Cornwell's historical novels, this is a great series for the history buff. He plays a bit loose with history but he tells you where in his historical notes at the end of each novel. There are 9 books in the series so far but Alfred only survives to the 6th one.
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