 | Starring: Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Claire Bloom, Cedric Hardwicke Director: Laurence Olivier Format: Full Screen PAL Released: 26 Jul 2004 RRP: Average Rating:  |
Now I know that Olivier's portrayal of Richard Crookback is an extension of the interpretation he first brought to the stage in 1944. At the time alll I knew was that the tradition was that an actor performed Richard before he tackled Hamlet. I was not sure why this should be the case at the time, but I have a sense of it now for whereas the Prince of Denmark is doomed by his failure to act, Richard, Duke of Glouster & thereafter King of England, is relentless in his pursuit of the crown. The idea of Olivier's Richard as a malevolent spider is apt, for he is beyond the stereotype of the power-hungry politician. He is a ruthless, dominant, & unforgettable figure, who consumes everything in his way & ultimately himself. The cast of this 1956 film includes John Geilgud, Ralph Richardson, & Cedric Hardwicke, but these actors have no more chance of standing up against Olivier's performance than their characters do of stopping Richard. For me the most memorable scene ends up being when Richard seduces the Lady Anne (Claire Bloom) over her husband's coffin, probably because that is the point at which Richard's ascension is assured as well as where he goes over the line.
The job by Olivier & Alan Dent, his text advisor, of making Shakespeare's play accessible to the masses who attend the movies is rather brilliant, not only in terms of the cuts (e.g., the character of Queen Margaret) but also the choice additions as well (the coronation of King Edward IV). The use of the crown motif is made clear without being forced, providing a cinematic way of reinforcing the power struggle, & we also have the overly bright Technicolor photography of Otto Heller giving a sense of pageantry to the proceedings. But we keep coming back to Olivier's performance & his dramatic appearance: the long black hair, the thin lips, the deformed left hand, the elongated nose, the crooked back & the sidling walk. It is no wonder that during the dark days of Watergate the idea of Richard Nixon as the American modern version of Richard Crookback took such a hold in my imagination. However, since I have seen this film there is only one other character whose evil has been as overwhelmingly charismatic, & that would be Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter. This is only a minority opinion because very few people have seen both films. But if you have, then I would think you be inclined to agree.
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