Sealed in Red Wax

As the movie begins, we see ferocious gargoyle statues in London, symbolizing death, before observing Cardinal Wolsey, King Henry VIII's Chancellor, signing a magnificent letter. A messenger takes it down the Thames, which is full of natural beauty, to Thomas More's house. Birds flying remind us of the shortness of life in those days. At the More residence in Chelsea – although in the film we are taken to a lovely house in the Oxfordshire countryside. More and guests are sitting around laughing and joking— Wolsey himself is a subject of their jests, as well as the bad state of the church – where priests no longer behave correctly. When More gets the impressive letter, he departs for Wolsey's palace at night, after telling his young student disciple Richard Rich that he might have a position for him. We are sorry to see him burn this letter! It would be worth millions of pounds today! At the Cardinal's office, More debates with Wolsey: the powerful Cardinal is unhappy that More opposed him, but still wants his help. Wolsey wants to put pressure on the Church to force the Pope to grant King Henry the divorce he wants. If the King doesn't produce a male heir, thinks Wolsey, there will eventually be civil war, as there was before the time of Henry VII. However, More remains opposed to the idea of putting pressure on the Church indirectly by taking action at home, for example against the monasteries. The two briefly discuss who will be Chancellor after Wolsey’s death—it could be More or it could be Cromwell, Wolsey's secretary. As More leaves, a suspicious-looking and unsettling common woman gives More a silver cup, saying it is a token of gratitude. More realizes it is meant to be a bribe. He almost dumps it in the river on his way back, but the boatman stops him. Later he gives it to Rich – and explains that if Rich really wishes a life at court, he will be constantly subject to the temptations of corrupt actions to secure temporary political advantage. Adapted, with gratitude, from (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008)