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List of William Shakespeare screen adaptations

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This is a list of films and television programmes based on the works of William Shakespeare. 420 feature-length films have been made based on his plays and poems (according to the Guinness Book of Records).

File:RichardIII.png
Laurence Olivier's Richard III.

History

Silent Film Era

In the 1900s when the silent film industry began to develop in Europe and America, Shakespearean plays became a small part of its repertoire.

In France and Italy at that time cinema was not considered an art form in itself, but as a medium to present the art of traditional theatre. This idea was named "Film d'Art". Shakespearean plays' "public domain" status have made them attractive to film producers, who wanted freedom from a "faithful" representation of a theatre play.

In the United States, a couple of thousand cheap and wide-spread "nickelodeons" drove the film industry. American film makers then began to seek to attract viewers of higher class. They might also have been influenced by the "Film d'Art" spirit. They set out to shift the themes of their films from stories of contemporary workers, to classical works. Film makers were also responding to calls from religious groups, and the authorities, for a reduction of the amount of brutality displayed in historical films. Film makers chose Shakespearean plays because they were widely respected by both the higher and lower classes of American society, and also because their public domain status avoided copyright issues. The authorities also favored Shakespearean films, since they were suitable tools to construct a new Anglo-American identity on the vast, mostly immigrant, nation. Vitagraph in New York was a notable Shakespearean film studio of this time.[1]

Comedies

File:AsYouLikeIt.jpg
Elisabeth Bergner and Laurence Olivier in the 1936 film version of Shakespeare's As You Like It.

All's Well That Ends Well

See main article All's Well That Ends Well
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

As You Like It

See main article As You Like It
Paul Czinner director
Elisabeth Bergner as Rosalind
Laurence Olivier as Orlando
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Helen Mirren as Rosalind
Christine Edzard director
Emma Croft as Rosalind
James Fox as Jacques
Griff Rhys Jones as Touchstone
Alexei Karayev director
Sylvestra Le Touzel as the voice of Rosalind
Kenneth Branagh director
Bryce Dallas Howard as Rosalind
David Oyelowo as Orlando

The Comedy of Errors

See main article The Comedy of Errors

Performances

Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Michael Kitchen as the Antipholi
Roger Daltrey as the Dromios
Richard Monette - Director
Nicholas Pennell as Aegeon
Geordie Johnson as Antipholus of Ephesus/Antipholus of Syracuse
Keith Dinicol as Dromio of Ephesus/Dromio of Syracuse
Lucy Peacock as Luciana
Goldie Semple as Adriana

Adaptations

Cymbeline

See main article Cymbeline

Performances

Frederick Sullivan director
Florence La Badie as Imogen
James Cruze as Posthumous Leonatus
Patrick Tucker director
Gail Chugg as Cymbeline
Rebecca Engle as Imogen
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

Adaptations

Douglas Hickox director
Vincent Price as Edward Lionheart
Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart

Vincent Price plays a Shakespearean actor who takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition. He kills his critics using methods inspired by Shakespeare's plays, including a murder inspired by Cymbeline.

Love's Labour's Lost

File:LovesLaboursLost.jpg
The cast of Kenneth Branagh's 2000 film version of Love's Labour's Lost.
See main article Love's Labour's Lost
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Kenneth Branagh director and as Biron
Alicia Silverstone as the Princess
music by Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, and others

Measure For Measure

See main article Measure for Measure
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
David Thacker director
Tom Wilkinson as Duke Vincentio
Corin Redgrave as Angelo
Juliet Aubrey as Isabella
Ian Bannen as Provost
Ben Miles as Claudio

The Merchant of Venice

See main article The Merchant of Venice

Performances

  • The Merchant of Venice (US, 1973)
John Sichel director
Laurence Olivier as Shylock
Joan Plowright as Portia
Jeremy Brett as Bassanio
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
  • The Merchant of Venice (UK, 2003)
Film of Royal National Theatre’s stage version
Trevor Nunn director
Henry Goodman as Shylock
Derbhle Crotty as Portia
Michael Radford director
Al Pacino as Shylock
Lynn Collins as Portia
Jeremy Irons as Antonio

Adaptations

Douglas Hickox director
Vincent Price as Edward Lionheart
Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart

Vincent Price plays a Shakespearean actor who takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition. He kills his critics using methods inspired by Shakespeare's plays, including a murder inspired by The Merchant of Venice.

The Merry Wives of Windsor

See main article The Merry Wives of Windsor

Performances

Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
  • Quantum Leap The Merry Wives of Windsor (aka “The Shakespeare Collection”) (TV/video, USA, 1982)
Jack Manning director
Leon Charles as Falstaff

Adaptations

Orson Welles director and as Falstaff
Keith Baxter as Hal
John Gielgud as Henry IV
  • See also Falstaff (opera) by Verdi, since it and all films derived from it are adaptations of the Falstaff plays, in particular The Merry Wives of Windsor.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

See main article A Midsummer Night's Dream

Performances

Max Reinhardt director
Olivia De Havilland as Titania
James Cagney as Bottom
Mickey Rooney as Puck
Peter Hall director
Judi Dench as Titania
Paul Rogers as Bottom
Diana Rigg as Helena
David Warner as Lysander
Ian Holm as Puck
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Robert Saakiants director
Suzanne Bertish as the voice of Titania
Bernard Hill as the voice of Bottom
Adrian Noble director
Lindsay Duncan as Titania
Desmond Barrit as Bottom
Michael Hoffman director
Michelle Pfeiffer as Titania
Kevin Kline as Bottom
Rupert Everett as Oberon
Calista Flockhart as Helena
Stanley Tucci as Puck
  • Midsummer (USA, 1999) sets the Dream story against a surreal backdrop of techno clubs and ancient symbols.
James Kerwin screenplay and director
Travis Schuldt as Demetrius
Christine Edzard director

Adaptations

  • El Sueño de una noche de San Juan (aka "Midsummer Dream", Spain and Portugal, 2005) is an animated adaptation of the Dream story.
Ángel de la Cruz and Manolo Gómez directors
Sharon Small as Titania
Lennie James as Oberon
Johnny Vegas as Bottom

Much Ado About Nothing

See main article Much Ado About Nothing

Performances

  • Much Ado About Nothing (TV, US, 1973)
A CBS Television Adaptation of Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival Production
Sam Waterston as Benedick
Kathleen Widdoes as Beatrice
Barnard Hughes as Dogberry
Douglass Watson as Don Pedro
Nick Havinga and A.J. Antoon, directors
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Kenneth Branagh director and as Benedick
Emma Thompson as Beatrice
Denzel Washington as Don Pedro
Robert Sean Leonard as Claudio
Kate Beckinsale as Hero
Michael Keaton as Dogberry
Keanu Reeves as Don John

Adaptations

Sarah Parish as Beatrice
Damian Lewis as Benedick
Billie Piper as Hero
Martin Jarvis as Leonard (the Leonato character)

Pericles

See main article Pericles, Prince of Tyre
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

The Taming of the Shrew

See main article The Taming of the Shrew

Performances

Mary Pickford as Katherine
Douglas Fairbanks as Petruchio
Franco Zeffirelli director
Elizabeth Taylor as Katherine
Richard Burton as Petruchio
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
John Cleese as Petruchio
  • Quantum Leap The Taming of the Shrew (aka “The Shakespeare Collection”) (TV/video, USA, 19??)
John Allinson director
Karen Austin as Katherine
Franklin Seales as Petruchio
Aida Ziablikova director
Amanda Root as the voice of Katherine
Nigel Le Vaillant as the voice of Petruchio

Adaptations

Howard Keel as 'Petruchio'
Kathryn Grayson as 'Katerina'
Ann Miller as 'Bianca'
Julia Stiles as Kat
Larisa Oleynik as Bianca
Shirley Henderson as Katherine
Rufus Sewell as Petruchio
Andrew Honor director

The Tempest

See main article The Tempest (play)

Performances

George Schaefer director
Maurice Evans as Prospero
Richard Burton as Caliban
Lee Remick as Miranda
Roddy McDowall as Ariel
Derek Jarman director
Heathcote Williams as Prospero
Toyah Willcox as Miranda
"Stormy Weather" sung by Elisabeth Welch
Michael Hordern as Prospero
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
  • Quantum Leap The Tempest (aka “The Shakespeare Collection”) (TV/video, USA, 1983)
William Woodman director
Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Prospero
Peter Greenaway director
John Gielgud as Prospero
Isabelle Pasco as Miranda
Stanislav Sokolov director
Timothy West as the voice of Prospero

Adaptations

Fred M. Wilcox director
Walter Pidgeon as Dr. Mobius
Anne Francis as Alataria
Leslie Nielsen as the captain
Paul Mazursky director
John Cassavetes as Phillip Dimitrious
Molly Ringwald as Miranda
Susan Sarandon as Aretha
Raul Julia as Kalibanos
Jack Bender director
Peter Fonda as Gideon Prosper

Twelfth Night

See main article Twelfth Night (play) and its section Film and television adaptions

Performances

Eugene Mullin and Charles Kent directors
Julia Swayne Gordon as Olivia
Chales Kent as Malvolio
Florence Turner as Viola
Edith Storey as Sebastain
Tefft Johnson as Orsino
Marin Sais as Maria
Willim Humphrey as Sir Toby Belch
James Young as Sir Andrew Aguecheek
John Sichel and John Dexter directors
Joan Plowright as Viola and Sebastian
Alec Guinness as Malvolio
Ralph Richardson as Sir Toby Belch
Tommy Steele as an unusually prominent Feste
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Kenneth Branagh director
Richard Briers as Malvolio
Caroline Langrishe as Olivia
music by Pat Doyle (TRIVIA: the arrangement of Come Away Death in this production is an adaption of Paul McCartney's Once Upon A Long Ago.)
Maria Muat director
Fiona Shaw
Hugh Grant
William Rushton as the voice of Sir Toby Belch
Trevor Nunn director
Imogen Stubbs as Viola
Helena Bonham Carter as Olivia
Toby Stephens as Orsino
Nigel Hawthorne as Malvolio
Mel Smith as Sir Toby Belch
Richard E. Grant as Sir Andrew Aguecheek
Ben Kingsley as Feste
Tim Supple director
Parminder Nagra as Viola
Ronny Jhutti as Sebastian
Chiwetel Ejiofor as Orsino
Claire Price as Olivia
Maureen Beattie as Maria
David Troughton as Sir Toby Belch
Richard Bremner as Sir Andrew Aguecheek
Zubin Varla as Feste
Michael Maloney as Malvolio

Adaptations

  • She's the Man (US, 2006) adapts the story to a high-school setting
Andy Fickman director
Amanda Bynes as Viola
Channing Tatum as Duke Orsino
Laura Ramsey as Olivia

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

See main article The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

The Winter's Tale

See main article The Winter's Tale

Performances

Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Stanislav Sokolov director
Anton Lesser
Jenny Agutter
Greg Doran director
Antony Sher as Leontes

Adaptations

Tragedies

Antony and Cleopatra

See main article Antony and Cleopatra
File:226391-1-.jpeg
Richard Johnson and Janet Suzman in Antony and Cleopatra

Performances

Jon Scoffield director
Janet Suzman as Cleopatra
Richard Johnson as Antony
Patrick Stewart as Enobarbus (TRIVIA: This was his first film role.)
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

Adaptations

Gerald Thomas director
Kenneth Williams as Caesar
Sid James as Mark Antony
Amanda Barrie as Cleopatra

Coriolanus

See main article Coriolanus (play)
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

Hamlet

See main article Hamlet.

Performances

 
Innokenty Smoktunovsky as Hamlet in Grigori Kozintsev's 1963 film.
Clément Maurice director
Sarah Bernhardt as Hamlet (sic)
Pierre Magnier as Laertes
  • Silent Shakespeare is a DVD anthology that includes a scene from Hamlet
  • Hamlet (silent film)
Sir Johnstone Forbes-Robertson as Hamlet
  • Hamlet (1920) (Danish), cited as the finest of the silent film "Hamlets".[2]
Sven Gade & Heinz Schall directors
Asta Nielsen as Hamlet, born female and raised as a man
Laurence Olivier director and as Hamlet
Jean Simmons as Ophelia
Maurice Evans as Hamlet
Joseph Schildkraut as Claudius
Ruth Chatterton as Gertrude
Sarah Churchill (actress) as Ophelia
Barry Jones as Polonius
  • Hamlet, Prinz von Dänemark (West Germany, 1961) (aka Hamlet, in the USA) The English dubbing of King Claudius is by Ricardo Montalban and Polonius by John Banner. The extremely low quality of the production, along with the English over-dubbing, has earned this version a reputation as one of the poorest adaptations of the play. This is the version seen on Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1999.[citation needed]
Franz Peter Wirth director
Maximilian Schell as Hamlet
  • Hamlet (aka Gamlet) (Russia, 1964)
Grigori Kozintsev director
Innokenti Smoktunovsky as Hamlet
Mikhail Nazvanov as Claudius
Anastasiya Vertinskaya as Ophelia
Dmitry Shostakovich's music
Boris Pasternak's translation
  • Hamlet (filmed Broadway play, 1964)
Sir John Gielgud director and voice of the ghost of Hamlet's father
Richard Burton as Hamlet
Alfred Drake as Claudius
Hume Cronyn as Polonius
John Cullum as Laertes
Tony Richardson director
Nicol Williamson as Hamlet
Marianne Faithfull as Ophelia
Anthony Hopkins as Claudius
Directed by Peter Wood (the British director, not the musician)
Richard Chamberlain as Hamlet
Michael Redgrave as Polonius
John Gielgud as the Ghost
Margaret Leighton as Gertrude
Richard Johnson as Claudius
Ciaran Madden as Ophelia
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Rodney Bennett director
Derek Jacobi as Hamlet
Claire Bloom as Gertrude
Patrick Stewart as Claudius
Lalla Ward as Ophelia
Aki Kaurismäki director
Pirkka-Pekka Petelius as Hamlet
Franco Zeffirelli director
Mel Gibson as Hamlet
Helena Bonham Carter as Ophelia
Glenn Close as Gertrude
Ian Holm as Polonius
Kirk Browning co-director
Kevin Kline co-director and as Hamlet
Natalia Orlova director
Nicholas Farrell as the voice of Hamlet
  • Hamlet (UK, 1996) the first version of the complete, uncut play ever filmed - an almost literally “all star cast” included
Kenneth Branagh director and as Hamlet
Kate Winslet as Ophelia
Derek Jacobi as Claudius
Richard Briers as Polonius
Campbell Scott director and as Hamlet
Blair Brown as Gertrude
Michael Almereyda director
Ethan Hawke as Hamlet
Julia Stiles as Ophelia
Bill Murray as Polonius
Mike Mundell director
William Houston as Hamlet

Adaptations

  • The Bad Sleep Well (aka Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru) (Japan, 1960) is an adaptation of the Hamlet story set in corporate Japan.
Akira Kurosawa director
Toshirô Mifune as Koichi Nishi
Metin Erksan, director
Fatma Girik as a female Hamlet
  • Strange Brew (Canada, 1983), a comedy. Something is rotten in the Elsinore Brewery.
Dave Thomas co-director and as Doug McKenzie
Rick Moranis co-director and as Bob McKenzie
Tom Stoppard director
Gary Oldman as Rozencrantz (or Guildenstern)
Tim Roth as Guildenstern (or Rozencrantz)
Richard Dreyfuss as the Player King
  • Renaissance Man (USA, 1994) is the story of an unemployed advertising executive teaching Hamlet to a group of underachieving trainee soldiers.
Penny Marshall director
Danny DeVito as Bill
Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff directors
Matthew Broderick as the voice of Simba (the Hamlet character)
James Earl Jones as the voice of Mufasa (the Old Hamlet character)
Jeremy Irons as the voice of Scar (the Claudius character)
Kenneth Branagh director
Michael Maloney as Joe (Hamlet)
Julia Sawalha as Nina (Ophelia)
Stacy Title director
Jonathan Penner as Jack Lyne (Hamlet)
Jamey Sheridan as Carl Lyne (Claudius)
Mary-Louise Parker as Julia Hirsch (Ophelia)
Feng Xiaogang, director
Zhang Ziyi as Empress Wan (Gertrude)
Daniel Wu as Prince Wu Luan (Hamlet)
Zhou Xun as Qing Nu (Ophelia)
Ge You as Emperor Li (Claudius)

Julius Caesar

See main article Julius Caesar (play)

Performances

David Bradley director and as Brutus
Harold Tasker as Caesar
Charlton Heston as Mark Antony
Joseph L. Mankiewicz director
James Mason as Brutus
John Gielgud as Cassius
Marlon Brando as Mark Antony
Charlton Heston as Mark Antony
Jason Robards as Brutus
John Gielgud as Caesar
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Yuri Kulakov director
Joss Ackland as the voice of Julius Caesar

Adaptations

Gerald Thomas director
Kenneth Williams as Caesar
Sid James as Mark Antony
Amanda Barrie as Cleopatra
Douglas Hickox director
Vincent Price as Edward Lionheart
Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart

Vincent Price plays a Shakespearean actor who takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition. He kills his critics using methods inspired by Shakespeare's plays, including a murder inspired by Julius Caesar.

King Lear

See main article King Lear and its section on film adaptations.

Performances

Andrew McCullough director
Orson Welles as Lear
Peter Brook director
Paul Scofield as Lear
Grigori Kozintsev director
Jüri Järvet as Lear
James Earl Jones as Lear
Raul Julia as Edmund
Rene Auberjonois as Edgar
Rosalind Cash as Goneril
Douglass Watson as Kent
TRIVIA: no-one is credited as the director of this show.
Patrick Magee as Lear
Jonathan Miller director
Michael Hordern as Lear
Frank Middlemass as the Fool
Brenda Blethyn as Cordelia
Anton Lesser as Edgar
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Michael Elliot director
Laurence Olivier as Lear
Richard Eyre director
Ian Holm as Lear
Timothy West as Gloucester
Finbar Lynch as Edmund
Brian Blessed director and as Lear
Hildegard Neil as Fool

Adaptations

Jean-Luc Godard director and Professor Pluggy (equivalent to the Fool)
Burgess Meredith as Don Learo
Molly Ringwald as Cordelia
Peter Sellars as William Shakespeare Junior the Fifth
Woody Allen as Mr. Alien
  • Ran (Japan, 1985) is an adaptation of the Lear story to a Japanese setting.
Akira Kurosawa director
  • A Thousand Acres (USA, 1997) is a modern retelling of the Lear story, from the perspective of the Goneril character (Ginny).
Jocelyn Moorhouse director
Jason Robards as Larry Cook
Jessica Lange as Ginny
Michelle Pfeiffer as Rose
Jennifer Jason Leigh as Caroline
  • King of Texas (TV, USA, 2002) is a Western adaptation of King Lear.
Uli Edel director
Patrick Stewart as John Lear

Macbeth

See main article Macbeth

Performances

Orson Welles director and as Macbeth
Jeanette Nolan as Lady Macbeth
Roman Polanski director
Jon Finch as Macbeth
Francesca Annis as Lady Macbeth
Trevor Nunn director
Ian McKellen as Macbeth
Judi Dench as Lady Macbeth
Arthur Allan Seidelman director
Jeremy Brett as Macbeth
Piper Laurie as Lady Macbeth
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Jeremy Freeston and Brian Blessed directors
Jason Connery as Macbeth
Helen Baxendale as Lady Macbeth
Michael Bogdanov director
Sean Pertwee as Macbeth
Greta Scacchi as Lady Macbeth
Nicolai Serebryakov director
Brian Cox as the voice of Macbeth
Zoe Wanamaker as the voice of Lady Macbeth
Greg Doran director
Antony Sher as Macbeth
Harriet Walter as Lady Macbeth

Adaptations

  • Joe MacBeth (UK, 1955) is set among 20th century gangsters.
Ken Hughes director
Paul Douglas as Joe MacBeth
Ruth Roman as Lily Macbeth
  • Throne of Blood (aka Cobweb Castle or Kumonosu-jo) (Japan, 1957) is an adaptation of the Macbeth story to a Japanese setting.
Akira Kurosawa director
Toshiro Mifune
Isuzu Yamada
William Reilly director
John Turturro as Mike Battaglia
Katherine Borowitz as Ruthie Battaglia
Billy Morrissette writer/director
Maura Tierney as Pat McBeth
James LeGros as Joe "Mac" McBeth
Christopher Walken as Lieutenant McDuff
Kevin Corrigan as Anthony "Banko" Banconi
Andy Dick, Timothy "Speed" Levitch, and Amy Smart as the three bohemians
  • Maqbool (India, 2004) is a Macbeth adaptation set in the Mumbai underworld.
Vishal Bharadwaj director
James McAvoy as Joe Macbeth
Keeley Hawes as Ella (the Lady Macbeth character)

Othello

See main article Othello

Performances

Dimitri Buchowetzki director
Emil Jannings as Othello
David MacKane director
Sebastian Cabot as Iago
Sheila Raynor as Emilia
Luanna Shaw as Desdemona
John Slater as Othello
These are the only actors in this 45-minute condensation.
Orson Welles director and as Othello
Micheal MacLiammoir as Iago
Suzanne Cloutier as Desdemona
Sergei Yutkevich director and screenplay
Sergei Bondarchuk as Othello
Irina Skobtseva as Desdemona
Andrei Popov as Iago
Stuart Burge director
Laurence Olivier as Othello
Frank Finlay as Iago
Maggie Smith as Desdemona
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Anthony Hopkins as Othello
Trevor Nunn director
Willard White (the opera singer) as Othello
Imogen Stubbs as Desdemona
Ian McKellen as Iago
Nicolai Serebryakov director
Colin McFarlane as the voice of Othello
Gerald McSorley as the voice of Iago
Sian Thomas as the voice of Desdemona
Oliver Parker director
Laurence Fishburne as Othello
Kenneth Branagh as Iago
Irene Jacob as

Adaptations

  • A Double Life (USA, 1947) is a film noir adaptation of the Othello story, in which an actor playing the moor takes on frightening aspects of his character's personality.
George Cukor director
Ronald Colman as Anthony John
Douglas Hickox director
Vincent Price as Edward Lionheart
Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart

Vincent Price plays a Shakespearean actor who takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition. He kills his critics using methods inspired by Shakespeare's plays, including a murder inspired by Othello.

Jayaraaj director
Suresh Gopi as Kannan Perumalayan (the Othello character)
  • O (USA, 2001) is a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello
Tim Blake Nelson director
Mekhi Phifer as Odin James
Josh Hartnett as Hugo
Julia Stiles as Desi
Vishal Bharadwaj director
Ajay Devgan as Omkara 'Omi' Shukla (Othello)
Saif Ali Khan as Langda Tyagi (Iago)
Vivek Oberoi as Kesu Firangi (Cassio)
Kareena Kapoor as Dolly Mishra (Desdemona)
Konkona Sen Sharma as Indu (Emilia)
Bipasha Basu as Billo Chamanbahar (Bianca)
Naseeruddin Shah as Bhaisaab (Duke of Venice)

Romeo and Juliet

See main article Romeo and Juliet

Performances

J. Stuart Blackton director
Florence Lawrence as Juliet
Paul Panzer as Romeo
George Cukor director
Norma Shearer as Juliet
Leslie Howard as Romeo
Renato Castellani director
Susan Shentall as Juliet
Laurence Harvey as Romeo
Franco Zeffirelli director
Olivia Hussey as Juliet
Leonard Whiting as Romeo
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
William Woodman director
Blanche Baker as Juliet
Alex Hyde-White as Romeo
Joan Kemp-Welch director
Ann Hasson as Juliet
Christopher Neame as Romeo
Efim Gamburg director
Felicity Kendall as narrator
Clare Holman as the voice of Juliet
Linus Roache as the voice of Romeo
  • Romeo+Juliet (aka “William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet”) (USA, 1996)
Baz Luhrmann director
Claire Danes as Juliet
Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo

Adaptations

Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins directors
Natalie Wood as Maria
Douglas Hickox director
Vincent Price as Edward Lionheart
Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart

Vincent Price plays a Shakespearean actor who takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition. He kills his critics using methods inspired by Shakespeare's plays, including a scene inspired by Romeo and Juliet.

  • Tromeo and Juliet (USA, 1996) is a "trash" adaptation, tagged: Body Piercing, Kinky Sex, Dismemberment. The Things That Made Shakespeare Great.
Lloyd Kaufman director
Jane Jensen as Juliet Capulet
Will Keenan as Tromeo Que
  • Romeo Must Die (2000) is a martial arts film variation on the Romeo and Juliet theme.
Andrzej Bartkowiak director
Jet Li as Han
Aaliyah as Trish O’Day
  • See also Shakespeare in Love (entry below, and at its own page) which dramatises the writing and first performance of Romeo and Juliet.

Timon of Athens

See main article Timon of Athens
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Jonathan Miller Director
Jonathan Pryce as Timon
Norman Rodway as Apemantus
The Long Johns as Painter and Poet

Titus Andronicus

File:Titus1w.jpg
Julie Taymor's film Titus, starring Anthony Hopkins as Titus Andronicus and Jessica Lange as Tamora.
See main article Titus Andronicus

Performances

Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Julie Taymor director
Anthony Hopkins as Titus Andronicus
Jessica Lange as Tamora
Alan Cumming as Saturninus
Christopher Dunne director
Robert Reece as Titus Andronicus
Candy K. Sweet as Tamora

Adaptations

Douglas Hickox director
Vincent Price as Edward Lionheart
Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart

Vincent Price plays a Shakespearean actor who takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition. He kills his critics using methods inspired by Shakespeare's plays, including a murder inspired by Titus Andronicus.

Troilus and Cressida

See main article Troilus and Cressida

Performances

Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

Adaptations

Douglas Hickox director
Vincent Price as Edward Lionheart
Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart

Vincent Price plays a Shakespearean actor who takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition. He kills his critics using methods inspired by Shakespeare's plays, including a murder inspired by Troilus and Cressida.

Histories

Henry IV Part 1

See main article Henry IV, Part 1

Performances

Michael Hayes director
Tom Fleming as Henry IV
Robert Hardy as Hal
Frank Pettingell as Falstaff
Sean Connery as Hotspur
Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Anthony Quayle as Falstaff
Jon Finch as Henry IV
David Gwillim as Hal

Adaptations

Orson Welles director and as Falstaff
Keith Baxter as Hal
John Gielgud as Henry IV
Gus Van Sant director
River Phoenix as Mike Waters
Keanu Reeves as Scott Favor

Henry IV Part 2

See main article Henry IV, Part 2

Performances

Michael Hayes director
Tom Fleming as Henry IV
Robert Hardy as Hal
Frank Pettingell as Falstaff
Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Anthony Quayle as Falstaff
Jon Finch as Henry IV
David Gwillim as Hal

Adaptations

Orson Welles director and as Falstaff
Keith Baxter as Hal
John Gielgud as Henry IV

Henry V

File:OlivierHenryV.jpg
Laurence Olivier in his 1944 film version of Henry V.
File:Henry V Branagh.jpg
Christopher Ravenscroft, Ian Holm, Brian Blessed and Kenneth Branagh in Branagh's 1989 film version of Henry V.
See main article Henry V (play)

Performances

Laurence Olivier director and as Henry V
Michael Hayes director
Robert Hardy as Henry V
Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
Kenneth Branagh director and as Henry V
Ian Holm as Fluellen
Brian Blessed as Exeter
Emma Thompson as Katherine

Adaptations

Orson Welles director and as Falstaff
Keith Baxter as Hal
John Gielgud as Henry IV

Henry VI Part 1

See main article Henry VI, Part 1

Performances

Michael Hayes director
Terry Scully as Henry VI
Eileen Atkins as Joan
Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall
David Warner as Henry VI
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

Adaptations

Douglas Hickox director
Vincent Price as Edward Lionheart
Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart

Vincent Price plays a Shakespearean actor who takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition. He kills his critics using methods inspired by Shakespeare's plays, including a murder inspired by Henry VI, part 1.

Henry VI Part 2

See main article Henry VI, Part 2
Michael Hayes director
Terry Scully as Henry VI
Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall
David Warner as Henry VI
Ian Holm as Richard
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

Henry VI Part 3

See main article Henry VI, Part 3
Michael Hayes director
Terry Scully as Henry VI
Julian Glover as Edward
Paul Daneman as Richard
Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall
David Warner as Henry VI
Ian Holm as Richard Duke of Gloucester
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

Henry VIII

See main article Henry VIII (play)
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

King John

See main article King John
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.

Richard II

See main article Richard II (play)

Performances

Michael Hayes director
David William as Richard II
Tom Fleming as Bolingbroke
Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
John Farrell director
Matte Osian as Richard

Adaptations

Orson Welles director and as Falstaff
Keith Baxter as Hal
John Gielgud as Henry IV

Richard III

See main article Richard III (play)

Performances

Laurence Olivier director and as Richard
John Gielgud as Clarence
Ralph Richardson as Buckingham
Claire Bloom as Lady Anne
Michael Hayes director
Julian Glover as Edward IV
Paul Daneman as Richard III
Jerome Willis as Richmond
Directed by John Barton and Peter Hall
Ian Holm as Richard III
Released in the USA as part of the "Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare" series.
A direct filming, from the stage, of Michael Bogdanov and Michael Pennington’s 7-play sequence based on Shakespeare’s history plays.
Natalia Orlova director
Antony Sher as the voice of Richard
Richard Loncraine director
Ian McKellen as Richard
Annette Bening as Elizabeth
Nigel Hawthorne as Clarence
Kristin Scott Thomas as Lady Anne

Adaptations

Rowland V. Lee director
Basil Rathbone as Richard
Boris Karloff as Mord (an executioner)
Douglas Hickox director
Vincent Price as Edward Lionheart
Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart

Vincent Price plays a Shakespearean actor who takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition. He kills his critics using methods inspired by Shakespeare's plays, including a murder inspired by Richard III.

Other

Shakespeare as a character

  • Shakespeare in Love is a fictional love story about Shakespeare’s romance with a noblewoman, at the time of writing Romeo and Juliet.
John Madden director
Mark Norman and Tom Stoppard screenwriters
Joseph Fiennes as Will Shakespeare
Gwyneth Paltrow as Viola De Lesseps
Colin Firth as Lord Wessex
Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth I

Acting Shakespeare

Ernst Lubitsch director
James Ivory director
Felicity Kendal as Lizzie
Shashi Kapoor as Sanju
Madhur Jaffrey (later famous as a TV chef) as Manjula
Mel Brooks director
Jack Bender director
Kenneth Branagh director
Michael Maloney as Joe (Hamlet)
Julia Sawalha as Nina (Ophelia)

Television series

NOTE: "ShakespeaRe-Told", “The Animated Shakespeare” and “BBC Television Shakespeare” series have been covered above, under the respective play performed in each episode.

  • The South Bank Show: Speaking Shakespearean Verse
  • The South Bank Show: Preparing to Perform Shakespeare
  • 1. The Two Traditions
  • 2. Using the Verse
  • 3. Language and Character
  • 4. Set Speeches and Soliloquies
  • 5. Irony and Ambiguity
  • 6. Passion and Coolness
  • 7. Rehearsing the Text
  • 8. Exploring a Character
  • 9. Poetry and Hidden Poetry

Three further episodes were filmed but never edited or screened. They were to be called “Using the Prose”, “Using the Sonnets” and “Contemporary Shakespeare”. Their text can be read in the book “Playing Shakespeare” by John Barton.

Academic

  • The “Themes of Shakespeare” series contains straight-to-video short documentaries, each considering the theme of a particular play. The contributors are Professor Stanley Wells, and Dr. Robert Smallwood of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
  • Two lecture series given by professor Peter Saccio were filmed and are commercially available on DVD.

Miscellaneous

Reference and Further reading

  • ^ Rothwell, Kenneth S. "Shakespeare in silence: from stage to screen." A History of Shakespeare on Screen. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1999.
  • "WALKING SHADOWS: Shakespeare in the National Film and Television Archive" Ed. Luke McKernan and Olwen Terris, (BFI Publishing, 1994) is a detailed listing of performances, adaptations and allusions to Shakespeare in film and on television.
  • "Shakespeare in the Movies: From the Silent Era to Today" Douglas Brode (Oxford University Press, 2001).
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