The Rest Is Silence

Today’s review is for the 1996 (ultra-marathon) period-piece drama / tragedy film:  “Hamlet” staring Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet, Kate Winslet as Ophelia (Hamlet’s girlfriend), Derek Jacobi as Claudius (Hamlet’s uncle / step-father / King), and Julie Christie as Gertrude (Hamlet’s mother / Queen) – along with about thirty other, mostly British, BIG stars.  According to Wikipedia, the movie is the only unabridged film version of the classic play and is updated to the 19th century (from the original written about 1599-1601AD).
Background:  This is (yet) another of my steps to experience / obtain a little English literature / culture.  I have viewed multiple Shakespeare films (plays) and so far reviewed:  “The Merchant of Venice“, “A Midsummer’s Night Dream“, “Romeo & Juliet” and “Shakespeare In Love“.  The last being a fictional portrayal of Shakespeare’s actual writing of “Romeo & Juliet“ and not a “work” of Shakespeare.
Plot:  In this movie, Prince Hamlet is traumatized by the ghost of his father (the former King) who reveals that he was murdered by the present king, Claudius (Hamlet’s uncle and current King). Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude marries her husband’s brother (Claudius) after only two months of grieving.  Hamlet plots revenge against his uncle and mistakenly kills Polonius (Richard Briers), an advisor to King Claudius and the father of his love, Ophelia.  After a dramatic sword fight, everybody dies in a climactic and tragic ending.  (I guess…)
Is the movie any good?  The movie was critically well received, but a box-office failure “supposedly” due to a very limited release.  I don’t think it helped that the film was just over four hours long.
Okay, but did I think it was “good”?  So-so.  I still have problems with the “Olde English” language and social references.  I bought this version because of the “Branagh” name (he was the lead and the film’s director) and because it’s advertised as the “only version with all the lines” from the original play.  That’s fair enough, but what isn’t advertised is that it is NOT the original play which would have been seen in Shakespeare’s time.  The film has multiple flashbacks which extend the length of the film.  I guess the intent is to provide better narrative explanation to what is happening.  As this was my first viewing of the play / movie, I didn’t know this and thought the film was actually as written (the play).  As I watched, I wondered how the folks in the cheap seats (the standing only area) reacted to having to stand for four hours.  It turned out they never did.  LoL!!  Obviously, I didn’t know any of this during the viewing.  I read about it on Wikipedia while preparing for this review.
Is this a good romance / drama / tragedy movie?  No, for me anyway.  Romance:  The relationship between Branagh and Winslet seemed forced.  I didn’t feel much chemistry.  Further, her descent into madness when her lover (Hamlet) kills her father just never moved me.  I guess I won’t know if it’s Winslet’s acting or the play until I see another version.  (Which at this point I’m not looking forward to…)  Drama:  None.  There was a lot of emoting and exaggerated speech making, but even not really knowing what was going to happen – I never cared.  Tragedy:  I guess I just don’t get “tragedy“.  Nothing in this movie seemed regrettable to me, which I thought was a big piece of tragedy.  I thought we were supposed to see a noble / good person experience something shocking / moving which causes a loss of nobility / goodness due to a personal failure or character flaw.  Okay…  Hamlet is a “noble” Prince.  Big deal.  To me, being born noble is not the same as being noble.  Hamlet goes crazy with a desire for revenge because he believes he has seen a ghost of his father and Hamlet believes his uncle (Claudius) has murdered his (Hamlet’s) father and seduced his mother.  Uh, was there any proof or physical evidence of murder?  There is no mention of this.  Just a “ghost” in the dark of night…  As for the Queen “moving on” after just two months of grief?  I’m sorry, but that’s what a Queen would do if the King died and the heir wasn’t ready to assume the throne.  She has to protect the “reign” – particularly in a time of war.  In any case, Hamlet’s going “crazy” was not presented as a character flaw.  If it was, it didn’t come across that way to me.
As a period piece, this movie is very well shot for grand atmosphere / scale and elaborate costume.  If anything, it was TOO well shot and the costumes were too perfect.  Basically, what the film gains in scope and beauty, it sacrifices in realism.
Is the movie entertaining?  No.  I found it excessively long and boring.  I enjoyed being able to identify some of the “BIG” lines and hearing the multiple soliloquies, but other than the sword fight at the end, the movie just did not entertain me.  [“Alas, poor Yorick…”]  The thing is, if you are a peasant in 1600 London and you’re seeing this play for the first time, NONE of these famous lines will mean anything to you!!  They aren’t yet well known, let alone famous…
Final recommendation:  moderate (at best).  If you want to “see” this play in a movie setting with every line – but with added bits, so it’s not really the same as the actual play, this seems an okay option.  I (personally) no longer think of this play as “top tier” Shakespeare, although it DOES contain a ton of his most famous lines.  It’s not even the best of the few works I’ve seen to date – unless you’re criteria is color and spectacle.  Two final notes:  Yes…  This movie is the proof of the saying:  “you know it’s Shakespeare if everybody dies at the end”.  And, the title for this post is the last line Hamlet says as he dies.  I understand it’s meant to imply to the audience that Hamlet is (in death) relieved of insanity of revenge.
I’m hoping when I see a stage version, it is more interesting than this film version.
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Click here (22 March) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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