Kenneth Branagh makes `Hamlet' by himself, results in another success

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by Anne Kimbol

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Kenneth Branagh brought this philosophy to life in this epic rendition of Hamlet . Only he, a former player in the Royal Shakespeare Company, would direct, star in and adapt for the screen an uncut version of the classic play.

And only he could sucessfully pull it off.

Brilliant acting, wonderful scenery and often-creative directing bring the tale alive in a way no other film version has ever achieved. By including the entire play rather than just bits and pieces, the audience gains a deeper understanding of the play and its characters.

However, the audience pays for the insight with stiff legs and sore backs. The film's running time is three hours and 58 minutes, but, with the intermission (yes, it's long enough to have a built-in intermission!) it's four hours and 20 minutes from lights down to rolling credits.

The time does go quickly, though. The all-star cast involves the audience in a way too few of Hollywood's actors know how to do.

Branagh's Hamlet is incredibly complex. He is angry, insane, sarcastic and morbidly dark all in one scene. When he declares his love at Ophelia's funeral, only the heartless remain dry-eyed.

Kate Winslet (recognizable from her role as Marianne in Sense and Sensibility ) delivers a masterpiece performance as Ophelia. Her suicide is seen as a welcome relief from the deep madness in her soul. Derek Jacobi, wonderfully evil as Claudius, the man crowned after killing his brother and marrying his sister-in-law, also deserves special note.

The surprise of the movie was Horatio, played by Nicholas Farrell. Unlike the rest of the cast, he is not instantly recognizable, but his talent shines through.

As Horatio, Hamlet's confidante, Farrell brings to life the struggle and confusion the audience feels with the prince's strange mood swings and the many schemes of the court. In spite of the limited character insight in the script, the audience can use Farrell's body language to understand and empathize with Horatio right through his thoughts of suicide in the final scene.

This final death scene provides the indisputable climax of the movie. Branagh leads himself and the rest of the cast in a breath-taking, never-slowing sword fight which blows the imagination. It also justifies the otherwise overdone royal court. After more than three and a half hours of purely psychological intrigue, the action is more than welcome.

Admittedly, the film is flawed. For the first half hour, Branagh seems to be overly enthusiastic about his project. When the King's ghost first appears to Hamlet, the ground literally shakes and smokes. My personal reaction was, "Oh, please!" After that, though, he calmed down and played the role brilliantly.

Coincidentally, it took me the same amount of time to adjust to the interior of the castle. The royal court has a striking black-and-white checkered floor and walls of mirrors. The effect is stunning.

Despite the overall quality of acting, the cameo appearances of Billy Crystal and Robin Williams (playing the Gravedigger and Ostric, respectively) prove overly disappointing. Crystal's New York accent and Williams' clown-like acting instantly remind the audience that sometimes typecasting is a good idea. If not for Charleton Heston as the player, Hamlet could be a good argument against cameos all together.

Movies which live up to their potential are few and far between. One which surpasses it for four hours is a must-see. As clichéd as it sounds, Hamlet makes you laugh and cry; it becomes a part of you which absorbs you for hours after you've left the theater.

For these reasons and more, I once again find myself awed by Branagh's work and must highly recommend his Hamlet , which is by far the best rendition I have seen.

This item appeared in the Arts & Entertainment section of the January 31, 1997 issue.

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