Hamlet at Elsinore

"Hamlet", a.k.a. "Hamlet at Elsinore", is a 1964 made-for-television film version of Shakespeare's play. Presented in the UK on the BBC, and in the U.S. on NET in 1965, it won wide acclaim both for its performances and for being filmed entirely at Elsinore, in the castle in which scholars believe that the play is set. Significantly, it is the only sound film version of the play (so far) to have actually been filmed at Elsinore. At a length of nearly three hours, it was very likely the longest production of the play presented on American television up to that time.

The film starred Christopher Plummer as the melancholy Prince of Denmark. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance. Supporting performances were given by such actors as Robert Shaw (as Claudius), and Michael Caine, in his only filmed Shakespeare performance so far, as Horatio. Both actors were, at the time, almost completely unknown to American audiences, and Plummer had only recently gained popularity in the U.S. because of his portrayal of Captain Von Trapp in the smash hit musical film "The Sound of Music".

Although clips of the film are very rarely shown on television, it has never been released on VHS or DVD, and Plummer himself has stated in an interview that he himself would like it to be released on DVD. The film was directed by Philip Saville.

ources

christopher-plummer.com [http://www.christopher-plummer.com/]