Hamlet (1969)

Synopsis: Shot during the day at the Roundhouse Theater, where the cast was performing the play in the evening, Tony Richardson's adaptation of the Shakespeare classic stars Nicol Williamson as the eponymous... Shot during the day at the Roundhouse Theater, where the cast was performing the play in the evening, Tony Richardson's adaptation of the Shakespeare classic stars Nicol Williamson as the eponymous prince. The well-known play of the Danish prince consumed with self-loathing for his inability to avenge his father's death at the hand of his uncle, King Claudius (Anthony Hopkins), receives a few twists from the innovative director. Budget limitations forced Richardson to make due with limited sets and props, requiring most of the backdrops to be veiled in darkness, with the actors emerging from the shadows and vanishing into them in two-shots and close-ups. Richardson also introduces the notion of embodying the presence of the ghost as a powerful light. Given such a setting, Williamson gives an electric performance as the prince. His is an acerbic rather than an vulnerable Hamlet, by turns ironic, dyspeptic, and sardonic, as he lashes out at those who surround him, unsure whether it's humanity or fear that stays his hand. Hopkins, Mark Dignam, Judy Parfitt, Gordon Jackson, and Roger Livesy all contribute to a strong ensemble. [More]

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Nicol Williamson, Marianne Faithfull, Gordon Jackson

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Nicol Williamson, Marianne Faithfull, Gordon Jackson

Director: Tony Richardson

Director: Tony Richardson

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