Hamlet

What was au courant in 1948 comes off as a glacially paced ego-trip today. Olivier cuts whole swaths of the text lest anyone should make the mistake of thinking the play has anything more interesting to offer than his performance. And that introduction! “This is the tragedy of a man who could not make up his mind.” Thanks for clearing that up for us, Larry. 🙄 Give me a break.

Beautifully shot and Olivier is so great. Essential viewing and an education on how to adapt overlong and daunting work.

Lord Olivier and his cast are magnificent, of course, but this is hardly the whole play. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are absent, for instance, which rather confused me when first watching Stoppard.