St. Thomas Becket

As per the USCCB, Monday (12/29/14) "is the feast day of St. Thomas Becket, who was martyred for defending the principles of religious liberty. Pray to him for the protection of our religious liberty from contemporary threats."  As per a USCCB review of the 1964 film, "Becket" is:

• "The 12th-century saga tells of the deep friendship and later conflict between England's King Henry II (O'Toole) and his friend, Sir Thomas a Becket (played by Richard Burton at his 'Camelot'/ 'Hamlet' - era peak), and how their days of drinking and womanizing came to an end when the monarch decided to appoint Becket archbishop of Canterbury.  Much to Henry's surprise, Becket was transformed into a deeply spiritual man of God, who took his new responsibilities very seriously....The film charts how Becket went head-to-head with the king over the vigilante murder of an erring priest by one of Henry's knights. Henry's famous despairing cry, 'Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?' -- leads to Becket's martyrdom in his cathedral.  Henry's tortured conflict -- feeling raging anger but still loving his old friend -- is brilliantly etched by O'Toole, while Burton is utterly convincing as a man not entirely comfortable in the rabble-rousing period, and one who assumes the clerical mantle with the greatest sincerity....When first released, the film was hailed by the Catholic Film Office as a "mature drama about integrity of conscience."

The Catholic Encyclopedia leaves the impression that Saint Thomas Becket's conversion was less dramatic and his pre-archbishop years chaste (or more so than the movie indicates).  St. Thomas was absolutely NOT in favor of whitewashing alleged crimes by priests, but he was also not about to let the King push the Church around!