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The Hollow Crown

Richard II

  • Episode aired Sep 20, 2013
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 21m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
S1.E1
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Ben Whishaw in Richard II (2012)
  • Drama
  • History
  • War
The incompetent Richard II is deposed by Henry Bolingbroke and undergoes a crisis of identity once he is no longer king.The incompetent Richard II is deposed by Henry Bolingbroke and undergoes a crisis of identity once he is no longer king.The incompetent Richard II is deposed by Henry Bolingbroke and undergoes a crisis of identity once he is no longer king.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Rupert Goold
  • Writers
    • Rupert Goold(screenplay)
    • Ben Power(screenplay)
    • William Shakespeare(play "Richard II")
  • Stars
    • David Bradley
    • Richard Bremmer
    • Daniel Boyd
Top credits
  • Director
    • Rupert Goold
  • Writers
    • Rupert Goold(screenplay)
    • Ben Power(screenplay)
    • William Shakespeare(play "Richard II")
  • Stars
    • David Bradley
    • Richard Bremmer
    • Daniel Boyd
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 13User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos16

    Patrick Stewart in Richard II (2012)
    Ben Whishaw in Richard II (2012)
    Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear in Richard II (2012)
    Ben Whishaw in Richard II (2012)
    Tom Hughes in Richard II (2012)
    David Suchet in Richard II (2012)
    Clémence Poésy in Richard II (2012)
    David Morrissey and Rory Kinnear in Richard II (2012)
    Patrick Stewart in Richard II (2012)
    Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear in Richard II (2012)
    David Morrissey in Richard II (2012)
    Rory Kinnear in Richard II (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    David Bradley
    David Bradley
    • Gardeneras Gardener
    Richard Bremmer
    Richard Bremmer
    • Abbot of Westminsteras Abbot of Westminster
    Daniel Boyd
    Daniel Boyd
    • Groomas Groom
    Peter De Jersey
    Peter De Jersey
    • Lord Rossas Lord Ross
    Lindsay Duncan
    Lindsay Duncan
    • Duchess of Yorkas Duchess of York
    Tom Goodman-Hill
    Tom Goodman-Hill
    • Sir Stephen Scroopas Sir Stephen Scroop
    Harry Hadden-Paton
    Harry Hadden-Paton
    • Sir Henry Greenas Sir Henry Green
    Tom Hughes
    Tom Hughes
    • Duke of Aumerleas Duke of Aumerle
    Ferdinand Kingsley
    Ferdinand Kingsley
    • Sir John Bushyas Sir John Bushy
    Rory Kinnear
    Rory Kinnear
    • Bolingbrokeas Bolingbroke
    Isabella Laughland
    Isabella Laughland
    • The Queen's Serving Ladyas The Queen's Serving Lady
    Finbar Lynch
    Finbar Lynch
    • Lord Marshallas Lord Marshall
    Rhodri Miles
    • Welsh Captainas Welsh Captain
    David Morrissey
    David Morrissey
    • Earl of Northumberlandas Earl of Northumberland
    Lucian Msamati
    Lucian Msamati
    • Bishop of Carlisleas Bishop of Carlisle
    Clémence Poésy
    Clémence Poésy
    • Queen Isabellaas Queen Isabella
    James Purefoy
    James Purefoy
    • Thomas Mowbrayas Thomas Mowbray
    Samuel Roukin
    Samuel Roukin
    • Bagotas Bagot
    • Director
      • Rupert Goold
    • Writers
      • Rupert Goold(screenplay)
      • Ben Power(screenplay)
      • William Shakespeare(play "Richard II")
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Pembroke castle, the castle with the large tower in the film, was inherited by Richard the second following the death, in a jousting accident, of its owner John Hastings in 1389. Pembroke castle was the birthplace of the real King Henry 7th in 1457.
    • Goofs
      Characters repeatedly mispronounce "Hereford" as "Hair-ford". The character is called "HERFORD" in the text. That is how Shakespeare wrote it and intended it to be said - the production is respecting that. Pronouncing it "Hereford" doesn't fit the poetic metre. Spellings and pronunciations were simply far more variable then.
    • Quotes

      King Richard: Let's talk of graves, of worms and epitaphs. Make dust our paper and with rainy eyes write sorrow on the bosom of the earth. Let's choose executors and talk of wills. And yet not so. For what can we bequeath , save our deposed bodies to the ground? Our lands, our lives and all are Bolingbroke's. And nothing can we call our own but death. And that small model of the barren earth wich serves as paste and cover to our bones. For god's sake, let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings. How some have been deposed; some slain in war; Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed; Some poisoned by their wives; some sleeping killed All murdered. For within the hollow crown that rounds the mortal temples of a king. Keeps death his court. And there the antic sits, scoffing his state and grinning at his pomp Allowing him a breath, a little scene, to monarchise Be deared and kill with looks Infusing with self and vain conceit, As if this flesh wich walls about out life, Were brass impregnable. And humoured thus, comes at the last And, with a little pin, bores through his castle wall and, Farewell, King!

    • Connections
      Followed by The Hollow Crown: Henry IV, Part 1 (2012)

    User reviews13

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Richard II as Christ figure
    Richard II (2012) was cowritten and directed by Rupert Goold. It's was the first episode of The Hollow Crown TV Series done by the BBC. Earlier, the BBC had filmed all of Shakespeare's plays in very basic fashion. Few props, and few extras.

    This time around, the BBC produced all of Shakespeare's histories (except Henry VIII) in lush, "BBC quality," productions. Richard II opens the series.

    This play rises or falls on the skills of the actor who portrays Richard II. Here it's Ben Whishaw, who is, indeed a brilliant actor. The DVD contains a special feature, "The Making of Richard II." This special feature really is a piece of fluff for the production. We're told that Ben Whishaw is the Richard II of today, just as Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir John Gielgud were for their day.

    Whishaw is a fine actor, but I think that it's premature to declare him the standard of excellence for Shakespeare actors in the 21st Century.

    Director Goold has chosen to depict Richard as a Christ figure. It's not subtle in the movie, and it's stated in "The Making of Richard II." Yes, Richard considered himself to be God's anointed sovereign, but that doesn't make him a Christ figure. However, there he is, barefoot, wearing a loincloth, ready to be sacrificed. Give Richard's earlier behavior, it just didn't work for me.

    I'll defend a director's right to interpret Shakespeare, but I don't have to agree with his decision.

    For better or for worse, the BBC has "opened up" this production so that we can see the horses, the hills, the castles, the oyster women, the beheadings, etc. You'll have to decide whether you'd prefer to use your imagination, as Shakespeare suggested, or you'd rather watch a Branagh-style production.

    This movie was made for TV, so it works well on the small screen. It has a very high IMDb rating of 8.3. I didn't think it was that good, and rated it 7.
    helpful•0
    0
    • Red-125
    • Sep 8, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 20, 2013 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Pembroke Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK
    • Production companies
      • NBC Universal Television
      • Neal Street Productions
      • Thirteen / WNET
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      2 hours 21 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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