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Richard III

  • 19951995
  • RR
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Richard III (1995)
The classic Shakespearean play about the murderously scheming 15th-century king is reimagined in an alternative setting of 1930s England as clouds of fascism gather.
Play trailer3:00
1 Video
43 Photos
  • Drama
  • Sci-Fi
  • War

The classic Shakespearean play about the murderously scheming 15th-century king is reimagined in an alternative setting of 1930s England as clouds of fascism gather.The classic Shakespearean play about the murderously scheming 15th-century king is reimagined in an alternative setting of 1930s England as clouds of fascism gather.The classic Shakespearean play about the murderously scheming 15th-century king is reimagined in an alternative setting of 1930s England as clouds of fascism gather.

IMDb RATING
7.3/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Richard Loncraine
  • Writers
    • Ian McKellen(screenplay)
    • Richard Loncraine(screenplay)
    • Richard Eyre(1990 stage adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Ian McKellen
    • Annette Bening
    • Christopher Bowen
Top credits
  • Director
    • Richard Loncraine
  • Writers
    • Ian McKellen(screenplay)
    • Richard Loncraine(screenplay)
    • Richard Eyre(1990 stage adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Ian McKellen
    • Annette Bening
    • Christopher Bowen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 93User reviews
    • 57Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 7 wins & 12 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:00
    Trailer

    Photos43

    Annette Bening, Ian McKellen, Roger Hammond, Tim McInnerny, and John Wood in Richard III (1995)
    Annette Bening and Ian McKellen in Richard III (1995)
    Maggie Smith in Richard III (1995)
    Kristin Scott Thomas and Ian McKellen in Richard III (1995)
    Annette Bening in Richard III (1995)
    Annette Bening and Richard Loncraine in Richard III (1995)
    Jim Broadbent, Ian McKellen, Tim McInnerny, and Bill Paterson in Richard III (1995)
    Adrian Dunbar, Nigel Hawthorne, and Michael Elphick in Richard III (1995)
    Ian McKellen in Richard III (1995)
    Jim Broadbent in Richard III (1995)
    Roger Hammond, Edward Hardwicke, Donald Sumpter, and Dominic West in Richard III (1995)
    Ian McKellen in Richard III (1995)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ian McKellen
    Ian McKellen
    • Richard III - Duke of Gloucesteras Richard III - Duke of Gloucester
    Annette Bening
    Annette Bening
    • Queen Elizabethas Queen Elizabeth
    Christopher Bowen
    Christopher Bowen
    • Prince Edward of Lancasteras Prince Edward of Lancaster
    Edward Jewesbury
    Edward Jewesbury
    • King Henry VIas King Henry VI
    Bill Paterson
    Bill Paterson
    • Ratcliffeas Ratcliffe
    Matthew Groom
    • Young Prince Richard of Yorkas Young Prince Richard of York
    John Wood
    John Wood
    • King Edward IVas King Edward IV
    Nigel Hawthorne
    Nigel Hawthorne
    • Duke of Clarenceas Duke of Clarence
    Maggie Smith
    Maggie Smith
    • Duchess of Yorkas Duchess of York
    Kate Steavenson-Payne
    Kate Steavenson-Payne
    • Princess Elizabeth of Yorkas Princess Elizabeth of York
    Robert Downey Jr.
    Robert Downey Jr.
    • Lord Riversas Lord Rivers
    Tres Hanley
    Tres Hanley
    • Air Hostessas Air Hostess
    Tim McInnerny
    Tim McInnerny
    • Catesbyas Catesby
    Stacey Kent
    • Ballroom Singeras Ballroom Singer
    Jim Carter
    Jim Carter
    • Lord William Hastingsas Lord William Hastings
    Roger Hammond
    Roger Hammond
    • Archbishopas Archbishop
    Denis Lill
    Denis Lill
    • Lord Mayor of Londonas Lord Mayor of London
    • (as Dennis Lill)
    Jim Broadbent
    Jim Broadbent
    • Buckinghamas Buckingham
    • Director
      • Richard Loncraine
    • Writers
      • Ian McKellen(screenplay)
      • Richard Loncraine(screenplay)
      • Richard Eyre(1990 stage adaptation)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    William Shakespeare's classic play is brought into the present with the setting as Great Britian in the 1930s. Civil war has erupted with the House of Lancaster on one side, claiming the right to the British throne and hoping to bring freedom to the country. Opposing is the House of York, commanded by the infamous Richard III (Sir Ian McKellen), who rules over a fascist government and hopes to install himself as a dictator monarch. —Anthony Hughes <husnock31@hotmail.com>
    • fascist
    • dog
    • tank
    • battle
    • widow
    • 64 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • What Is Worth Dying For... Is Worth Killing For.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Sci-Fi
      • War
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for violence and sexuality
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Sir Ian McKellen enjoyed acting with Robert Downey Jr. in Restoration (1995), and asked him to play the part of Lord Rivers, expecting him to turn the role down as too small. To McKellen's surprise, Downey immediately cleared his diary, and took the part.
    • Goofs
      This is not a historical drama, nor a biopic. It is an allegory which mixes and unsolved murders from the 1480s with costumes and customs from the 1930s, to make an artistic statement about the similarities between these two eras. While the movie portrays several historical figures, they are not intended to perfectly resemble their real-life counterparts, and their words and actions are never claimed to be what the real people said and did.
    • Quotes

      Richard: Why, I can smile... And murder while I smile!

    • Alternate versions
      The UK (video) release has the cast credits in order of appearance.
    • Connections
      Featured in 53rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      Come Live With Me
      Paraphrased from "The Passionate Shepherd to his Love,(1599)" by Christopher Marlowe

      Performed by Stacey Kent and Vile Bodies

      Music composed by Trevor Jones

      Arranged by Colin Good

      Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd.

    User reviews93

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Justice made to Richard III
    "Richard III" may not have the all-encompassing understanding of uman nature seen in "Hamlet" or the grace and mastery of "The Tempest", but for my money is one of the greatest plays ever written and certainly Shakespeare's most entertaining.

    It may be lacking in character development and psychology, but it more than makes up for that with a brilliant concept: have the villain as main character and make the audience his playful confident. The concept is aided further by eminently quotable lines and one great scene after the other of scheming, fiendishness and confrontations. One of the few pieces of criticism you can successfully throw at Shakespeare is that his central characters are often meek or feeble. Not so here! Tudor propaganda this might have been (it quite grotesquely disregards historical fact in a few places), this is storytelling at its finest.

    Richard Loncraine's 1995 film places the story in a fictitious 30s England reminiscent of early Nazi Germany. The device serves to make the proceedings more accessible (if only marginally since the original language has thankfully been preserved). It also makes for amusing situations (Richard of York telling his monologue while taking a leak in a public restroom - "my Kingdom for a Horse!" bellowed from a paralyzed jeep) and serves as further proof of the Bard's timelessness.

    Beyond the structural and technical feats - and they are quite excellent without exception, including Trevor Jones underrated dark jazzy score - lies what should be our main concern: the cast. Sir Ian McKellen as Richard is a Machiavellian wonder, blowing both Lawrence Olivier's rendition and McKellen's earlier work away. His fiendish creation is a joy to watch and root for, despite the increasing gruesomeness of his crimes. The byzantine plot demands that recognizable faces be cast in supporting roles and the characters are magnificently portrayed by eminent actors giving it their best and succeeding admirably. Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent and Kristin Scott-Thomas are expectedly great, but the truly outstanding supporting performances come as surprises: Annette Benning is all grief and fury, Adrian Dunbar is eerie yet very human as Richard's pet killer Tyrell and Nigel Hawthorne is incredibly moving as the meek Clarence. Even Robert Downey Jr. manages to hold his own against this impressive array of actors.

    All in all if you can appreciate the language (that only gets better with repeated readings/viewings) and have a thirst for fine acting, it would be criminal to ignore this masterpiece.
    helpful•24
    5
    • OttoVonB
    • Feb 1, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 29, 1995 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ricardo III
    • Filming locations
      • Battersea Power Station, Battersea, London, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Mayfair Entertainment International
      • British Screen Productions
      • Bayly/Paré Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • £6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,684,904
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $91,915
      • Jan 1, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,748,518
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 50 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby Stereo
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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