Kenneth Branagh's 3 hour and 58 minute full text version of Hamlet may be a bit much for five year-olds to sit through, but adults will find it riveting. Arguably the greatest play ever written, Hamlet has all the violence, madness, theology, romance, intrigue, comic relief, sword play, and one-liners that make the play the thing. Branagh has loved the play since first seeing it as a teen-ager and has yearned to make a movie of it ever since his directing debut with Henry V in 1988. Having played the title role over 200 times he is surely saturated with the bard's play, and a capable man for the task.
Hamlet's five acts are structured around the decisions and turmoil of three father figures: King Hamlet, Claudius, and Polonius; and three vengeful sons: Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras. Ophelia and Gertrude become tragic but not innocent casualties of their intrigue. Hamlet seeks revenge for the death of his father, but his father like Claudius acquired his power through the murder of elder Fortinbras. At the opening of Hamlet, in a scene absent from most film adaptations, Horatio announces that Fortinbras, the younger, marches on Denmark to avenge his father. Peter Leithart, in his book Brightest Heaven of Invention, argues that Fortinbras' advance holds the play together thematically. Aware of Fortinbras' importance, Branagh places the intermission at the end of act IV, scene IV as Hamlet delivers a soliloquy about the fortitude of Fortinbras while he in his own frustration cries "When honor's at the stake, how stand I then." And as Hamlet speaks we see, advancing on the icy plains behind him, Fortinbras' mighty army.
Our Credenda readers may be interested to know that the new Hamlet contains the mention that Laertes was studying in Paris. There he would have received a Catholic education, whereas Hamlet is introduced as a student from Wittenberg. By Shakespeare's time, the city famous for the ninety-five theses had become a center of Protestant learning. Protestants had to start new schools that were small and classical, yet presented the Biblical worldview over against the false doctrine of their day, and dominate in academic interchange. (Some things never change.)
The Wittenberg education shows (if I might interpret the play) in Hamlet's soliloquies about human nature. Hamlet refers to the greatness and yet utter depravity of man, and the sense in which sin affects the mind and leads to madness. With much of his potent prose Calvin might agree. This is not to make the mistake of claiming that the whole play is about the Reformation. Hamlet is about much more than that.
The uncut version also saves Hamlet's wittiness. For instance Charlton Heston, the one man epic, delivers the powerful speech describing the death of Priam king of Troy. In the midst of Heston's mighty, gripping speech Polonius chirps, "This is to long."
This film has great actors in abundance, with the exception of Gerard Depardieu, whose only achievement consists in saying "Yes my lord" or thereabouts, repeatedly, without sounding French. Billy Crystal's performance as First Gravedigger is brilliant and witty without taking the role into farce. Most of Hamlet's actors have carried films on their own, but no one upstages Branagh.
Four hours of dark castles and bowl cuts would surely have dragged, so Branagh moved the setting of his film to the later half of the nineteenth-century. The director liked that period because it was the last time in recent history when actual monarchs fought to increase their personal power. Elsinore's interior is represented by a grand set built at London's Shepperton Studios. The grand hall occupies two stages, and has a floor covered with 7, 500 hand marbleized tiles. The hall is decorated by many mirrors, but you will never once see an odd reflection in them from bad lighting or sloppy crew people. The rest of the sets were built with connecting passageways leading off so that the camera can follow the action, where ever it leads. Exteriors of Elsinore were shot at the beautiful Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.
Artistic brilliance is nothing without technical merit. Thankfully this film has both. Alex Thompson, the cinematographer, shot the film in 70 millimeter, a wide screen format, and maintains a crisp depth-of-field delivering the full glory of both the production design and the performances. Far and Away was the last film to be shot entirely in 70mm. The Panaflex System 65 camera, weighing 95 pounds with a 1,000 foot magazine, traveled on six miles worth of track during the film's brisk nine and a half week shoot. Branagh breaks several "rules" of film-making, one of which is to not move the camera while someone's speaking. But the moving-camera is marvelous and heightens drama. The film earns its PG-13 rating. During act I, scene III, over some dialogue Branagh inserts a couple of quick shots showing Hamlet tumbling Ophelia in bed.
Branagh's film interpretation bears some worthy note on some key points. Thankfully, he did not read Freud into the relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude, seen in Zeffirelli's adaptation, and instead Julie Christie portrays a Gertrude who resists Claudius' evil plans thus making her death more tragic (Oh, did I give the plot away?). The "To be or not to be" scene was amazing. Watch the use of the mirrors. In the scene before the fight at the end, Hamlet speaks with Horatio, telling him that he is at rest with his own death. Branagh plays the scene as though Hamlet is expecting his death, thus removing some of the tragedy and giving the film a lighter ending.
Finally on the reformed scale of cinematic excellence, five points being best, Hamlet gets a five.
Carry A Big Stick: The Uncommon Heroism of T. Roosevelt
George Grant; Elkton, MD: GCB Publishing, 1997
Reviewed by Tom Garfield
"I am a Christian statesman." So said Theodore Roosevelt, describing in fewer words than he often used, the sum and character of his career. "Christian" for him had a personal, as well as a corporate meaning. Personally--"After a week of wrestling with perplexing problems, it does so rest my soul to come into the house of the Lord and to sing--and to mean it--Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty." Corporately--"There are those who believe that a new modernity demands a new morality. What they fail to consider is the harsh reality that there is no such thing as a new morality. There is only one morality. All else is immorality. There is only true Christian ethics over against which stands the whole of paganism. . . . We must return to the old morality, the sole morality. And if we are to do that, then the church must prepare us for such a task."
There are many compelling reasons why Roosevelt's likeness was one of the four presidential busts carved into Mount Rushmore. The other three men earned their in our history long ago. Theodore Roosevelt was the only twentieth century president to be so honored, and the decision to add him was made only six years after his death, as the monument was being started. That decision was applauded by the millions who still rememberd and revered this truly great president.
The vast quantity of books written by and about Theodore Roosevelt (he disliked the moniker of "Teddy") are
still available, and are still being written. Once read (the Colonel wrote almost sixty of his own) these books give the lie to
our "modern" views of understanding great men and their times. Roosevelt would smash our politically correct teacups
like the proverbial bull in a china shop.
Unfortunately, most of the books about Theodore Roosevelt were written by secular authors and largely focus on
his political accomplishments and worldwide exploits. Wonderful as those were, to qualify as a true hero, Roosevelt
should have been a man of the Word and a lover of God. George Grant's book addresses the real heart of the "great heart"
and it is indeed one of faith in the living, Creator, Sovereign Lord.
This book would also be a marvelous introduction to the Rough Rider president. It examines his life, as well as a
listing of various biblical character qualities and how Roosevelt stacks up in each area. A major attraction in Grant's rendering
is his use of actual quotes by Theodore Roosevelt. The only concern I have about this book is that it will encourage even
more "Teo-phytes" (my word) to be created, and for those of us who already love him, it tempts us toward idolatry.
Actually, like all men, Roosevelt was falllible and a number of his progressive decisions illustrated more of his passion than
his wisdom. Some of his fgood intentions have since become fecerallly wielded "clubs," with no soft talk. Nonetheless,
after laying down the book, my greatest sense was one of loss. Would that our Father might raise up another man for
leadership with the great heart and faith of Theodore Roosevelt!
