Hamlet

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Cast & Crew

Mel Gibson
Hamlet

Glenn Close
Gertrude

Alan Bates
Claudius

Paul Scofield
The Ghost

Ian Holm
Polonius

Helena Bonham Carter
Ophelia

Stephen Dillane
Horatio

Nathaniel Parker
Laertes

Sean Murray
Guildenstern

Michael Maloney
Rosencrantz

Trevor Peacock
The Gravedigger

John McEnery
Osric

Franco Zeffirelli
Director

Dyson Lovell
Producer

Christopher De Vore
Screenwriter

Franco Zeffirelli
Screenwriter

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Critic Reviews for Hamlet

Audience Reviews for Hamlet

• Oct 06, 2013

  I tried watching Kenneth Branagh's version, but I couldn't stand the first 20 minutes of it. This version of Hamlet is much better, simpler, for those who doesn't want to go too deep into Shakespeare's analogy. I like Mel Gibson, although sometimes he mumbles with different kind of accents, he did pulled it off as Hamlet. Glenn Close on the other hand, fails miserably as Hamlet's mother. This is my first time watching Hamlet, I didn't bother to read the book before, but after watching this maybe I should. 7/10.
  Mesh B Super Reviewer
• Oct 07, 2011

  Hamlet: The play's the thing, wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king.  "Shakespeare's classic tale of vengeance and tragedy." I'm not a huge fan of Shakespeare, when it comes to the movie adaptions or just the original plays, but I can enjoy a well made Shakespeare adaption from time to time. The only two I've seen that I've liked are both from Zefferelli. He made the ultimate classic, Romeo and Juliet and then his version of Hamlet was pretty good as well. It is the only version I have seen, so I have nothing to compare it to. Still, while I can appreciate this movie, I still can't fully say I like because it just isn't to my taste. There's really no reason going over plot because everyone knows the plot before going in. Mel Gibson does do a pretty good job as Hamlet. His soliloquies are pretty good and most of the time when I see an actor do a soliloquy, I want to kill myself. This has all the necessary and annoying elements that come along with Shakespeare. It's overly dramatic and its acting is way over the top in the drama department as well. But that just comes with the territory. Glenn Close and Helena Bonham Carter were also good in their respected roles as Gertrude and Ophelia.  Going in you should probably know if this movie is for you or not. Shakespeare fans should adore it, although I guess some of the previous ones are considered better. People who hate Shakespeare will hate it. As far as the few adaptions I've seen of Shakespeare, this would have to be my second favorite. The major scenes of Hamlet are well done, so that in itself makes the movie worth a look.
  Melvin W Super Reviewer
• Jul 11, 2011

  I think this is one of the better versions of Hamlet particularly because of two aspects: Mel Gibson and Helena Bonham Carter. I absolutely think Gibson gives the best "to be or not to be" speech in all the Hamlet adaptations I've seen. Also, I think he portrayed Hamlet as he truly is with all his broodiness and internal conflicts effectively played out. Bonham Carter is certainly a convincing Ophelia. I didn't particularly care for the angle they gave between Hamlet and his mother, Gertrude (played by Glenn Close). It also cut a lot from the source material, which I didn't particularly like either.
  Wildaly M Super Reviewer
• May 12, 2011

  Zeffirelli just knows how to do this sort of thing, and do it right. I like the cast, and they all do a good job, but I don't really think this is my favorite version of the story. It does stray from the material, and it gets a bit boring at times, but all in all, you could do a whole lot worse.
  Chris W Super Reviewer

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