A Man for All Seasons has several main characters portrayed throughout the film. Cardinal Wolsey is the current Lord Chancellor. The main character is Sir Thomas More; he is the Lord Chancellor to be. His wife is Alice and their daughter is Margaret. The son in law to be is Will Roper whom is also practicing to be a lawyer. More's supposed friends are Richard Rich and Thomas Howard the Duke of Norfolk. Henry VIII, the King of England, who is trying to get a divorce from Queen Katherine. The King's mistress is Anne Boleyn who the King wants marry. The main villain is Thomas Cromwell, the secretary to the King. .
The film opens with a message being sent from the Cardinal to More while he is entertaining several guests. Among them are The Duke of Norfolk and Mr. Rich. The messenger has a summons for More to return to meet with the Cardinal. More knows that the Cardinal wants to discuss how the King could get out of his marriage to Katherine, because she cannot produce him a son. On his way to meet the Cardinal accompanied by the messenger, Rich approaches More trying to get a job in the courts. More tells Rich that he must wait till he returns for his answer.
After arriving, the Cardinal tries to persuade More to go along with the King's desire for a divorce. The King wants to get a divorce because Katherine cannot produce him a son. More does not favor the idea, because it goes against the Churches doctrine. As More is leaving he is harassed by numerous people whose cases are pending in his court. More takes a silver cup from a woman even though he knows it is a bribe, just to be polite. More tries to through the cup away on his way home, but the boats man grabs it from the water before it can sink and gives it back to. As he arrives at home More sees Mr. Rich on his way in, Rich bothers More about giving him a job. Before More answers Mr. Rich's question he offers him the cup the woman gave him.