Nov 21, 2008

William Shakespeare | Hamlet (1990)

When Franco Zeffirelli (who was a great admirer of Laurence Olivier) decided to make a film of Hamlet, he had no trouble at all selecting Mel Gibson for the role. The famous Italian director thought it would interesting to see the 'action-hero' play a man who delays action for the length of an entire play. Zeffirelli is noted for his faithfulness to period costuming and setting, and this film does not disappoint on that score. Elsinore opens the film and remains an overbearing presence as the last place that Hamlet can call home. What detracts from the film is Glenn Close's performance as Gertrude and Helena Bonham Carter's as Ophelia. Zeffirelli, believing Hamlet is a domestic tragedy, chose for the Oedipus interpretation, and omits the political thread of Fortinbras and the invasion of Denmark. Under that filter, it is difficult to see why Hamlet would have deep feelings for his mother. Bonham Carter is graceless as Ophelia, and spends a good deal of the time waddling through her madness. However, Paul Scofield as The Ghost is effectively terrifying, and Mel Gibson is surprisingly intense, lucid, and sympathetic. The best bits are the ones with Gibson, and that alone makes the film rise above mediocre to an average treatment of Shakespeare's play. - J.R. Costa

Cast: Hamlet: Mel Gibson; Gertrude: Glenn Close; Claudius: Alan Bates; The Ghost: Paul Scofield; Polonius: Ian Holm; Ophelia: Helena Bonham Carter; Horatio: Stephen Dillane; Laertes: Nathaniel Parker; Guildenstern: Sean Murray; Rosencrantz: Michael Maloney; Gravedigger: Trevor Peacock; Osric: John McEnery; Bernardo: Richard Warwick; Marcellus: Christian Anholt; Francisco: Dave Duffy; Reynaldo: Vernon Dobtcheff; Player King: Pete Postlethwaite; Player Queen: Christopher Fairbank; The Players: Sarah Phillips, Ned Mendez, Roy York, Marjorie Bell, Justin Case, Roger Low, Lucianus Gonzaga, Pamela Sinclair, Baby Simon Sinclair, Roy Evans.

Director: Franco Zeffirelli; Writers: William Shakespeare, Christopher De Vore, Franco Zeffirelli; Producer: Dyson Lovell; Music: Ennio Morricone; Production Companies: Carolco Pictures, Icon Entertainment International, Le Studio Canal+ (FR), Marquis, Nelson Entertainment, Sovereign Pictures, Warner Bros., World Icon b.v.

Colour. Runtime: 130 mins.