Hamlet

Gamlet

Soviet Union, 1964

Drama

Synopsis

Grigori Kozintsev’s renowned Soviet production ranks among the finest adaptations of Shakespeare on film. His strong visual style places the characters on a rich widescreen canvas while preserving the inward dimension of Hamlet’s character.

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Hamlet Directed by Grigori Kozintsev

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Awards & Festivals

Venice Film Festival

1964 | 2 wins including: Best Actor (New Cinema Award)

BFI London Film Festival

1964 | Winner: Sutherland Trophy

National Board of Review

1967 | Winner: Top Foreign Films

BAFTA Awards

1966 | 2 nominations including: Best Film from any Source

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Cast & Crew

Articles from the Notebook

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Critics reviews

Critic Robin Wood recently cited this stunning 1964 Russian version of Shakespeare’s tragedy as the only one that “could be claimed as having the stature, as film, that the play has as theatre,” and it’s easy to see what he means… This runs 140 minutes but feels more stripped-down for brisk action than such vanity productions as Laurence Olivier’s and Kenneth Branagh’s, and consequently may be more compelling as narrative.

Jonathan Rosenbaum

August 17, 2001

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What are people saying?

Dave's rating of the film Hamlet
Dave

Possibly the best Shakespeare film adaptation I have seen...the only one that comes to mind as perhaps topping it is Branagh's Henry V.
June 27, 2010 00:50
- 3
- 1
Sneerwell's rating of the film Hamlet
Sneerwell

Smoktunovsky, though far from being so charming as Laurence Olivier, still is the best Hamlet. The shooting is extraordinary and perfectly fits the dismal and morbid atmosphere of the play.
August 25, 2012 10:13
- 1
- 0
Chris_Parker's rating of the film Hamlet
Chris_Parker

The film that does justice to Shakespeare's masterpiece. Shot in black-and-white ‘Scope, in dank interiors and seaside exteriors every bit as atmospheric as those in Orson Welles’s Othello, this highly political and imaginative interpretation of Hamlet is a poem of light and sound.
October 29, 2015 17:22
- 0
- 0
mgaspa's rating of the film Hamlet
mgaspa

La France avant de Mai 68. Un film tès sensible plein de references filosofiques que se tient bien a cote des premiers fils de Rohmer. J'ai apprecies beaucoup la description detailee de l'environement de pecheurs et ses families.Je l'ai aime beaucoup
May 23, 2014 22:18
- 0
- 0
nein's rating of the film Hamlet
nein

Dark, fairly romantic adaptation of Shakespeare's play. Kozintsev focuses mostly on themas of death and madness and it's a good thing to do. These are things that make 'Hamlet' so brilliant play. And the King's epiphany? I'm speechless.
April 06, 2014 17:29
- 0
- 0
matelot's rating of the film Hamlet
matelot

3.5
December 08, 2016 21:50
- 0
- 0
Dominic Rainsford's rating of the film Hamlet
Dominic Rainsford

Inevitable cuts make it sometimes more directionless than it should be, but fine performances, scenery. Some great ideas: Ophelia's dancing, etc.
September 05, 2015 08:18
- 0
- 0
Lord_Beria's rating of the film Hamlet
Lord_Beria

Hardcore enough. Could be less theatrical even for Shakespeare
January 21, 2015 06:59
- 0
- 0