Plato - Symposium (The Drinking Party) Full Play.

Jonathan Miller's Sunday Night Play from 14/11/1965.
Jonathan Miller plays Plato's "Symposium" as a picnic organized by an OxBridge don for his students. The entertaining script is faithful to the drinking party recorded by Plato, where Socrates asks each guest to explain the nature of Love. By a series of questions, Socrates leads the guests to conclude that Love is the Highest Good, and that God is Love. This Socratic dialogue may be said to be the basis for Western Philosophy.

[@Phi1500]

Fantastic. As a philosophy lecturer, I'm very glad to be able to show this to my students!

[@chrisgray1372]

+hf shevlin Very pleased to help you. HF Shevlin. It would be a great introduction for students and far less dry than reading.

[@jimclark9826]

I saw this in the 70s when I was in college. I couldn’t find this online when I looked years ago. I’m so glad it’s available now. This is great drinking symposium of thought...emphasis on thought. Thank you!

[@chrisgray1372]

It's too good to not be available Jim. Thanks for the kind words.

[@WizardOfHumor1989]

Roddy Maude Roxby was the voice of Edgar Balthazar in The Aristocats.

[@derrickminion9874]

This is Plato.. he taught with plays and I guarantee he was the most eccentric genius to exist..

[@derrickminion9874]

The umbrella is analogous to radical ideas

[@axelloarca2040]

Brooo I'm really crying. This woman knows love and makes me feel closer.

[@wolvesarecoming022]

Wow we need this in our generation. We live in a society that needs philophers more then ever like socrates

[@StoneEdge555]

We have plenty. That isn't the issue. The internet and mass media has made data and knowledge so ubiquitous that anything useful is drowned out and fleeting.

[@talhasaleem0003]

This symposium explaining 'love' is flawless

[@markbrandus]

I love Jonathan Miller's play with Leo McKern as Socrates - having seen this BBC production when I was a lad when it aired in San Antonio, Texas in the mid 60's.

[@chrisgray1372]

Mark Richard Beaulieu how lucky you were!

[@the_Rade]

Finally! I've been looking for some kind of dramatization of platonic dialogues for a long time. Thank you. Are there any more??

[@oblongtom]

I can't find any but I think they'd be great - who's up for making some?

[@utkarshtiwari1368]

@@oblongtom yesss, podcasts maybe, theyd be great

[@jangheeraert3399]

Le blanquet... a french movie from 1976

[@marta9127]

More modern Anderson's translation of Plato's "Symposium" is vivid and full of life. Saga Egmont published an exellent dramatized audiobook that shades a natural light here. The voice actors give their characters this natural, lively aura. You can feel everything: tensions, friendship, intellectual struggling and even soft flirting between the men. It preserves the mood of a beautiful and fresh summer night. The ideas are worth pondering and the stage vibe introduces Plato not only in his philosophical genius but also as a skilled, top playwright.

[@saeed9999]

Here is a rendition of “Apology”. Not up to BBC standards but not bad. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGSznWV-mNKjjM0

[@Fan45192]

We need more uploaders like you! Very generous.

[@udhayakumar.v005]

Exactly !! Very true

[@marta9127]

Thank you so much! Reminded me not only about "Symposium" which impressed me greatly when I read it years ago for the first time... You helped me to remember my university years, philosophy classes and our Students Discussion Scientific Cirlce... Plato put the foundation of our civilization, all of the philosophy that follows is just a collection of footnotes in the margin of his work :)

[@ksysinfo3465]

It is great to see this at last. Many Thanks...

[@chrisgray1372]

You're very welcome. It's simply too good not to share isn't it?

[@MadAvila]

wonderful, wonderful production. i'm currently studying philosophy and working on an essay about the symposium exploring the implication that mortality is a sickness, and love is its cure. of course reading and rereading is helpful but it really adds a new layer of understanding to be hearing the speeches actually spoken aloud in order. thank you for the upload.

[@MoiraRussell]

AWW MAN NOBODY TOLD ME ABOUT THIS EVER THE WORLD IS FIRED even if the Beeb _did_ utterly preempt my idea of dramatizing the Symposium, best dialogue ever

[@tuphan4012]

Awesome! I like humanities and this is it !Thank you for putting it up!

[@sirwholland7]

Leo McKern is sublime in delivering Socrates’ speech.

[@TheModernHermeticist]

Thanks for posting.

[@lisacole2897]

Leo McKern - Socrates Micheal Gough - Pausanias Alan Bennet - Eryximachus Roddy Maude-Roxby - Aristophanes Barry Justice - Agathon John Fortune - Phaedrus Robert Gillespie - Alcibiades Julian Jebb - Aristodemus Darroll Richards - Waiter

[@WizardOfHumor1989]

Roddy Maude Roxby (Aristophanes) voiced Edgar Balthazar in The Aristocats.

[@fereshtehyousefi2857]

Oh, wow!!! This was absolutely awesome!

[@facundoarkangel130]

4:44 Fedro 16:11 Aristofanes 18:07 21:05 Agatón 40:08 Alcibiades

[@WizardOfHumor1989]

Roddy Maude Roxby (Aristophanes) was also known for the voice of Edgar Balthazar in The Aristocats (1970). He’s still alive at 93.

[@die_schlechtere_Milch]

Thank you for enriching us!

[@derrickminion9874]

This could be modernized in an infinite number of ways

[@leonardo451]

Thank you.

[@johannpopper1493]

Fantastic. I can't believe dramatizations of the Dialogues haven't been done apart from this, apparently. Too bad the Symposium is no Parmenides.

[@jaijiu]

they left out a very important note: the homoerotic beliefs that they had, each of the original speeches had a degree of it and they took it all out missing a lot of good points...i guess it's hard to reproach when we see when this was filmed.

[@jaijiu]

Pausanias talked about the common love and the heavenly love. in this video the explained only the common but left out the heavenly one. The heavenly goddess "having nothing of the female in her but only maleness [...] That's why the ones inspired by this love are drawn towards the male feeling affection for what is naturally more vigorous and intelligent" Aristophanes, who did the metaphor of the 3rd sex mentioned that "those who are cut from the male gender go for males [...] These are the best of their generation because they are the bold, brave and masculin and they welcome the same qualities in others"

[@chopin65]

HI, HUMANITY Very true, and I found it a little too British, that is to say, concerned about the appearance of things, and the ideas. E. M. Forster points this out brilliantly in "Maurice". In the passages about Maurice's undergoing hypnosis, the doctor reminds him of the implacable homophobia which was written into the law, and that at one time gay people were put to death for it, and in the film that "...the English have always been disinclined to accept human nature." I couldn't possibly read those passages. In the Symposium it is described as a rule of law by barbaric tyrants which fear the power love shared brings. In Nineteen Eighty-Four Orwell makes it clear that sex, or love for anything but Big Brother is a crime. In "Brave New World" Huxley has pleasure reduced to that lower form of the two gods of love, and banishes the adoration. Of course, here in America we have dragged behind shamelessly behind much of the Western world in legislation and the rights of LGBT rights. We have, only until the past two years made marriage legal for LGBT people. Socrates would be ashamed of our barbaric limits on love and how it is expressed. That love is the expression of a desired object and not the object, nor the person who desires it is too mystical for most people. But it is the most complete representation.

[@marta9127]

I guess it is the period in which they filmed it made them omit this important part. Remember that homosexual acts were decriminalised in England in 1967! So while they filmed it, they made decisions not to dive into the topic. When you read "Symposium" you will soon find that the characters not only speak of homoerotic aspect of love and discuss it very openly on many levels, but while talking they even flirt with each other. It is also clear that Agathon and Pausanias are considered as a couple but that doesn't prevent others from admiring the young playwright beauty and trying to win his favours! There is this soft but very noticeable air of both intellectual and erotic tension between some of the characters as well. Pausanias speech is one of the great examples discussing legal and educational aspects of it...but think of Phardrus speech when he states that paederastia (in Greek sense of the word) is a power of freedom in democracy and bonds of love may be a great enforcement in army, Aristophanes who gives a legendary, somehow comical outlook on biology of sexual attraction and stating that male homoerotic love is one of three equally natural ways of expressing desire, Agathon raised the stake but still spoke of love in the context of homosociality and homoerotism in many ways, Socrates' Ladder of love speaks for itself and starts of with loving youths. And Alcibiades himself not only in speech and recollecting his love for Socrates but in his words and actions towards Agathon expresses freely all the aspects that were discussed by other members of the party.

[@Matthy63]

I just finished the Tom Griffith translation which is great, it frankly makes The Boys In The Band look like Left Behind.

[@TheMrcassina]

...it is well known that they had homoerotic sex once the movie was made..

[@valmarsiglia]

Wow, what a find, thanks so much for posting this.

[@rentaghostokish5628]

Such beautiful and educational TV... shows that the medium doesn't have to be 'the idiot box'.

[@chopin65]

This should make a good introduction. But a lot was cut.

[@zoyablake9538]

Thank you!

[@NikephorosAer54]

Great ! Bravo ! Mention that the Trouth about Eros is told by a Woman, from Mantineia, the Wise Diotima ! A Greek friend, Demetrios Maniates.

[@eligibleguest3868]

Also look forThe Death of Socrates, featuring magnificent Leo McKern as Socrates again. Leo McKern is also great in Patrick McGoohans The Prisoner series, especially in the episode Once Upon A Time. Music : Banchetto Musicale by J S Schein, from Leipzig 1617

[@chrisgray1372]

I have The Death of Socrates in my channel already J. Weissenheimer. An excellent accompaniment to The Drinking Party!

[@WizardOfHumor1989]

Aristophanes was played by Roddy Maude-Roxby who was famously known for the voice of Edgar in The Aristocats. He’s still alive today at age 93.

[@carlosmora3595]

I might have arrived quite late to this party. Nonetheless, I have enjoyed it greatly. I had to reas the feast for one of my classes, but instead watched this video- got an A in the class discussion!

[@chrisgray1372]

Congratulations Carlos!

[@liltick102]

Weird to see a movie where it doesn’t show the camera lens at all times

[@jeanbordes8241]

PLATO'S SYMPOSIUM is a very important text and we often hear it say it cannot be adapted on movie:this wonderful BRITISH video bears witness that Plato can be played by great actors. The result would have satisfied Plato himself if I dare say so. Do you see What I mean?

[@jimclark9826]

So much to say about this. Amusing, thoughtful, bewildering, and more. I went back over the light-haired man's speech (around the 9-14 min mark) for its well-meaning word salad that bores even his drinking buddies...and kind of loses me. (Admittedly, abstract thought has never been my strong suit.) I kind of got interested when he says, "Heraclitus...talks of a Unity which agrees with itself by being at variance as in the stringing of a bow or lyre." Ok, I guess I follow that simpe analogy even though I'm a tad unsure about the wording. But our young philosopher fleshes this out: "the art of music produces a Harmony out of factors which are first in Discord but subsequently in Concord, namely treble and bass." So far so good. "Of course, there can be no Accord between treble and bass while they're in Discord for Concord is consonant consonance is a kind of agreement while the factors are in Discord." Concord is consonant consonance? Dear Lord! This word salad is a small example of why I often struggle with philosophy and theology. I can get through thoughtful and entertaining Plato or very direct Aristotle but parsing those kinds of phrases befuddles me. Which isn't always hard to do. Ask my wife. Oh well, great film. Thanks again.

[@navneetkang4990]

Watching it again after 3 years :))

[@Parsi-Pedia]

worth it to watch

[@aletheuo475]

Lovely. These actors have really captured the characters of the speakers. Phaidrus is naive and conventional, Pausanias is appropriately pompous and exact, Eryxymachos is awkward and clumsy, Aristophanes is silly and buffoonish, Agathon is just good, Alcibiades is drunk and Socrates is of course the only one who has any idea what he's talking about.

[@joshtroufield]

me and the boys reenacting the symposium fr

[@AlexanderVerney-Elliott-ep7dw]

Julian Jebb is also in this picnic with Plato....

[@prettytse7762]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH///

[@stoicforall]

This is the most British thing ever

[@thadtuiol1717]

English, not British.

[@antonifortis1084]

12:43 God bless this man but if I was there I'd strange him, in love of course lol

[@karwansaleh419]

Is the book available in arabic, please reply if you have it

[@chrisgray1372]

Leonard, I'm not certain but it may be worth contacting Houda El Khouly, academic at Cairo University. She has The Symposium listed as one of her books so it may well be the first full translation into Arabic rather than just excerpts. philpeople.org/profiles/hoda-el-khouly Good luck.

[@jeanbordes8241]

Wish you British were French if I dare say so,sometimes... of course!Most excellent

[@rentaghostokish5628]

What do you mean?

[@poiuyrvsdg2]

The french simply hate acknowledging the british for anything they do well, and it goes both ways ^^

[@gaddiusmaximus3648]

James J. O'Meara sent me here.

[@alleif]

Chat GPT says there is no tiny womb at the base of the bladder.

[@annabahram7018]

The Dinner Party fam

[@joshsmith8066]

34:18 - 39:18 How to Become Enlightened in Exactly 5 Minutes

[@prettytse7762]

THE DRINKING PARTY////

[@liltick102]

“love” ❤ sexy movie 10/10, praise the deserving loving goddesses

[@darknightofthesoul7628]

Good attempt at catching the overview, but was it really necessary to marginalize and omit references to same-sex attraction and relations? Trying to re-imagine and re-frame their words and thoughts to fit contemporary culture thus gives us an inaccurate understanding of them.

[@chrisgray1372]

I believe the film pre-dates the 1967 act that decriminalized homosexuality in the UK. I'm not saying this excuses the omission, but rather places it in context of society then. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@darknightofthesoul7628]

@@chrisgray1372 Thank you for your insight.

[@battambangscooterandmotorc303]

Haute Homo??? I don't get it? I guess times were different back in their day eh lol. I actually went to this kind of beautiful private school but was a jock not a homo but most certainly fordged some of my best life long friends.

[@eastonsmith8129]

27:21

[@brucehaggerty6298]

Love comes from God and it’s not a feeling is action.

[@georginam2028]

wtf backwards ass thought is this, Bruce

[@marta9127]

Here they are not talking about Agape, Philia or other types of love, but specifically about Eros! It definetely is about desire. And in the dialogue you can see Eros on every level of understanding. No need to put Christian ideas of love (rather in type of Agape or Philia) here ;)

[@parisevaalexeyevna2095]

This is more hilarious than disrespectful. It reflects though the way that British people understand Plato's work. They just don't. And it's about Eros damn it! Not love.

[@hanansheikh5016]

Eros is the God of love, is he not?

[@yuanhangw]

苏格拉底 36:43 左右说的有点心经里 “诸法空相，不生不灭，不垢不净，不增不减”的意思了。由空起而灭于空。 Immortality manifect itself through the mortal.

[@jamesbell5966]

Thanks for sharing but that was terrible ! Very disappointing

[@albertkundrat814]

9:35/46:14 Why is this Hellenic Dude BURPING? Is He a BURPEE scion given the exclusive Privilege that Burpee's BURPING is not bad table manners? Or was He granted Burpee's Seed Catalogue, awarded the Table-Privilege to BURP graciously, having purchased so many LOVE-SEEDS from It?

[@emmanuelgoldstein1089]

You don't rename other peoples work. Ever. There's nothing more disrespectful.

[@chad-zu2xy]

Goldstein

[@cameronramsey1416]

It is literally the English translation of the Greek word “symposium”. It’s not really a renaming

[@parisevaalexeyevna2095]

@@cameronramsey1416 Good Lord Symposium it's not a drinking party! But let's face it, it's not just about the name of the work. The whole thing here is a disaster

[@cameronramsey1416]

@@parisevaalexeyevna2095 The word συμπόσιον literally translates to drinking party in English. I do agree that they disrespected the work in other ways, primarily the tangent where they broke the fourth wall and tried to straightwash the characters.

[@parisevaalexeyevna2095]

@@cameronramsey1416 maybe the translation is correct but the meaning it's totally out of context. There are some words that can not be translated like Συμπόσιον or Έρως. They have to stay as they are in order to protect their meaning. You can not translate Έρως as love, even if this is the correct translation. I couldn't stand watching this whole parody all the way. I've read the work of Plato over 4 times by the prototype and I can assure you that this is totally a disaster. Not even close.

[@saxoungrammaticus9132]

Thank you!