Hamlet (1969 film)

Hamlet is a 1969 British drama film adaptation of Shakespeare's play Hamlet, starring Nicol Williamson as Prince Hamlet.[2] It was directed by Tony Richardson and based on his own stage production at the Roundhouse theatre in London.[3] The film also stars Anthony Hopkins as King Claudius, Judy Parfitt as Queen Gertrude, Marianne Faithfull as Ophelia, Mark Dignam as Polonius, Gordon Jackson as Horatio, and Michael Pennington as Laertes.[4]

Hamlet
Film poster
Directed byTony Richardson
Produced byHans Gottschalk
Neil Hartley
Leslie Linder
Martin Ransohoff
Written byTony Richardson
Based onWilliam Shakespeare (play)
StarringNicol Williamson
Marianne Faithfull
Anthony Hopkins
Judy Parfitt
Music byPatrick Gowers
CinematographyGerry Fisher
Edited byCharles Rees
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • December 21, 1969 (1969-12-21) (New York City)
  • 9 April 1970 (1970-04-09) (United Kingdom)
Running time
118 minutes
CountryUnited KIngdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$350,000[1]

The film, a departure from big-budget Hollywood renditions of classics, was made with a small budget and a very minimalist set, consisting of Renaissance fixtures and costumes in a dark, shadowed space. A brick tunnel is used for the scenes on the battlements. The Ghost of Hamlet's father is represented only by a light shining on the observers. The film places much emphasis on the sexual aspects of the play, to the point of strongly implying an incestuous relationship between Laertes and Ophelia. Williamson was only one year younger than Parfitt, who played his mother, and was one year older than Hopkins, who played his uncle.

Cast

DVD

Hamlet was released to DVD by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on 3 July 2012 via the Choice Collection DVD-on-demand setup from Amazon.

References
  1. Alexander Walker, Hollywood, England, Stein and Day, 1974 p452
  2. "Hamlet (1969)". BFI.
  3. "Production of Hamlet | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
  4. "Hamlet (1969) - Tony Richardson | Cast and Crew | AllMovie" – via www.allmovie.com.
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