Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father murdered and his mother remarrying the murderer, his uncle. Meanwhile, war is brewing.Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father murdered and his mother remarrying the murderer, his uncle. Meanwhile, war is brewing.Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father murdered and his mother remarrying the murderer, his uncle. Meanwhile, war is brewing.
- Director
- Writers
- William Shakespeare(play "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark")
- Kenneth Branagh(screenplay)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- William Shakespeare(play "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark")
- Kenneth Branagh(screenplay)
- Stars
- Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 9 wins & 25 nominations total
Videos2
Rizz Abbasi
- Attendant to Claudiusas Attendant to Claudius
- (as Riz Abbasi)
- Director
- Writers
- William Shakespeare(play "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark")
- Kenneth Branagh(screenplay)
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
Hamlet (Sir Kenneth Branagh), son of the King of Denmark (Brian Blessed), is summoned home for his father's funeral and his mother Gertrude's (Julie Christie's) wedding to his uncle Claudius (Sir Derek Jacobi). In a supernatural episode, he discovers that his uncle, who he hates anyway, murdered his father. In an incredibly convoluted plot, the most complicated and most interesting in all literature, he manages to (impossible to put this in exact order) feign (or perhaps not to feign) madness, murder the "Prime Minister", love and then unlove an innocent who he drives to madness, plot and then unplot against the uncle, direct a play within a play, successfully conspire against the lives of two well-meaning friends, and finally take his revenge on the uncle, but only at the cost of almost every life on-stage, including his own and his mother's. —John Brosseau <brossj5683@aol.com>
- Genre
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated PG-13 for some violent images and sexuality
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaRobin Williams and Billy Crystal were not allowed to be on the set at the same time during filming, for fear they would crack up the cast and crew, and cause major production delays.
- GoofsIn the very long shot along the length of the throne room, the cameras are visible in the mirrors.
- Alternate versionsTwo versions should have been theatrically released at the same time: a complete 242-minutes director's cut shown only in selected venues (large key cities) and a shorter, wide-release version that ran about two-and-a-half hours. After some critical backlash, Castle Rock decided to release the complete 4 hours everywhere in the US and use the shorter version for some overseas territories.
Top review
Brilliant version
I must say that, looking at Hamlet from the perspective of a student, Brannagh's version of Hamlet is by far the best. His dedication to stay true to the original text should be applauded. It helps the play come to life on screen, and makes it easier for people holding the text while watching, as we did while studying it, to follow and analyze the text.
One of the things I have heard criticized many times is the casting of major Hollywood names in the play. I find that this helps viewers recognize the characters easier, as opposed to having actors that all look and sound the same that aid in the confusion normally associated with Shakespeare.
Also, his flashbacks help to clear up many ambiguities in the text. Such as how far the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia really went and why Fortinbras just happened to be at the castle at the end. All in all, not only does this version contain some brilliant performances by actors both familiar and not familiar with Shakespeare. It is presented in a way that one does not have to be an English Literature Ph.D to understand and enjoy it.
One of the things I have heard criticized many times is the casting of major Hollywood names in the play. I find that this helps viewers recognize the characters easier, as opposed to having actors that all look and sound the same that aid in the confusion normally associated with Shakespeare.
Also, his flashbacks help to clear up many ambiguities in the text. Such as how far the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia really went and why Fortinbras just happened to be at the castle at the end. All in all, not only does this version contain some brilliant performances by actors both familiar and not familiar with Shakespeare. It is presented in a way that one does not have to be an English Literature Ph.D to understand and enjoy it.
helpful•8422
- tbone_4ever
- Feb 5, 2005
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- William Shakespeare's Hamlet
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $18,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $4,708,156
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $90,684
- Dec 29, 1996
- Gross worldwide
- $4,770,222
- Runtime4 hours 2 minutes
- Color
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