Hamlet (1990/I)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Franco Zeffirelli

Writers (WGA):

William Shakespeare (play)
Christopher De Vore (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 January 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The extraordinary adaptation of Shakespeare's classic tale of vengeance and tragedy.

Plot:

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, finds out that his uncle Claudius killed his father to obtain the throne, and plans revenge.

Plot Keywords:

Hamlet | Denmark | Uncle | King | Ghost

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Hamlet
Glenn Close	...	Gertrude
Alan Bates	...	Claudius
Paul Scofield	...	The Ghost
Ian Holm	...	Polonius
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Ophelia
Stephen Dillane	...	Horatio
Nathaniel Parker	...	Laertes
Sean Murray	...	Guildenstern
Michael Maloney	...	Rosencrantz
Trevor Peacock	...	The Gravedigger
John McEnery	...	Osric
Richard Warwick	...	Bernardo
Christien Anholt	...	Marcellus
Dave Duffy	...	Francisco
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Reynaldo
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Player King
Christopher Fairbank	...	Player Queen
Sarah Phillips	...	The Players
Ned Mendez	...	The Players
Roy York	...	The Players
Marjorie Bell	...	The Players
Justin Case	...	The Players
Roger Low	...	Lucianus (in "The Murder of Gonzago")
Pamela Sinclair	...	The Players
Baby Simon Sinclair	...	The Players
Roy Evans	...	The Players
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barrie Holland	...	Palace Nobeman (uncredited)
Graham Riddell	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)

Directed by
Franco Zeffirelli

Writing credits (WGA)
William Shakespeare		(play)
Christopher De Vore		(screenplay) &
Franco Zeffirelli		(screenplay)

Produced by
Bruce Davey	....	executive producer
Dyson Lovell	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
David Watkin

Film Editing by
Richard Marden

Casting by
Joyce Nettles

Production Design by
Dante Ferretti

Art Direction by
Franco Ceraolo
Michael Lamont
Jim Morahan		(as James Morahan)
Antonio Tarolla
Alan Tomkins

Set Decoration by
Francesca Lo Schiavo

Costume Design by
Maurizio Millenotti

Makeup Department
Eric Allwright	....	makeup artist
Lois Burwell	....	makeup artist: Mel Gibson
Franco Corridoni	....	supervising makeup artist
Maria Teresa Corridoni	....	supervising hairdresser
Alberta Giuliani	....	hair stylist
Paolo Mantini	....	hair stylist
Jean-Luc Russier	....	makeup artist: Ms. Close
Maurizio Silvi	....	makeup assistant

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Cliff Lanning	....	third assistant director
Michael Murray	....	first assistant director
Gerry Toomey	....	second assistant director
Kevin Westley	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Andrew Ackland-Snow	....	draughtsman
Brian Aldridge	....	dressing props
Brian Bishop	....	scenic artist
Celia Bobak	....	production buyer
Alan Cheevers	....	plasterer
George Coussins	....	supervising carpenter
Eddie Francis	....	dressing props (as Edward Francis)
Gavin Gordon	....	carpenter
James Hambidge	....	art department runner
Michael Hayward	....	supervising carpenter
Bert Hearn	....	property master
Richard Lyon	....	construction storeman
Mickey Pugh	....	stand-by props
Michael Redding	....	construction coordinator
John Wells	....	stand-by props
Bill Pearson	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gerry Bates	....	boom swinger
Terry Busby	....	assistant sound editor
Mike Dowson	....	adr mixer
Dean Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tim Lewiston	....	assistant sound editor
Archie Ludski	....	dialogue editor
Tony Message	....	footsteps editor
John Pitt	....	sound maintenance
Lawrence Sibley	....	sound assistant
David Stephenson	....	sound mixer
Nicholas Stevenson	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Ian Wingrove	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Angus Bickerton	....	model unit camera operator

Stunts
Graeme Crowther	....	stunt double (as Graham Crowther)
Paul Jennings	....	stunt double
Tina Maskell	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Derek V. Browne	....	camera operator (as Derek Browne)
Peter Butler	....	grip
Chuck Finch	....	gaffer
Tommy Finch	....	best boy (as Tom Finch)
Alan Grosch	....	electrician
Graham Hall	....	camera loader
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer
Simon Hume	....	focus puller
Billy Merrell	....	best boy (as Bill Merrell)
Simon Mills	....	focus puller: second camera
Spencer Murray	....	camera trainee
Keegan O'Neill	....	camera trainee
Stuart Reid	....	electrician
Jonathan Taylor	....	camera operator
Toby Tyler	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Birkinshaw	....	wardrobe assistant (as John Birkenshaw)
Anne Brault	....	assistant costume designer
Alan Flyng	....	wardrobe master
Frank Gardiner	....	assistant costume designer
Annie Hadley	....	chief costume cutter
Linda Lashley	....	costumer
Geoff Lawrence	....	wardrobe assistant
Alfonsina Lettieri	....	wardrobe assistant
Richard Pointing	....	wardrobe supervisor
Gerardo Sacco	....	principal jewelry designed and supplied by
Enrico Serafini	....	assistant costume designer
Pat Williamson	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Roy Birchley	....	first assistant editor
Jeremy Child	....	second assistant editor
Andrew MacRitchie	....	assistant editor
Matthew Tucker	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Robin Clarke	....	music editor (as Robin Clark)
Enrico DeMelis	....	general music coordinator
Sergio Marcotulli	....	music engineer
Fabio Venturi	....	assistant music engineer

Other crew
Angela Allen	....	script supervisor
Luciano Bacchielli	....	assistant: Mr. Zeffirelli
Jill Bennett	....	production accountant
Maurice Binder	....	title designer
Lucia Boni	....	hand woven fabrics by
Nick Daubeny	....	location manager (as Nicholas Daubeny)
Terri Depaolo	....	assistant to unit publicist
Terri Depaolo	....	assistant: Mel Gibson
William Hobbs	....	duel arranger
Julie Hoffman	....	assistant: Mr. Zeffirelli
Pauline Hume	....	graphic artist: titles
Lyndy Noakes	....	assistant accountant
Alison Odell	....	assistant to producer
Kay Rouse	....	assistant: Ms. Close
Adam Somner	....	assistant location manager
Clare St. John	....	production coordinator
Roy Street	....	horse master
Alan Sutton	....	fire safety
Paul Tucker	....	production controller
Sara-Jane Valentine	....	production assistant
Beverly Winston	....	assistant script supervisor

Thanks
Dalisa Cohen	....	grateful acknowledgments
Alexander Gelderman	....	grateful acknowledgments
Bryan Isaacs	....	grateful acknowledgments
Ruth Jackson	....	grateful acknowledgments
Mario Kassar	....	grateful acknowledgments
Paul Kijzer	....	grateful acknowledgments
Eveleen McCormack	....	grateful acknowledgments
Charles R. Meeker	....	grateful acknowledgments (as Charles Meeker)
Kari Ann Messina	....	grateful acknowledgments
Richard Northcott	....	grateful acknowledgment
John Ort	....	grateful acknowledgment
Nigel Sinclair	....	special thanks
Barry Spikings	....	grateful acknowledgments

Production Companies

• Canal+
• Carolco Pictures (in association with)
• Icon Entertainment International
• Marquis
• Nelson Entertainment (in association with)
• Sovereign Pictures (in association with)
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (Argentina)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)

Other Companies

• Shepperton Studios  movie studio
• Bermans  costumes
• Completion Bond Company  completion guaranty
• Crew Catering  location catering
• D&D  location vehicles
• Delta Sound Services  sound transfers
• Ditta Rancati  props and armour
• English Heritage  thanks
• Farani  costumes
• Forum Studio  music recorded at
• General Screen Enterprises  titles and opticals
• Guinness Mahon and Company  production lenders
• JDC Limited  cameras and lenses
• JDC Limited  grip equipment
• L.A.B.A. S.r.l.  additional jewelry
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Liliana Rubechini, Florencia  costumes
• Location Facilities  location vehicles
• Magic Camera Company, The  boat sequence filmed by
• Marriott Harrison  legal services
• PMK Public Relations  publicity
• Pierson, Heldring & Pierson N.V.  production lenders
• Sapex Scripts  scripts prepared by
• Sartoria Russo, Roma  costumes
• Scottish Historic Buildings and Monuments  thanks
• Sinclair, Tenenbaum & Co. Inc.  legal services
• The Daiwa Bank Ltd.  production lenders
• The Dufay Collective  medieval music performed by
• Town of Stonehaven  thanks
• Twickenham Film Studios  sound re-recording
• Unione Musicisti di Roma  orchestra
• Virgin Records  soundtrack published by (as Virgin Movie Music)

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA | UK | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:U (original rating) | Iceland:L | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

Mel Gibson's only previous Shakespearan experience was playing Juliet in an all male production of "Romeo and Juliet" in Australia. By contrast, Alan Bates (who played Claudius) had played Hamlet in London in 1970 and Paul Scofield (who played the Ghost) had played the part in 1948 and 1955 and is considered one of the greatest twentieth century interpreters of the role.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the "confrontation" between Hamlet and Ophelia, the shadow of a camera can be seen on the floor behind Ophelia as Hamlet begins to circle her..

Quotes:

[first lines]
Claudius: Hamlet! Think of us as of a father. For let the world take note: you are the most immediate to our throne. And with no less nobility of love than that which dearest father bears his son do I impart toward you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Love at First Fight (#1.21)" (1991)

To Define True Madness, What Is't But To Be Nothing Else But Mad?

I'd put off viewing this version of "Hamlet" for a long time, because I'd heard that they'd turned this most cerebral of plays into an "action movie", but I ended up quite liking it.

I should begin by saying that I approve of ALL interpretations, because each choice reflects different possibilities all of which are supportable by the text; no one vision can encompass every potentiality inherent in the play. And the text per se, of course, will always exist in absolute form despite the number of hands that manipulate it.

All productions (except Branagh's) cut certain elements as a sacrifice to tighter (though narrower) focus. And the use of film rather than stage allows (even necessitates) different types of dramatic development. Films unfold at a different pace than stage plays. Zefirelli's adaptations WORK as film-making, without detracting from (or unnecessarily supplementing) Shakespeare's language. For instance, the little "prologue" scene showing the internment of the dead king. It is original to the movie, and yet the dialogue is still from the play; it doesn't misrepresent anything about the characters in its new context. And perhaps most importantly, it "works" in the movie that the director is making. But on to the substantive comment...

Mel Gibson was, in my opinion, too old to be Hamlet (making Glenn Close, by extension, too young to be Gertrude), but the issue of Hamlet's age has always been a problem. He's 30 in the text (this version leaves out that calculation), but that makes some of his relationships (with Ophelia, for instance) seem a little... immature. And yet if he's portrayed too young, his depth of thought is almost impossibly precocious. But I thought he was convincing nonetheless, particularly in expressing something that I've found central to my understanding of the play but I all too rarely see dealt with in Hamlet's portrayal, which is this:

Hamlet IS quite mad. 'Tis true: 'tis true 'tis pity, and pity 'tis 'tis true. From his first meeting with the ghost onwards, he is profoundly disturbed. It is irony that he then puts an 'antic disposition' on, because he has in actuality gone quite 'round the bend.

Mel Gibson not only gives the first convincing portrayal of Hamlet's "pretended" madness that I've seen, but he also shows us the desperation of the character in his quiet moments. Hamlet is not, as Olivier posited in his 1948 version, merely "a man who could not make up his mind." Gibson's Hamlet spends much of the film alternating between mania-induced impulsiveness and paralyzing inability to act. The Dane is not merely melancholy, he is certifiably manic-depressive. (Claudius, I believe, sees this.)

Over all, I believe that this would be a good introduction to the story of Hamlet for those who otherwise would have had no contact with it, although as I said it can then be supplemented by other adaptations (and of course there's no substitute for, ultimately, reading the text).