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Hamlet

Play trailer Poster for Hamlet Released Mar 15, 1966 2h 24m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
This Soviet adaptation of Shakespeare's timeless tragedy follows the young prince, Hamlet (Innokenty Smoktunovsky), who is intent on avenging the murder of his father at the hands of Claudius (Mikhail Nazvanov), the king's brother and now ruler himself. As Hamlet sets about obsessively uncovering the truth and exacting vengeance, he must contend with complex feelings about his mother, Queen Gertrude (Elza Radzina-Szolkonis), and his romance with the beautiful Ophelia (Anastasia Vertinskaya).

Critics Reviews

View All (10) Critics Reviews
Bosley Crowther New York Times It is a spectacle, in the main-a large, mobile, realistic rendering of the melodramatic action of the play-that depends entirely for its impact upon its striking scenery, the physical sweep of its performance and the grand effects... Nov 20, 2019 Full Review Tom Milne Time Out There's a genuine cinematic imagination at work here. Nov 20, 2019 Full Review Richard Whitehall Los Angeles Free Press It is the fluency with which the poetry has been translated to the visual, the careful orchestration of speech and movement, [that] makes this an outstanding movie. Feb 4, 2020 Full Review Ronald Bergan Radio Times It may lack the depth of other film versions, but the images, enriched by the dramatic Shostokovich music, are bold and powerful... Rated: 4/5 Nov 20, 2019 Full Review Dwight MacDonald Esquire Magazine Innokenti Smoktunovski looks a little like Richard Burton and plays the part in the Burton style, only better, as a vigorous type who is much more at home with horses and women than with ideas. Aug 13, 2019 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews One of the better versions of Hamlet. Rated: A Sep 4, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ken C A superb, must-see Hamlet, recommended by Lawrence Olivier. Need I say more? Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/29/23 Full Review Audience Member Хорошая экранизация, отличная работа Смоктуновского, но уж слишком фестивальное, медлительное, режиссерски-нейтральное. Итальянские Ромео и Джульетта как-то получше выглядят, ИМХО Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member The clear-cut black and white blends the politically charged realism with the subtle symbolism made of clockwork, masks and shadows. The monologues become inner dialogues and Kozintsev's able direction adds dynamism to the plot, placing the tragedy into history and making Hamlet evolve despite his indecisiveness. The camera moves fluidly as well, searching for a way out of the imposing and ominous castle. Among the many vivid interpretations, Anastasiya Vertinskaya stands out with her portrait of Ophelia. One of the best examples of Shakespeare put to film, it stands a witness of the Bard's resonance across countries and centuries. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member Incrível adaptação soviética (1964) para a tragédia shakespeareana. Fotografia e direção de arte impecáveis, atuações grandiosas e a direção com toques de gênio de Grigori Kozintsev. Um filme monumental. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member I recommend that others view this Russian Hamlet with very modest expectations. I did not find this version to live up to the rave reviews posted. When I put in the disc I was thinking of other great Russian films such as Andrei Rublev (Tarkovsky) or Ivan the Terrible (Eisenstein).This film is not a masterwork. The makeup and the sound are amateurish. The sets are grand in scope but the interiors are lacking in quality. The production most readily invites comparison to the Olivier version and obviously comes up short. But this is by no means an awful version. As with any production, it is interesting to note the choices made and the differences in how the characters are portrayed. Lovers of Shakespeare and Hamlet should not pass this version up. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member The most brilliant of all filmed Hamlets. Why do the Russians do so well with Shakespeare? Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Hamlet

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Hamlet

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Movie Info

Synopsis This Soviet adaptation of Shakespeare's timeless tragedy follows the young prince, Hamlet (Innokenty Smoktunovsky), who is intent on avenging the murder of his father at the hands of Claudius (Mikhail Nazvanov), the king's brother and now ruler himself. As Hamlet sets about obsessively uncovering the truth and exacting vengeance, he must contend with complex feelings about his mother, Queen Gertrude (Elza Radzina-Szolkonis), and his romance with the beautiful Ophelia (Anastasia Vertinskaya).
Director
Grigori Kozintzev
Screenwriter
Grigori Kozintzev
Production Co
Lenfilm Studio
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Russian
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 15, 1966, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 3, 2019
Runtime
2h 24m