Hamlet (1948)

Rating: 2/5

There's no denying that the acting in Hamlet is very impressive, but it's one of those things where, if you are a die hard Shakespeare fan, then you'll love it. If you don't like Shakespeare at all, then you'll probably hate it. I find myself somewhere in the middle, so I didn't despise this movie, but I definitely didn't love it.

Shakespeare is definitely hit or miss with me. I'm a little cliched in the ones that I prefer; Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, but Hamlet has never been a favorite of mine. There just really isn't as much in the story that captures my attention, so I will fully admit that I had a hard time getting through Hamlet.

It's clear that Laurence Olivier is a very skilled Shakespearian actor, but I think what bothered me was how clear it was that he knew that. The character of Hamlet is fairly arrogant in his own right, but Olivier made him seem so pompous, that I just couldn't bring myself to care or root for him at all.

My rating for Hamlet really doesn't reflect the quality of it, because I'm not the target audience for it. I can definitely appreciate it for what it is, but it's not one that I can honestly say I enjoyed.

1949 Best Picture Winner - Hamlet

1949 Best Actor in a Leading Role Winner - Laurence Olivier

1949 Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White Winner - Roger K. Furse & Carmen Dillon

1949 Best Costume Design, Black-and-White Winner - Roger K. Furse