Richard III (1955)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Laurence Olivier

Writers:

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

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:

Shakespeare | Murder | Dead Children | Brother Brother Relationship | 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

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:

Filming of Clarence's murder in the Tower of London could have been completed in one day, but was lengthened to three days. The actor playing one of the murderers was short of work and Laurence Olivier was helping him out.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The opening credits read "Laurence Olivier present's" (with an apostrophe) rather than "Laurence Olivier presents".

Quotes:

Dighton, 1st murderer: Talkers are no good doers.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Goodbye Girl (1977)

A bravura vehicle for Olivier

Many great actors made their names with this Richard, and it turns out to be Olivier's greatest Shakepearean role as well. He captures the whole production coiling his way around the Crown of England: his asides to us through the camera are lovely. They say all actors love to play a villain. Well, it works for me.

The movie is beautiful, rich; the costumes are awesome; and the dialogue, of course, is wonderful. He patches in that great speech from Henry VI, part 3: "Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile . . .": and the movie wouldn't be right without it.

The other actors, Britain's elite of the time, seem to be tyrannized by the boss; and the text should have been edited better, because if you don't know the play and practically the whole history you'll get lost. Not to worry, though; the subplots here aren't really important (but they should be), and the thundering battle at the end will leave you satisfied. Special mention of Sir William Walton's music, the vibrant colors, and of course, England itself.