What do you think of Kenneth Branagh's film adaptations of Shakespeare's plays?

Question

I love his Much Ado. I'm not sure how I feel about his Hamlet. I hated it the first time I saw it, but I saw it again a while ago and I thought it had some good moments. I thought he was pretty good as Iago, but I didn't really like that film.

gawainer: I agree, Mel Gibson's Hamlet was pretty bad. He recited most of his lines as if he had no idea what they meant. I haven't seen Henry V.

zeebaneighba: Oh, I'm looking forward to As You Like It! Bryce Dallas Howard was so wonderful in The Village (a ridiculous movie, but she made it worth watching).

leecee: I loved Emma Thompson in Much Ado.

Well, it sounds like I really should see Henry V...

Answer 1

His filmed versions of Shakespeare are simply the best, outshining the rest. I would list Much Ado, Henry V, and Hamlet right at the top of all Shakespeare films. I wish he had done Henry IV Part 1 when he was younger, playing either Hal or Hotspur.

Beyond Branagh, the best modern films of Shakespeare's plays are the Ambrose DVD series (all 37 plays), produced by BBC and Time/Life. They stay true to the originals (as Branagh does in his own way), are splendidly acted in natural settings (not on a stage), and make good use of camera angles, close ups, and occasional technical effects. I have just watched The Tempest, and Michael Hordern is the best Prospero ever, even better than John Gielgud in the adaptation called Prospero.

But the BBC productions, excellent as they are, are not as cleverly designed for the modern eye and ear as Branagh's are.

Answer 2

I have not seen his "Hamlet," but his other adaptations are great.

"Much Ado About Nothing" was the movie that made me realize I actually did like Shakespeare. I'd never cared for the Bard' stuff, but when I saw that garden scene with Benedick/Kenneth Branagh eavesdropping, I'd never laughed so hard. I've been a Shakespeare-aholic ever since.

"Henry V" is one of the best, gritty war movies I've ever seen - and not a tank or a machine gun in sight. It's a far better movie than the cheery, colorful Olivier version.

Although it would be an even better movie if he'd cut out the "Chorus" part that keeps telling us how he knows he can't show us the full scope of the battle scenes. Well, maybe Shakespeare couldn't on the little stage of the Globe, but Branagh certainly could in a major motion picture. Having Derek Jacobi keep showing up in a trench coat to narrate is the film's major flaw, in my opinion.

I would love to see him try his hand at "Richard II" sometime - although he's now too old to play Richard, I think he'd make a great elder statesman in a few years. I want to see Branagh as John of Gaunt.

Answer 3

Henry V is absolute genius. I adore Branagh, including Much Ado About Nothing. I haven't seen Hamlet, however, but Kevin Kline's version is far worse than Gibson's! In fact, I think Kline is the worst Shakespearean actor (even though I love his other work).

Anyway, Branagh doesn't lose site of Shakespeare's original work. Nothing is overdone or overplayed. Plus, he's a cutie.

Answer 4

Yeah, you do have to see "Henry V"--and if you want to know how good it really is, watch the Olivier "Henry V" first....Aside from that, yes, "Hamlet" and "Much Ado About Nothing" are both really terrific. Haven't yet seen "Love's Labours Lost" (the one everybody forgets), though I heard mixed things--guess it depends whether you can take Cole Porter with your Shakespeare. Apparently, next up is "As You Like It" with Bryce Dallas Howard as Rosalind and Kevin Kline as Jacques, but Branagh's only directing it, not in it.

Answer 5

Henry V was stunning. I think it's the best film Kenneth Branagh has done. His version of Hamlet was much better than the version with Mel Gibson.

Answer 6

I've only seen Hamlet and Much Ado, and Much Ado is one of the best movies ever! I love it. Hamlet was ok but I like Kenneth Branagh's comic side better - he plays Benedict so well.

Answer 7

i recently studied the Kenneth Branagh Hamlet, and compared to Mel Gibson as Hamlet, he was great! The Mel Gibson one took the road of "let's over oedipus this scene" but the Branagh interpretation seemed heartfelt and convicting to me. But I love any Hamlet, so...

Answer 8

I agree with all your observations, but I just love The Taming of the Shrew. There were two versions that I thought were quite well-done and helped me gain a new appreciation for the Bard:

1. A tongue-in-cheek parody was done on the 1980s TV show "Moonlighting" with Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd. It was both hilarious (even more so than I think old Will S. intended) and yet was modified to fit women's liberation.

2. Another one I enjoyed was "Ten Things I Hate About You" with Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, which offered a modern twist on the familiar Shakespearean concept.

Answer 9

My friend, who studies the history of theatre, encouraged me to watch Brannagh's adaptation of "Hamlet" - at the beginning I was keeping a distance as I heard that the director didn't cross out A WORD from the original drama!!! That was very challenging, I'd say, the film was very long, but worth seeing! After all I was really suprised. Brannagh's Hamlet is original, almost contemporary as a man. Brannagh managed to catch Shakespeare's wit, knowledge of people's relations, reactions, feelings... As a film it was updated somehow but still showed that Shakespeare can be universal.

Answer 10

Let me begin by saying I have a bizarre lusty crush on Kenneth Branagh.. that out of the way.. Four hours of Hamlet was not enough for me!