The French throne incidentally, denies Henry's hereditary right to ascend to the French throne and sends him tennis balls as an insult instead of a traditional tribute. ... This on screen marriage was duplicated in real life when Katherine (Emma Thompson) married Branagh. One of the real strengths of the film is its cast of accomplished actors. ...
Yet when the messenger reveals the "tun of treasure" to be tennis balls, Henry is enraged, "We will in France, by God's grace, play a set. ... The fictional scene before the battle exposes the real dependency that fifteenth and sixteenth century monarchs had on the common soldiers who fought in their wars" (Rackin, 228-229). ... The real Henry believes soldiers and pawns se...
The messenger states that his master wishes to trade a "ton of treasure", which turns out to be a box of tennis balls. ... This event, though probably fictional, shows the real humility of Henry that made him a hero to his people (Columbia) . ... Henry's strength as a leader was a very real attribute and the movie probably exaggerates his ability as an orator only slightly. ...
