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      As You Like It

      Released Nov 5, 1936 1h 36m Comedy List
      Reviews 23% 50+ Ratings Audience Score Shakespeare's Rosalind (Elisabeth Bergner) meets her lover, Orlando (Laurence Olivier), while disguised as a shepherd in the Forest of Arden. Read More Read Less

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      As You Like It

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      Audience Reviews

      View All (7) audience reviews
      christopher c. m At the time of writing this review I haven't seen any other versions. So I don't know if the makers took liberties with the source material or if it's faithful to the play. I know one thing, for a comedy, it's not funny. The word salad everyone says gets on my nerves. The paragraphs said when a sentence will do. It might not be the play since the Critics on Rotten Tomatoes who normally like Shakespeare even mostly give it bad reviews, the few that bothered. I hope to find a better version because this 1936 version leaves me cold and unamused. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member http://letterboxd.com/zbender/film/as-you-like-it/ In order to study up for an audition for "As You Like It," what better person to study than Laurence Olivier? Olivier was fantastic in this 1930s adaptation of the comedy. Even though he didn't have any memorable lines to work with, he plays the role really naturally. All two stars go to him. Everything else is really bland. I was hoping to gather some inspiration from the other male roles, but to little to no avail. I just want to be Olivier's Orlando! Rosalind... was a huge drag for me while I was watching. She became a bit unbearable. While I'm sure that the director I work with if I get a role has a great vision in it, this production seems rather uninspired. A lot of energy is zapped for me. Overall, some inspiration is gained, but not a lot. And now I want to shoot for Orlando (instead of the Dukes, Touchstone, or any other character). Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member This big screen adaptation of one of the most tongue in cheek but imperfect and messy Shakespearean works is stagy, outdated and rather clumsy, though notable for being the cinematic debut of Laurence Olivier. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member I would have perhaps enjoyed this more if I could watch the film with subtitles so I could better understand the dialogue. The fact that Rosalind spoke with a French accent didn't really help, but I did manage to enjoy parts of it. I am certainly glad I knew the plot beforehand, though! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member Stagey and static, the film is only of interest as being the first Shakespeare performance on film of the young Laurence Olivier (who gets second billing under Elisabeth Bergner). Of course, Larry is fine (hey, Larry Fine!), but he has very little to do as Orlando. As for his leading lady, Bergner is game but quite an odd duck - the Austrian wife of director Czinner, her Rosalind sports a thick German accent that is quite distracting. Not the best casting. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member I am not sure why Shakespeare is so popular, I find a lot of his work very slow and boring. This film is quite tedious and very hard to stay interested, but it is finely produces. It is overacted by most, however, laurence Olivier in a very early role is excellent, and for his presence alone, the film garnered a 6 rating. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      As You Like It

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      Critics Reviews

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      Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy) Esquire Magazine Elizabeth Bergner's mannerisms on show. A tedious production. Apr 22, 2020 Full Review Graham Greene The Spectator Regarded as a film, As You Like It is less satisfactory. There are far too many dull middle-length shots from a fixed camera, so that we might just as well be seated in the circle above the deep wide stage at Drury Lane. May 8, 2018 Full Review MFB Critics Monthly Film Bulletin It is well worth seeing and, in addition, can be recommended to teachers who want to give children an opportunity of seeing the play well acted and well spoken. Jan 24, 2018 Full Review Beth Accomando KPBS.org Rather bland recitation of Shakespeare notable only for an exceedingly young Olivier. Rated: 2/5 Mar 17, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Shakespeare's Rosalind (Elisabeth Bergner) meets her lover, Orlando (Laurence Olivier), while disguised as a shepherd in the Forest of Arden.
      Director
      Paul Czinner
      Production Co
      BBC Films, Shakespeare Film Company, HBO Films
      Genre
      Comedy
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Nov 5, 1936, Limited
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jul 9, 2016
      Runtime
      1h 36m
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