Directed by:
Laurence OlivierCinematography:
Otto HellerComposer:
William WaltonCast:
Laurence Olivier, Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Mary Kerridge, Claire Bloom, Pamela Brown, Russell Thorndike, Laurence Naismith (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
Amid the Wars of the Roses in England, ruling monarch Edward IV's lame, misshapen brother Richard schemes to ascend the throne. Richard turns the king against their other brother, the Duke of Clarence, who is imprisoned for treason, then arranges for Clarence's murder. He then woos the Lady Anne, determined to wed her to increase his influence. When Edward finally dies, Richard plots the murders of the young heir apparent and his brother--his own nephews. His machinations accelerate and murder piles atop murder as Richard succeeds in taking the throne--and desperately tries to hold it. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
Shakespeare's plays are timeless material, and Olivier's Richard III is actually one of the earlier adaptations. When watching films that are several decades old, you have to accept the filmmaking practices of the time, which can include extreme acting creations on set or overly intense music. But what the hell! And why?! Because of Laurence Olivier as the smarmy, sleazy, scheming, limp-wristed, meddling Richard. His performance (well, except maybe for the final posthumous tics) really deserves a hat off, especially his monologues conducted directly into the camera. In short, it's not a film for everyone (even I approached it with a degree of detachment), but as a historical drama it works solidly.
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Not just the best adaptation of Richard III, but primarily the best Shakespeare on the silver screen. In terms of acting, this is probably the most powerful movie I have ever seen. Not just because of Olivier, but absolutely everybody is breathtaking. And the cast is packed full of prime players. For instance, Ralph Richardson in the role of Buckingham and, of course, Laurence Olivier himself. What those two get up to cannot even be described in words. Their lengthy soliloquies straight into the camera in one take are simply unforgettable. But don’t expect to see any cheap theatrical over-acting. That is what spoils Zeffirelli’s adaptations. The soundtrack works perfectly. And what about the shabby production design (apart from the costumes), the pasteboard scenery, the rather naive final battle (even with cars driving past visible in the background) and the “crowd" made up of just a couple of extras? True; it’s all true. And so what? P.S.: Jiří Josek’s Czech subtitles for Czech TV are simply fantastic.
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Gallery (68)
Photo © Lopert Pictures Corporation
![Richard III - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/159/577/159577341_19a39f.jpg)
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