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)Plots(1)
Soon after Edward IV is crowned, his brother Richard, a hunchback whose disfigured body houses a twisted soul, begins scheming for the throne of England. He woos and wins the Lady Anne, then poisons Edward's mind against their brother, Clarence, later securing his death. But even after his coronation, Richard continues with his villainous campaign to secure his position as king. (Network)
(more)Reviews (1)
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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