Hamlet, son of the king of Denmark, is summoned home for his father’s funeral and his mother’s wedding to his uncle. In a supernatural episode, he discovers that his uncle, whom 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 whom 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.
Hamlet is a 1996 film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, adapted for the screen and directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also stars in the titular role as Prince Hamlet. The film also features Derek Jacobi as King Claudius, Julie Christie as Queen Gertrude, Kate Winslet as Ophelia, Michael Maloney as Laertes, Richard Briers as Polonius, and Nicholas Farrell as Horatio. Other notable appearances include Robin Williams, Gérard Depardieu, Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal, Rufus Sewell, Charlton Heston, Richard Attenborough, Judi Dench, John Gielgud and Ken Dodd.
The film is notable as the first unabridged theatrical film version of the play, running just over four hours. The longest screen version of the play prior to the 1996 film was the 1980 BBC made-for-television version starring Jacobi as the title character, which runs three-and-a-half hours. The film received four Academy Award nominations for the 69th Academy Awards for Best Art Direction (Tim Harvey), Best Costume Design (Alexandra Byrne), Best Original Score (Patrick Doyle), and Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) (Kenneth Branagh).
Main Characters
Kenneth Branagh as Prince Hamlet, the story’s protagonist and Prince of Denmark. He is the son of the late King Hamlet and heir to the throne of Denmark. At first, Hamlet is mournful of his father’s death and dissatisfied with his mother’s swift remarriage to Claudius. However, Hamlet is later told by the ghost of his father King Hamlet that Claudius murdered him, usurping his title.
Upon knowing this crime, Hamlet is sworn to avenge his father’s murder. Branagh’s interpretation of the title role, by his own admission, was considerably less “neurotic” than others, removing the Oedipal fixation so prominently featured in Olivier’s 1948 film among others. During the scenes in which Hamlet pretends to be insane, Branagh portrayed the Prince as manic.
Derek Jacobi as King Claudius, the story’s antagonist and brother of the late king. He murdered his brother Hamlet by pouring poison into his ear while he slept. He then quickly usurps his brother’s title and quickly marries his widow.
At first, believing Hamlet to be mad by the loss of his father and rejection from Ophelia, Claudius is persuaded by Polonius to spy on Hamlet. When Claudius later learns Hamlet knows of the murder, he tries to use Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two of Hamlet’s schoolmates, to have his nephew murdered. Although Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are more than willing to serve Claudius, they have no idea that he wants Hamlet dead.
Julie Christie as Gertrude, Queen of Denmark and wife to both the late King Hamlet and King Claudius, whom she married swiftly following the former’s passing—ignorant of the foul play that caused his death.
Richard Briers as Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain. An impertinent busy-body, Polonius believes Hamlet to be mad and convinces Claudius to join him in spying on the prince. He is eventually murdered while eavesdropping by Hamlet, who mistakes him for Claudius.
Kate Winslet as Ophelia, noblewoman of Denmark and daughter of Polonius. Ophelia was the romantic interest of Hamlet, until advised by her father Polonius and brother Laertes to end their relationship. She is eventually driven mad by both Hamlet’s rejection and her father’s murder and drowns herself.
Nicholas Farrell as Horatio, a good friend of Hamlet whom he met while attending Wittenberg University.
Michael Maloney as Laertes, the son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia. After instructing his sister to have no further relations with Hamlet, he departs for Paris. Upon news of his father’s murder, Laertes returns to Denmark, leading a mob to storm the castle. Claudius explains to him who the real killer was and incites Laertes to kill Hamlet and avenge Polonius’ death. He later conspires with Claudius to murder Hamlet during a fencing duel.
Rufus Sewell as Fortinbras, the Norwegian crown prince. Played mostly in flashback and frequently referenced throughout the film, Fortinbras and his army storm Elsinore castle during the final scene, assuming the vacant throne of Denmark.
Hamlet (1996)
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Julie Christie, Billy Crystal, Gérard Depardieu, Charlton Heston, Derek Jacobi, Jack Lemmon, Rufus Sewell, Robin Williams, Kate Winslet
Screenplay by: Kenneth Branagh
Production Design by: Tim Harvey
Cinematography by: Alex Thomson
Film Editing by: Neil Farrell
Costume Design by: Alexandra Byrne
Art Direction by: Desmond Crowe
Music by: Patrick Doyle
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violent images and sexuality.
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: December 25, 1996
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