Rated: NR
Starring: Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, et al.
Director: Laurence Olivier
Review
Winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and
Best Actor, Sir Laurence Olivier's Hamlet continues to be the most
compelling version of Shakespeare's beloved tragedy. Olivier is at his
most inspired-both as director and as the melancholy Dane himself-as he
breathes new life into the words of one of the world's greatest
dramatists. Criterion is proud to present Hamlet in a luminous
black-and-white digital transfer.
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In the opening scene of Hamlet (1948), Laurence Olivier's
voice-over describes the play as "the tragedy of a man who couldn't make
up his mind." But Olivier's screen adaptation is considerably more
thoughtful and complex than this thesis would suggest. Drawing on his
experience playing the prince on stage at Elsinore in 1937, the legendary
thespian provides the film with the patina of greatness and shows how the
constitution of the formerly cheerful prince weakens increasingly under
the burden of his own thoughts and inability to accept his mother's hasty
marriage to uncle Claudius (Basil Sydney). As Ophelia, Jean Simmons
captures the character's early spirit better than her gradual
disintegration. Purists may bemoan the loss of Fortinbras, Rosencrantz,
and Guildenstern, but these choices allow Olivier to focus more squarely
on Hamlet's plight. The winner of four Oscars® (Best Picture, Actor, Art
Direction, and Costumes), this is a Hamlet for the ages. The rest is
silence. --Kevin Mulhall
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Consider this: Shakespearean films more than other films
are dependent upon the director's translation of the text. HAMLET in
particular has been adapted roughly 43 times in film. I'll say up front
that this version is not my favorite interpretation, but I won't deny that
it certainly set the standard back in its day.
For those unfamiliar with the play, Hamlet's father, the
king of Denmark, has recently passed away and he resents the speed with
which his mother, Queen Gertrude, remarried. It doesn't help that her new
husband is the dead king's brother, Claudius. Soon an apparition who is
the spirit of his father, the dead king, visits Hamlet. The ghost explains
that Claudius, Hamlet's uncle, murdered him in his sleep and tells Hamlet
to avenge his death. The remainder of the story primarily revolves around
the Prince's struggle to stop thinking and start doing (exemplified by the
famous "To be, or not to be" speech. Can Hamlet do what it takes to truly
avenge his father's death?
Olivier and his much-celebrated interpretation of HAMLET
are considered by many to be the best of all Shakespeare film adaptations
-- it certainly bears the indelible stamp of its director/star's
personality. Apparently, the Academy agreed rewarding it with Best
Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Costume Design and
among others. (Trivia: Olivier's direction was also nominated losing to
John Huston for "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" in 1948).
Olivier's take on Shakespeare's story of madness and
murder most foul is unmistakably cinematic -- he takes full advantage of
the medium, avoiding the trap of merely filming a play as some Shakespeare
adaptations do, with monologues delivered as internal thoughts heard in
hushed voiceovers. He occasionally uses dizzying camerawork to show
Hamlet's inner turmoil, a trick that could never have worked on stage. The
setting, lighting, and cinematography are wondrous setting the somber and
Gothic tone.
Some notable scenes for me include the sequence where the
Ghost appears. Olivier uses sound and voice to create the disorientation
that Hamlet and others feel when in the presence of the supernatural for a
great creepy effect. Another arresting scene is when Laertes and Claudius
are planning the murder of Hamlet. It starts with a close shot of the duo
but slowly backs away, as if it wants to separate itself, and the
audience, from the bloody deeds being discussed.
But there are many disappointing choices made. Substantial
cuts were made to the text (forgivable if you realize he needed to cut a
4-hour play into at least 2 hours. The omission of the characters of
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (childhood friends of Hamlet who are
ultimately killed because they were too loyal to Claudius, and not to the
Prince) is unfortunate as they bring so much contrast and subtle texture
to the play.
While I am a great fan of Olivier's, I strongly believe
there were certain roles that were out of his range, Hamlet topping the
list. (And I'm not even going to talk about the fact that 41 year old
Olivier is playing a character who is in his mid to late twenties.)
Olivier also insists on taking the Freudian approach with Hamlet and his
mother Gertrude, an idea not really supported by the text suggesting that
the real reason Hamlet is upset is not so much due to his father's murder,
but that he should be with Gertrude, not Claudius. But the thing that nags
at me most is that Hamlet is fundamentally a man of action, though a man
of action who is aware that his actions have consequences. He is divided:
determined to act, destructive when he does act, and consequently
disconnected from his actions. But while Olivier lives well in the
language and his rendering of the lines is a kind of dark poetry, his
overall portrayal is mannered and brooding and almost petulant. It's a
disappointing adaptation by an otherwise brilliant actor.
Now as a DVD, this release of HAMLET is by the superior
Criterion Collection. Criterion DVD's are often considered to be
state-of-the-art, and this one is no exception presenting a nicely
restored film good quality and sound. A definite must for a film
collector. Having said all that, I'll end my review this way: again, this
is not my favorite version of HAMLET (go watch Branagh's, Zeffirelli's or
even Mel Gibson's versions) but as a piece of cinematic history this is
definitely a watchable film worth seeing for it's accomplishments and
cinematography.
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