With the situation in the world as it is these days, there is now plenty of free time. I rediscovered the DVD set and decided there is no better time than the present. So the plan, at least for the moment, is to spend a month of Saturdays with Shakespeare. Today became Day 1--Richard II.
Viewing the film brought back memories of the trip to Stratford years ago. I'll admit that the fine points of the Richard II portion of their production have largely passed. Of the four plays, it is the one with which I was least familiar. I guess that statement still holds true. We never studied Richard II in school at any level, but the other three all appeared at some point in the educational progression.
Lack of formal background aside, the film was a delight to watch. The acting is top-notch, especially Ben Whishaw as the tile monarch. It is a complex performance. Are you supposed to feel sorry for Richard, considering that he brought much of what happens upon himself? When a "bad guy" dies (oops, spoiler), should you feel bad about it? Is Henry Bolingbroke, portrayed by Rory Kinnear, really all that honorable? It's hard to find a single character who is not at times sympathetic and at times repellent. There, perhaps, is the genius of the work. The lines between good and bad, dark and light, are incredibly muddied. Characters wonderfully drawn became characters wonderfully portrayed by the cast.
The technical aspects of the film--set, costumes, cinematography--all resound as well. While an on-stage production necessarily is constrained by the venue, the film is not. Gorgeous castle sets are accompanied by terrific wide-screen camera work. Very little suspension of disbelief is required to get into the mood of the piece; it feels entirely true to its historical period.
Richard II sets the stage quite well for what is to come: three more films, three more Saturdays. Hope to be back seven days from now with the next installment!
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