Richard III (1955)

Director:

Laurence Olivier

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play) and
Colley Cibber (textual alterations)
(more)

Release Date:

11 March 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Plot:

Shakespeare's powerful tale of the wicked deformed king and his conquests, both on the battlefield and in the boudoir.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Double Child Murder | Directed By Star | Child Murder | Psychopath

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins

Cast

Cedric Hardwicke	...	King Edward IV of England
Nicholas Hannen	...	Archbishop
Laurence Olivier	...	Richard III
Ralph Richardson	...	Duke of Buckingham
John Gielgud	...	George, Duke of Clarence
Mary Kerridge	...	Queen Elizabeth
Pamela Brown	...	Jane Shore
Paul Huson	...	Edward, Prince of Wales
Stewart Allen	...	Page to Richard
Claire Bloom	...	The Lady Anne
Russell Thorndike	...	First Priest
Wallace Bosco	...	Monk (as Wally Bosco)
Norman Fisher	...	Monk
Andrew Cruickshank	...	Brackenbury
Clive Morton	...	The Lord Rivers
Terence Greenidge	...	Scrivener
Norman Wooland	...	Catesby
Alec Clunes	...	The Lord Hastings
Dan Cunningham	...	The Lord Grey
Douglas Wilmer	...	The Lord Dorset
Laurence Naismith	...	The Lord Stanley
Michael Gough	...	Dighton, 1st murderer
Michael Ripper	...	Forrest, 2nd murderer
Helen Haye	...	Duchess of York
Andy Shine	...	Young Duke of York
Roy Russell	...	Abbot
George Woodbridge	...	Lord Mayor of London
Esmond Knight	...	Ratcliffe
John Laurie	...	Lovel
Peter Williams	...	Messenger to Hastings
Timothy Bateson	...	Ostler
Willoughby Gray	...	2nd Priest
Ann Wilton	...	Scrub woman
Bill Shine	...	Beadle
Derek Prentice	...	Clergyman
Deering Wells	...	Clergyman
Richard Bennett	...	George Stanley
Patrick Troughton	...	Tyrell
Brian Nissen	...	Messenger to Richard
Alexander Davion	...	Messenger to Richard
Lane Meddick	...	Messenger to Richard
Robert Bishop	...	Messenger to Richard
John Phillips	...	Norfolk
Stanley Baker	...	Henry, Earl of Richmond
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Howard Knight	...	Boy (uncredited)
Rosalind Knight	...	Lady-in-waiting (uncredited)
Gareth Tandy	...	Boy (uncredited)

Directed by
Laurence Olivier

Writing credits
William Shakespeare		(play)
Colley Cibber		textual alterations
David Garrick		textual alterations for his production of the play
Laurence Olivier		uncredited

Produced by
Laurence Olivier	....	producer
Alexander Korda	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Walton		(as Sir William Walton)

Cinematography by
Otto Heller

Film Editing by
Helga Cranston

Production Design by
Roger K. Furse		(as Roger Furse)

Art Direction by
Carmen Dillon

Makeup Department
Gladys Atkinson	....	hair stylist
Tony Sforzini	....	makeup artist
Gordon Bond	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Trevor Crole-Rees	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
George Partleton	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
John W. Gossage	....	production supervisor (as John Gossage)
Jack Martin	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gerry O'Hara	....	assistant director
René Dupont	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Jack N. Green	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Bert Pearl	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Roger Ramsdell	....	set dresser
Robert White	....	scenic artist
William Hutchinson	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Arthur Lawson	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Terence Morgan	....	assistant designer (uncredited)
James Sawyer	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Frank Willson	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Red Law	....	sound recordist
Bert Rule	....	sound editor
George Stephenson	....	sound recordist
Norman Daines	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Jack Davies	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Bob Jones	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Wally Veevers	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Bob Cuff	....	matte painter (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Denys N. Coop	....	camera operator (as Denys Coop)
Frank Howard	....	camera grip
Jack Sullivan	....	chief electrician
John Cabrera	....	focus puller: second unit (uncredited)
Norman Hargood	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Alex Thomson	....	clapper loader (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John McCorry	....	wardrobe master (uncredited)

Editorial Department
John Poyner	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor

Other crew
Joan Bridge	....	technicolor color consultant
Anthony Bushell	....	associate director
Jack Curran	....	horse master
Pamela Davies	....	continuity
Alan Dent	....	text advisor
John Greenwood	....	sword play
Bernard Hepton	....	sword play
Laurence Olivier	....	presenter
Roger Ramsdell	....	titler
Luis Roberts	....	location associate
Roberto Roberts	....	location associate
Jeremy Taylor	....	horse master
Catherine O'Brien	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Tadeo Villalba	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• L.O.P. (uncredited)
• London Film Productions

Distributors

• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print Technicolor)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• London Films International
• Lopert Pictures Corporation (1956) (USA)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1960) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1956) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• L. & H. Nathan  costumes

Runtime:

161 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

La Mancha, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Company:

L.O.P.

Trivia:

The first film to have its U.S. premiere in theaters and on TV simultaneously. This occurred on the afternoon of 11 March 1956, when NBC-TV broadcast the film on the same day it had its U.S. premiere in New York. (It had already had its world premiere and first run in London in 1955.) The telecast was the longest single presentation of a film or play (three hours counting the commercials) ever shown on TV up to that time. Classic British films presented by J. Arthur Rank, such as Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), had already made their network TV debuts on an ABC-TV program titled "Famous Film Festival", but many of these were either drastically cut to fit a ninety-minute time slot or shown in two parts. Walt Disney had already begun, on his "Disneyland" (1954) TV program, to telecast some of his theatrical films, but these were shown in two or more one-hour segments, one segment per week, or edited down to one hour, as in the case of Alice in Wonderland (1951) . It was not until CBS showed The Wizard of Oz (1939) in 1956, that an uncut, full-length theatrical film was shown on network TV during prime time in one evening.

Goofs:

Continuity: For one shot at the end during the battle scene, right around the famous "My kingdom for a horse!" line, Richard's left hand has all five fingers. During the rest of the movie, Richard only has three fingers on his left hand as part of the character's deformities.

Quotes:

Richard III: Darest thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?
Tyrell: Please you, but I'd rather kill two enemies.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Neues aus der Anstalt: (#1.1)" (2007)

The best Shakespearean film ever! Unparalleled!

I just can't find words to describe how I like this film. It is the most magnificent film I've ever seen. And it is certainly the best work of Laurence Olivier. I came to learn about this film quite accidentally. I was watching on TV some program about Shakespeare's plays and their adaptations. There were a number of fragments from different films and from this one too… It was the moment where Richard is offered a crown, he refuses at first and then accepts. I was stunned when Buckingham approached Richard to congratulate and Richard suddenly made him kneel down and kiss his hand. The gesture was so majestic, imperative and full of evil triumph. I understood at once that it was a great film. I've bought VHS tape as soon as I've found it and I've already seen it about dozen times. It's superb. Everything is splendid – screenplay, costumes, scenery and acting. I like John Gielgud as noble Clarence and Ralf Richardson as cunning Buckingham, and especially Claire Bloom as gentle and unhappy Lady Anne. However I still admire Laurence Olivier more than anybody else. I just can't forget his terrific voice and acting at the scene of first Richard's monologue that reveals malicious ambitious, mercilessness and devilish ingenuity of the Duke of Gloucester. Another scene I adore is his wooing Lady Anne. Both actors are great. Olivier is so convincing and moving that I believe any woman could surrender. Olivier maintains high standards of these impressive scenes through the whole film until the final battle. Richard is desperate and courageous at the end, he is killed but his spirit is not broken (he can be afraid of ghosts, not real enemies). Shakespearean play is brilliant and the film is worthy of the original. It's the most glorious historical movie of all times. I recommend everyone to see it.