Yes, it’s unabridged and four hours long (although it absolutely breezes by), yes it’s a tad narcissistic (directed by AND adapted by AND starring…), and yes, some of the stunt casting sticks out like a sore thumb (Robin Williams as Osric springs to mind), but my goodness Branagh directs the absolute heck out of this sprawling vainglorious masterpiece. The naturalistic style popular in later adaptations, from the 1990s onward, can be too fast or delivered with a flat inflection.I have a pure and complete love for Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet. And, when actors shift from stage acting to film, they can either act brilliantly or over-emote and lose Shakespeare’s humor. The casting also tends to be very white, but hopefully that will change in the future.Įach approach to the classic play has its pros and cons. This could be because Hamlet recently studied at a university, is famously unsure of what to do, or because many people first read Hamlet in high school or college. Hamlet as a character is supposedly about 30 years old, even though many people in their teens and early 20s relate to him or play him as younger. Legendary, 19 th century French actor Sarah Bernhardt played him onstage in 1899 and in 1900 on film. Between the ghost of Hamlet’s father, the castle of Elsinore, murders, sword-fights, and Hamlet’s play within a play, there’s a lot of opportunities for actors and directors to put a fresh spin on this classic in the best Hamlet movie adaptations.Įven starring as Hamlet is an iconic role for actors of any age and gender.

The medieval Danish prince delivers eloquent soliloquies and ponders timeless moral questions. William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet is perfectly suited to creative adaptations.

1996 hamlet full movie