Hamlet (1948) Rank Films Distributors Director: Laurence Olivier Producer: Laurence Olivier Cast: Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, John Laurie, Esmond Knight, Anthony Quayle. Awards ceremony: -21st Academy Awards: March 24, 1949. Academy Awards Theatre, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Other films nominated for Best Motion Picture this year: -Johnny Belinda. -The Red Shoes. -The Snake Pit -The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre. Plot summary: I don't rightly know! Something about Denmark? Hamlet's dead father (a spirit) tells Hamlet to avenge his death, which was at the hands of Hamlet's uncle (his father's brother). Hamlet gets the opportunity to kill the man but hesitates at the crucial moment. Standout scene: Wow, trying to pluck a favourite scene out of this film was like trying to pluck a tooth out! If I had to say one then it would be the graveyard scene followed by Ophelia's burial. Facts: -The 21st Academy Awards. -Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, it won 4: Best Film, Best Actor (Laurence Olivier), Art Direction/Set Decoration (black-and-white), Costume Design (black-and-white). -Laurence Olivier bagged 2 Oscars; one for producer of the best film and one for best actor in a leading role. Talking of Olivier, this was the second film that won Best Picture where he was the leading star (the first was REBECCA). Personal opinion: What a GRUELLING 2¾ hours that was. Absolute torture. I have to confess I know nothing about Shakespeare (nor do I wish to after seeing this) so I had to rely on this movie purely for its entertainment value and it couldn't even come close to stimulating me. I spent most of the time clock-watching because it was just so dreary. A bunch of over-dramatic people talking gibberish for 153 minutes and a plot that involved a whole lot of muddled nonsense. It seems that this was a personal project from Laurence Olivier owing to his Shakespeare background and I say good for him. Many people it seemed liked the film, those whom it resonated with will be familiar with the works of William Shakespeare - but for me this was as boring as they come. The opening shots are moody and atmospheric and had a bit of a Lord Of The Rings feel about it and to give the film its dues it did win the Academy Award for art direction & set design, which it deserved. But all other aspects of it were just not my thing. Don't get me wrong, I love Olivier, but this is one of those films only a small handful of people will appreciate. Nice to see a young Peter Cushing though! To be or not to be? NOT to be. Did it deserve the Oscar? NO. Hitchcock's ROPE was a better film but where was that on the nominations list? Strangely absent. 2½/10

Review date: 22 February 2025