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Hamlet Overview:

Hamlet (1948) was a Drama - Film Adaptation Film directed by Laurence Olivier and produced by Anthony Bushell, Herbert Smith and Reginald Beck.

Academy Awards 1948 --- Ceremony Number 21 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorLaurence OlivierWon
Best Supporting ActressJean SimmonsNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Roger K. Furse; Set Decoration: Carmen DillonWon
Best Costume DesignRoger K. FurseWon
Best DirectorLaurence OlivierNominated
Best Music - ScoringWilliam WaltonNominated
Best PictureJ. Arthur Rank-Two Cities FilmsWon
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Hamlet BlogHub Articles:

Hamlet (1948)

By Beatrice on Apr 10, 2015 From Flickers in Time

Hamlet Directed by Laurence Olivier Written by William Shakespeare 1948/UK Two Cities Films Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant You couldn’t ask for a better traditional version of Hamlet than this one.  The acting is very big and stagey but I think that’s the point. Hamlet Prince of Den... Read full article

Hamlet Isn’t Dead: The Taming Of The Shrew – A Personal Kickstarter Appeal

By Michael on Nov 14, 2013 From Durnmoose Movie Musings

Ok, you guys know that I usually try to keep the personal side of my life out of the blogging side, except for where it relates to movies and TV shows, but I hope you’ll forgive me taking just a moment here to promote something near and dear to my heart. Earlier this year, my son David and som... Read full article

Hamlet (1)

By RBuccicone on Oct 15, 2010 From MacGuffin Movies

Hamlet (1948)      In making Hamlet, Laurence Olivier was credited with, more than anyone else, introducing Shakespeare to the mass public at the time, and rightfully so. Not only does Olivier star in this film adaptation of a brooding young man attempting to prove his uncle murdered his father... Read full article

Hamlet (1948)

By Judy on Jul 10, 2010 From Movie Classics

Laurence Olivier as Hamlet I’m not going to say a lot about this film, but, as part of my mini-Shakespeare season, just wanted briefly to record that I’ve re-watched the Olivier Hamlet and enjoyed it very much – it is much better than his first Shakespearean film role in As Y... Read full article

Hamlet (2)

By Alyson on May 13, 2010 From The Best Picture Project

Today, most kids have some resentment and anger against divorced or lost parents and they just slam a few doors, blast their music or get something pierced.  Hamlet is the story of a son filled anger and resentment against his mother and uncle after they kill his father, the King of Denmark.  ... Read full article

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Hamlet Quotes:

Polonius, Lord Chamberlain: My lord, put your discourse into some frame and start not so wildly from my affair.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: I am tame sir; pronounce.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: To die, to sleep; to sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub. For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: Frailty, thy name is woman.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover'd country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: To be or not to be, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them.
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Hamlet Facts
As of 2010, Christopher Lee and Patrick Macnee are the only surviving cast members of the film.
Laurence Olivier played the voice of Hamlet's father's ghost himself by recording the dialog and playing it back at a reduced speed, giving it a macabre quality. The role is often erroneously reported as being performed by Sir John Gielgud, perhaps because it does sound vaguely like him, but it has been said that Olivier actually disliked working with Gielgud in William Shakespeare films, and turned down his request to play the Chorus in The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France. If Gielgud had played the Ghost in Hamlet, it would have been the first of three appearances (so to speak) as the character: Gielgud played the Ghost in Hamlet and Hamlet.
Fortinbras, Prince of Norway, a minor character in the play, does not appear in the film. Some of his lines are given to Horatio.
The final scene to be filmed was the famous shot of Laurence Olivier jumping off a high tower onto Claudius and killing him, because it was considered to be so dangerous that it was feared that Olivier would injure himself too badly performing the stunt to film any other scenes. Olivier emerged uninjured from the leap, but the stuntman doubling as Claudius was knocked out from the impact and lost two teeth.
The first English sound film version of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet."
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