Hamlet (I) (1964)

The highly successful 1964 Richard Burton Broadway production of "Hamlet", deliberately staged in the style of a "dress rehearsal", but performed in front of a live audience.

Directors:

Bill Colleran, John Gielgud

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)

Stars:

Richard Burton, Hume Cronyn, Alfred Drake

Cast

Credited cast:
Richard Burton	...	Hamlet
Hume Cronyn	...	Polonius
Alfred Drake	...	Claudius
Eileen Herlie	...	Gertrude
William Redfield	...	Guildenstern
George Rose	...	First Gravedigger
George Voskovec	...	Player King
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hugh Alexander	...	Cornelius / Second Gravedigger / English Ambassador
Philip Coolidge	...	Voltimand
Christopher Culkin	...	Player Queen
John Cullum	...	Laertes
Michael Ebert	...	Francisco / Fortinbras
Dillon Evans	...	Reynaldo / Osric / Fortinbras's Captain
Clement Fowler	...	Rosencrantz
Geoff Garland	...	Lucianus

Storyline

Sir John Gielgud directed this "Electronovision" taping of the play "Hamlet" performed at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater on Broadway in 1964 ("Electronovision" was a short-lived gimmick which was basically closed-circuit TV). The most unusual thing about this film is that the actors are in street clothes instead of period costumes, and the sets are minimal, to say the least.

---

Plot Keywords:

royalty | shakespeare's hamlet | ghost | theatre | resentment toward stepfather | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Richard Burton's Hamlet

Filming Locations:

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre - 205 West 46th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Theatrofilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

191 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Eileen Herlie also played Gertrude in Laurence Olivier's Oscar-winning 1948 Hamlet. Whereas she was 11 years younger than her "son" when Hamlet was played by Olivier, she was seven years older than Richard Burton.

---

Connections

Version of Hamlet (1961)

User Reviews

Electronovision... Forgotten technique capturing Glory

Looking at this stage performance on dvd (and thank goodness it is available !!!) you will probably start with thinking: well, this is a relic, and so it will be great. The start will confirm that. Lighting is crude, and camera-angles give purely the idea of being inside a theatre (which is marvelous !! why don't they do this more often ? Why not make more dvd's of glorious stage performances ?!) After a while though, the performance takes over. This is Shakespeare, but quick-paced and lucid, never heavy or dull. This is Shakespeare in the 60ies. And it is true magic. It is just what we need nowadays ! Magnificently acted and paced and just that touch of humor, openness and charm ... All what we are lacking today. Look around us !! We can do with another shot of the cocktail we call 60ies ! Look around us ! Within this HAMLET, so classical and so brilliantly played, breathes the 60ies. Only the undertone, yes. But is there. How refreshing.