Hamlet (1948)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Laurence Olivier

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)
(more)

Release Date:

12 August 1948 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

William Shakespeare's tale of tragedy of murder and revenge in the royal halls of medieval Denmark. Claudius...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Revenge | Ghost | Tragedy | Play

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Laurence Olivier	...	Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Jean Simmons	...	Ophelia, Polonius's Daughter
Eileen Herlie	...	Gertrude, The Queen
Basil Sydney	...	Claudius, The King
Norman Wooland	...	Horatio, his friend
Felix Aylmer	...	Polonius, Lord Chamberlain
Terence Morgan	...	Laertes, Polonius's Son
Anthony Quayle	...	Marcellus
Esmond Knight	...	Bernardo
John Laurie	...	Francisco
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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Bushell	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Patricia Davidson	...	Lady of the Court (uncredited)
Christopher Lee	...	Spear carrier (uncredited)
Desmond Llewelyn	...	Extra (uncredited)
Victor Lucas	...	Extra (uncredited)
Patrick Macnee	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Laurence Olivier

Writing credits
William Shakespeare		(play)
Laurence Olivier		uncredited

Produced by
Reginald Beck	....	associate producer
Anthony Bushell	....	assistant producer
Laurence Olivier	....	presents
Herbert Smith	....	executive producer in charge of production (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Walton

Cinematography by
Desmond Dickinson

Film Editing by
Helga Cranston

Casting by
Maude Spector		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Carmen Dillon

Costume Design by
Elizabeth Hennings		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Tony Sforzini	....	makeup artist
Vivienne Walker	....	hairdresser
Michael Morris	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Basil Newall	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Geoffrey Rodway	....	makeup supervisor (uncredited)

Production Management
Filippo Del Giudice	....	production manager
John W. Gossage	....	production manager (as John Gossage)
Phil C. Samuel	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Bolton	....	assistant director
Frank Ernst	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Cecil F. Ford	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Alec Gibb	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Laurie Knight	....	fourth assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Roger K. Furse	....	designer (as Roger Furse)
Roger Ramsdell	....	set dresser
William Bowden	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Clément Hurel	....	poster artist (uncredited)
E. Lindegaard	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
E. Lindegarde	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Betty Pierce	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Harry Miller	....	sound editor
John W. Mitchell	....	sound recordist
L.E. Overton	....	sound recordist
Peter Davies	....	sound maintenance (uncredited)
Desmond Dew	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Gus Lloyd	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)
Dudley Messenger	....	boom operator (uncredited)
C.C. Stevens	....	sound supervisor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Henry Harris	....	special effects
Paul Sheriff	....	special effects
Jack Whitehead	....	special effects
George Blackwell	....	special processes (uncredited)
Francis Carver	....	special processes (uncredited)
Syd Howell	....	special processes (uncredited)
James Snow	....	special processes (uncredited)
Bill Warrington	....	special processes (uncredited)

Stunts
Jack Keely	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Hamilton	....	chief electrician
Ray Sturgess	....	camera operator
Maurice Gillett	....	electrician (uncredited)
Wilfrid Newton	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara Gillett	....	wardrobe mistress (uncredited)
Elizabeth Hennings	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
John Pomeroy	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)
Peter Taylor	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor
E.A. Drake	....	music recordist (uncredited)
John Hollingsworth	....	assistant conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Alan Dent	....	text editor
Elizabeth Everson	....	continuity
Alexander Korda	....	by arrangement with: Eileen Herlie (as Sir Alexander Korda)
Dennis Loraine	....	sword play
David Paltenghi	....	mime play
Anthony Bushell	....	associate director (uncredited)
Gladys Goldsmith	....	assistant continuity (uncredited)
Ken Green	....	press representative (uncredited)
Laurence Olivier	....	voice: Ghost of Hamlet's Father (uncredited)
Myrtle Rowe	....	stand-in: Eileen Herlie (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Two Cities Films

Distributors

• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1948) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• Jacon Film Distributors (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1956) (USA) (TV) (first airing)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Philharmonia Orchestra, The  music played by
• Universal International Pictures (UI)  us releasing agent

Runtime:

155 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #12473) | UK:U | South Korea:12 (2002) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Two Cities Films

Trivia:

The final scene to be filmed was the famous shot of Olivier jumping off a high tower onto Claudius and killing him, because it was considered to be so dangerous that it was feared that Olivier would injure himself too badly performing the stunt to film any other scenes. Olivier emerged uninjured from the leap, but the stuntman doubling as Claudius was knocked out from the impact and lost two teeth.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: So oft it chances in particular men / That through some vicious mole of nature in them, / By the o'ergrowth of some complexion / Oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason, / Or by some habit grown too much; that these men - / Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect, / Their virtues else - be they as pure as grace, / Shall in the general censure take corruption / From that particular fault... This is the tragedy of a man who could not make up his mind.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Diabolik (#11.13)" (1999)

the great moody Dane

It stands to reason that Larry Olivier's version of Hamlet is one of the best, and even if he was a little old for the role (in his forties by this time) it really is the perfect role for him.

One or two things to note - the camera angles and shots are often stunning, from above, using angles and shadows, extreme close-ups, and so on. This gives the sometimes ponderous adaptation atmosphere and the black and white photography is gorgeous. Amongst the supporting cast Jean Simmons is a childish, doting Ophelia but this works well. Not working so well are the soliloquies largely within Hamlet's head (and therefore, voiceover). This seems a little gimmicky and only really makes sense with 'To be or not to be'.

That aside, this really is Larry's show and he is brilliant. Despite a few cuts it does the original play proud and is, like Welles' Macbeth and Othello, a truly cinematic reading.