However, Richard III can be seen as a different breed of Shakespeare production. That is a long time to watch a film - let alone a Shakespeare production. Sometimes, I would agree with those sentiments. At 161 minutes, this film may seem like a chore - Shakespeare or not. That is a turn off for some, as the language can be hard to follow. Yes, this film uses Shakespeare’s language from the original play. The story is based on actual events, but, with any re-telling, the facts are embellished to tell a better story. Based on Shakespeare’s historical play of the same name, Richard III tells the story of how Richard, Duke of Gloucester (played by Laurence Olivier) ascended to become King of England by way of murder. Previously, he starred and directed in Henry V and Hamlet - thought to be his best of the three Shakespeare films. Richard III, released in 1955, is Olivier’s third Shakespeare film. Noticing that one of Olivier’s Shakespeare films were on Hulu - courtesy of the Criterion Collection - I had to watch and see why Olivier is considered on the best. For example, he starred in 1940’s Rebecca, which is the only Alfred Hitchcock film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture). (Of course, Olivier did other films and plays besides Shakespeare. Having a role in a Shakespeare production is the epitome of good acting. Known for his Shakespeare roles on stage and film, Olivier’s talents, I thought, were a given. Olivier’s name is one of the names that comes up when providing examples of great acting.
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