Hamlet (1948) - DaaVeeDee

Hamlet (1948) (Blu-Ray) (*)

$24.99

Screened, competed or awarded at:
BAFTA Awards
Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain
Golden Globes
Oscar Academy Awards
Venice Film Festival
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
English ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
United Kingdom ( Blu-Ray/Region B )

Running Time:
153 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Photo Gallery
Scene Access
Trailer(s)
Black & White

Movie filmed in 1948 and produced in:
United Kingdom ( Great Britain, Ireland )

Directed By:
Laurence Olivier

Written By:
William Shakespeare

Actors:
John Laurie ..... Francisco
Esmond Knight ..... Bernardo
Anthony Quayle ..... Marcellus
Niall MacGinnis ..... Sea Captain
Harcourt Williams ..... First Player
Patrick Troughton ..... Player King
Tony Tarver ..... Player Queen
Peter Cushing ..... Osric
Stanley Holloway ..... Gravedigger
Russell Thorndike ..... Priest
Basil Sydney ..... Claudius - The King
Eileen Herlie ..... Gertrude - The Queen
Laurence Olivier ..... Hamlet - Prince of Denmark
Norman Wooland ..... Horatio - His Friend
Felix Aylmer ..... Polonius - Lord Chamberlain
Terence Morgan ..... Laertes - His Son
Jean Simmons ..... Ophelia - and Daughter
Anthony Bushell ..... Bit Part (uncredited)
Patricia Davidson ..... Lady of the Court (uncredited)
Doreen Lawrence ..... Extra (uncredited)
Christopher Lee ..... Spear Carrier (uncredited)
Desmond Llewelyn ..... Extra (uncredited)
Victor Lucas ..... Extra (uncredited)
Patrick Macnee ..... Extra (uncredited)

Synopsis:

Although criticized by Shakespeare devotees upon its release because of director, producer, and star Laurence Olivier's decision to excise large portions of the text, his cinematic version of {-Hamlet} is widely considered the best out of several dozens (and counting). Hamlet (Olivier) is a medieval Danish prince who's still melancholy over the sudden death of his father and the quick, subsequent remarriage of his mother, Queen Gertrude (Eileen Herlie) to his uncle, Claudius (Basil Sydney). Informed by the ghost of his father that Claudius murdered him, Hamlet schemes to take revenge. Unsure how best to proceed, his delays and the horrible secret burdening him eventually lead to the violent snuffing out of several lives in both his family and that of courtier Polonius (Felix Aylmer), whose daughter Ophelia (Jean Simmons) is in love with Hamlet. Greatly influenced by the inventive camera work in Citizen Kane (1941) and by modern, psychological reinterpretations of Shakespeare's play, Olivier's masterpiece was the winner of four Academy Awards, for Best Picture, Best Actor (Olivier), Best Black and White Art Direction/Set Direction and Best Black and White Costume Design.

William Shakespeare's tale of tragedy of murder and revenge in the royal halls of medieval Denmark. Claudius, brother to the King, conniving with the Queen, poisons the monarch and seizes the throne, taking the widowed Gertrude for his bride. Hamlet, son of the murdered King, mournful of his father's death and mother's hasty marriage, is confronted by the ghost of the late King who reveals the manner of his murder. Seeking revenge, Hamlet recreates the monstrous deed in a play with the help of some traveling actors to torment the conscience of the evil Claudius. In a visit with his mother, Hamlet expresses his anger and disappointment concerning her swiftly untimed marriage. Thinking a concealed spy in his mother's chamber to be the lurking Claudius, he mistakenly kills the meddling counselor, Polonius, father of Ophelia and Laertes. Claudius, on the pretext that Hamlet will be endangered by his subjects for the murder of Polonius, sends the prince to England.

Laurence Oliver delivers one of his greatest Shakespearean performances as Hamlet. Seldom has the tragic story of the Danish prince tortured by his duty to his murdered father and by the guilt and fear he feels at the prospect of revenge, been so brilliantly portrayed. It is the tragedy of a man who thinks but fails to act. For as long as Shakespeare is performed this film will stand as a definitive production.

This product was added to our catalog on Sunday 08 May, 2011.

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