Hamlet II

Actors: David Tennant (Hamlet), Patrick Stewart (Claudius), Penny Downie (Gertrude), Oliver Ford Davies (Polonius), John Woodvine (Player King), Peter De Jersey (Horatio)

Date/Location: 2009, Great Performances through PBS

KATE SAYS this is a fairly traditional telling--a combination between Branagh's and Gibson's versions: Hamlet as an intellectual man of action.

The Art Deco setting is quite appealing (although the Brits have kind of gone crazy with the early twentieth century look when it comes to Shakespeare). My favorite scene, however, where I feel that the movie really comes alive, is when Claudius interviews Hamlet in the basement scullery room. In a cramped space, Claudius looms over a bound Hamlet. He is tense with fury. Hamlet is finally worried but still insolent. Stewart and Tennant play well off each other's energy. There is strong individual vision in the scene.

I didn't see that as much in the rest of the film, at least not in the drama parts. I thought the strongest roles/scenes were the comedic ones. Ford Davies is completely hilarious as Polonius, and Osric (Ryan Gage) with his plastered-on smile is drop-dead funny. In fact, the physical humor (the soldiers chasing Hamlet all over the castle) is the best part of the movie. Tennant is more cerebral than Gibson but he is more fun to watch than Branagh. He has a Cary Grant-like physicality: sheer physical excess coupled with acrobatic grace.

Tennant does a good job as Hamlet but as with all the characters, the interpretations are mostly in the individual facial expressions rather than in the director's vision. Patrick Stewart plays Claudius as a cunning king. Peter De Jersey plays Horatio as deeply, quietly caring. Downie plays Gertrude as devoted to her husband and son and doubtful of Polonius's assertions.

The one part of the movie that didn't work for me was the security cameras. They are never used by Claudius; in fact, at first, I assumed that the cameras were planted by Fortinbras's spies. But Claudius refers to them; he just never uses them. It was odd. Clever. But odd.

I'm not sure how many more versions of Hamlet need to be done. But I'm glad PBS has Hamlet on-line. When I've assigned students to watch a version, they've been able to view this one!

MIKE SAYS if this version of Hamlet proves anything, it's that the setting of the play has minimal impact on the plot. The storytelling relies so much on the performance of the actors, and the language, that the setting is really incidental. The play could ideally take place anywhere: a post modern society, an mystical kingdom in the woods, or a far flung space station. It really doesn't matter.

It's enough to make me rethink something I said in an earlier post about Shakespeare: I had implied that the story was more important to the Bard than the specific language. However, upon watching this version of Hamlet, I realized just how carefully every sentence and word is constructed. Thinking even further, I realized that the minimal use of setting may have been intentional.

As his plays were originally performed with little stage dressing, Shakespeare probably tried to draw as little attention to the surroundings as possible. Not only as a way to overcome the limits of the stage, but perhaps as a way to help the audience focus more on the lines he had so carefully crafted.

However, the focus on the dialog may have been a choice of this particular version and its director, which may be why it caught my attention.

The film itself is well made and acted, and the costuming sometimes hilarious and liberating. I love the red muscle shirt from Hamlet's soliloquy: it's geeky, casual, and yet still hearkens back to the idea of a muscular and perfect Hamlet. It's also just a fun t-shirt!

I was intrigued by the choice to use Patrick Stewart as both brothers, and I'm unsure why the choice was made. It's interesting, but never paid off.

Despite my regression in my argument about Shakespeare and story, I do still think that a change in setting has little impact when the dialog itself remains unchanged. Despite new and interesting surroundings, Hamlet is still Hamlet.

While I understand the need to stay true to the play, I would still love to see a version like this: