One curiosity of the DVD presentation is the formatting description on the case. The film is described as "Full Screen Version." Usually that is enough to steer me away from a purchase. Further down the liner notes is the following: "Formatted from its original version to fit your screen." Below that note, however, is this one: "Presented in the original 1.33:1 format in which the film was shot." So the film was not edited into a "pan-and-scan" format. Confusing but ultimately not problematic. The film presentation shows the entire picture as intended.
The cast list allowed me to exercise another favorite hobby. As a die-hard fan of Law & Order, it's fun to pick out series guest stars when they appear in other TV series or movies. In this case, the film could have been billed as a Dick Wolf production (thunk, thunk). No fewer than nineteen cast members made at least one appearance in the original L&O. (I caught many of them, but IMDB.com helped with the rest.) That's not even counting guest appearances in the other members of the L&O franchise or Jamey Sheridan's recurring role in L&O: CI.
In another crossover moment, the film's music was composed by Gary De Michele, who did the same for the 1996 film Big Night. (He supplied a Hamlet cameo as a piano player.) That movie (terrific, by the way!) was co-directed by Campbell Scott, who also appeared in the film, as did Peter McRobbie, the priest in Hamlet and recurring cast member of L&O.
The setting of the film was difficult to figure. It was not modern, but it was not Elizabethan either. IMDB.com calls it "turn of the 20th century America," even though the DVD liner notes refer to a Danish prince and the plot still includes England, France, and Norway. The costumes, very natty, fit that time frame. The lush locations--castle and environs--are not specific enough to be tied directly to a particular region. The characters' dialogue does not display any regional accents or dialects. One other noteworthy item related to setting: it was very sunny in this Elsinore. While other productions have used persistent drear and rain as an indication of the gloominess of the situation, that was not the case here. Certainly the weather was no reason for our characters to be unhappy!
The running time for this Hamlet was just a shade under three hours. Although dialogue from Shakespeare's original was excised, it was done adroitly. In fact, most of the cuts would not even be noticed unless one is well versed in the written play. The Fortinbras plot remained, as did all of the soliloquies. Much of the original action was kept intact. The film never felt long (even with a brief afternoon nap inserted).
The film opens with a visual montage--gargoyles, cast members. We see Claudius spitting a mouthful of wine into Gertrude's mouth. That was our incredibly creepy introduction to the new king of Denmark. Francisco, sick at heart, opens the action on patrol. His replacements arrive, and away we go. In our introduction to the court we meet Polonius, a seemingly genuine gentleman, and his children. Campbell Scott's Hamlet is restrained in our first viewing of him, and this was how he played much of the film. This is not a histrionic, violent prince. He is mild mannered and soft spoken; in fact, the dialogue was so understated at times that it was hard to hear what was being said.
Hamlet and friends go out to see the Ghost, and a directorial decision seen in other productions was used in this one. The Ghost was able to control Hamlet's actions, moving Hamlet's body in a recreation of his own poisoning. It made the prince akin to a marionette. When the three swear their allegiance over Hamlet's sword, the Ghost pulls the sword from them and down into the sand. The blade cuts all three, sealing their pact and making them blood brothers, as it were.
Hamlet's madness begins moderately, reminiscent more of grief than of an antic disposition. In fact, Hamlet appeared to be rather scholarly, sporting spectacles and professorial dress. The only initial sign of madness is the voice of the Ghost that he hears while he "comes reading." This leads him to smash the eyeglasses against the desktop and then to attempt self-mutilation. He ponders cutting his wrists in an obvious nod to suicide, ending up only cutting his forearm instead. In a questionable directorial turn, the "To be or not to be" soliloquy is delivered at this point. It was one of the few choices in the film with which I disagreed.
Following the misplaced soliloquy, the play proceeds according to the Bard. Hamlet calls Polonius a fishmonger. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear on scene. At first they are entirely interchangeble, but Hamlet's reunion with them leads to a direct identification of each. The players come to Elsinore. Interestingly, the actor who portrayed the Ghost also portrays the First Player; we notice the similarity, but Hamlet does not. The Player gives the Priam speech and is interrupted by Polonius. As our Polonius is clean-shaven, Hamlet indicates he "shall to the barber with [his] tongue."
Hamlet next delivers the "rogue and peasant slave" soliloquy. Screaming "Vengeance," he stabs a full-size portrait of Claudius. In pulling it off the wall, it falls on top of him and we see Hamlet flat on his back, covered with a portrait. Very brave indeed! He resolves to set a trap for the king. Following a report by R&G to Claudius, we move to the nunnery scene. The only trace of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy in its proper place is the odd "Fair Ophelia" line that remains. A well-played nunnery scene leaves us wondering about Ophelia. She seems to set Hamlet up and then acts (?) sad when he turns on her.
The Mousetrap scene does not include a dumb show, a standard directorial treatment. Gertrude and Claudius sit at one side, and Hamlet and Ophelia sit at the other side. Horatio hovers in the middle, keeping an eye on the action. After the play breaks up and Claudius heads to prayer, Hamlet intends to stab him. In this case, it is the Ghost that seems to stop him and not his own indecision. Hamlet heads to Gertrude's chamber and stabs Polonius twice. Once would be impulse, but the second time...
Ophelia's madness scene is reasonably played. Her grief fits the character; it's believable and not overdone. Laertes returns, and eventually he and Claudius meet to begin conspiring. Gertrude enters, and it is at this point that she would deliver the details of Ophelia's death. In a masterful directorial twist, however, she enters and we cut immediately (thunk, thunk) to the graveyard. What happened? The audience is left hanging (and freed from the excessive, annoying drowning speech).
The graveside scene follows in a fairly standard fashion, with some editing to save time. Hamlet and Horatio return to the castle to discuss the trip to England, and Osric appears. As it turns out, he has been around for the entire film, appearing as an unnamed attendant in the court introduction. Happily, this comic scene is played in full. The duel starts slowly and rather stiffly. As we move through the first hit (sword only) and the second hit (sword and dagger), the action starts to pick up. Unseen by Hamlet, Laertes switches weapons before the third pass and delivers the fatal cheap shot through Hamlet's gauntlet. Angered, Hamlet starts to brawl, eventually disarming Laertes and stabbing him with his own sword. Claudius' death is particularly violent. As many times as I've seen his death scene, I gasped at this one as the sword went through the King and the chair. Claudius' end matches his beginning--a mouth full of wine.
As Hamlet dies, he sees the Ghost of his father and "the rest is silence." Fortinbras enters the castle, Horatio delivers his closing, and the soldiers shoot. Roll the credits.
Although this version of Hamlet may not be quite as famous as those of Olivier, Gibson, and Branagh, Scott's Hamlet is, dare I say it, more enjoyable. The film is well-acted throughout, and aside from the unnecessary rearrangement of soliloquies, the direction is equally compelling. Readily available for viewing online, it definitely is worth your time.
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