King Lear (TV 1953)

Based on Shakespeare's play: King Lear of Britain has decided to divide his kingdom into three parts, and to hand over the responsibilities of ruling to his three daughters. The two oldest ... See full summary »

Director:

Andrew McCullough

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)

Stars:

Orson Welles, Natasha Parry, Arnold Moss

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Orson Welles	...	King Lear
Natasha Parry	...	Cordelia
Arnold Moss	...	Duke of Albany
Bramwell Fletcher	...	Earl of Kent
David J. Stewart	...	Oswald
Margaret Phillips	...	Regan
Beatrice Straight	...	Goneril
Alan Badel	...	Fool
Micheál MacLiammóir	...	Poor Tom (as Micheal MacLiammoir)
Frederick Worlock	...	Earl of Gloucester (as Frederic Worlock)
Scott Forbes	...	Duke of Cornwall
Wesley Addy	...	King of France
Fred Sadoff	...	Duke of Burgundy
Lloyd Bochner	...	First Gentleman
Chris Gampel	...	First Servant

Storyline

Based on Shakespeare's play: King Lear of Britain has decided to divide his kingdom into three parts, and to hand over the responsibilities of ruling to his three daughters. The two oldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, flatter their father insincerely, and are rewarded. Cordelia, the youngest, sincerely loves her father, but she cannot match her sisters' skill at false adulation - so Lear takes away her portion of the kingdom, despite the pleadings of some of his most loyal nobles. It is not long before Goneril and Regan reveal their deep ingratitude, and soon the old king finds himself in a confusing and desperate position.

---

Plot Keywords:

king | tragedy | shakespeare's king lear | based on play | character name in title

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 October 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

El rey Lear

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Omnibus Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Goofs

During the storm scene, Lear's mustache comes lose and flaps in the wind. Orson Welles turns his back at one point in a failed attempt to stick it back on firmly.

---

Connections

Version of King Lear (1948)

User Reviews

Worthwhile Despite Omissions & Low-Budget Look

This version of "King Lear" is worth seeing despite a low-budget look and some significant omissions from the original play. Orson Welles could do as much as anyone could with limited resources, and the rest of the cast perform their parts well enough - which is important, because the acting really has to carry this version almost by itself.

The concise version of the story about Lear and his daughters, which may have been affected by broadcasting constraints, leaves out some interesting and important characters who are meant to complement the main part of the story. Likewise, it probably could have been much more absorbing if they had devoted just a little more time and expenditure on the meager sets. Still, the main story is more than adequate when it is told well, and Welles always gives a distinctive interpretation to a weighty character like Lear.

Overall, this cannot be considered as one of the very best filmed versions of the play, since the accommodations made for television are all too obvious. But it is worth seeing, as it brings out the most important ideas in the play, and has some strengths of its own.