Released to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth this is, for this viewer at any rate, the only version of Shakespeare's play to match that of Olivier from 1948 whose own adaptation was of course less political and more of a Freudian portrait.
Grigori Kozintsev had previously staged a version in Leningrad which is clearly the basis for this film. This is ensemble playing of the highest quality with the performance of Innokenti Smoktunovsky as the title character drawing great praise from Olivier whilst the Ophelia of Anastasia Vertinskaya is of stunning sensibility.
The same team: director Kozintsev, translator Pasternak, cinematographer Gritsyus, composer Shostakovich and actress Elza Radzina(perfect here as Gertrude) went on to make 'King Lear' six years later. That film has merit but this one, despite the considerably abridged text, is nigh on faultless.
Grigori Kozintsev had previously staged a version in Leningrad which is clearly the basis for this film. This is ensemble playing of the highest quality with the performance of Innokenti Smoktunovsky as the title character drawing great praise from Olivier whilst the Ophelia of Anastasia Vertinskaya is of stunning sensibility.
The same team: director Kozintsev, translator Pasternak, cinematographer Gritsyus, composer Shostakovich and actress Elza Radzina(perfect here as Gertrude) went on to make 'King Lear' six years later. That film has merit but this one, despite the considerably abridged text, is nigh on faultless.