Hamlet
Seen it?1948 | 153 min | Drama
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it won 4 Oscars. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. If you loved Hamlet or Fences, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Unhurried and epic, at 2 hr 33 min.
- What might put you off
- It's long: 2 hr 33 min.
- Made in 1948: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor, Sir Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet continues to be the most compelling version of Shakespeare’s beloved tragedy. Olivier is at his most inspired—both as director and as the melancholy Dane himself—as he breathes new life into the words of one of the world’s greatest dramatists.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
96% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.4 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 4 Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Costume Design, Black-and-White, Best Art Direction, Black and White. Also nominated for 3 more Oscars. Plus 1 other award.
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 64K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Laurence Olivier
- Laurence OlivierHamlet - Prince of Denmark / Voice of Ghost
- Basil SydneyClaudius - The King
- Eileen HerlieGertrude - The Queen
- Norman WoolandHoratio - His Friend
- Felix AylmerPolonius - Lord Chamberlain
- Jean SimmonsOphelia
- Terence MorganLaertes
- Peter CushingOsric
- Stanley HollowayGravedigger
- Russell ThorndikePriest