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Richard III - Laurence Olivier [DVD] [1955]

Laurence Olivier , Cedric Hardwicke , Laurence Olivier    Universal, suitable for all   DVD
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Actors: Laurence Olivier, Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Claire Bloom
  • Directors: Laurence Olivier
  • Format: PAL, Import
  • Language: English
  • Subtitles: Czech
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: U
  • Run Time: 152 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B007D5740E
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 155,867 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)

Reviews

Brand New & Factory Sealed. Region 2 PAL (UK & Europe). IMPORTANT: This is the official Czech release. The front cover is exactly as pictured and the back cover has Czech text. The film itself has optional Czech subtitles on/off. ORIGINAL ENGLISH SOUNDTRACK - GUARANTEED > > > > > The third and final entry in Laurence Olivier's Shakespeare triptych, "Richard III" is an audacious portrait of a man determined to prove himself a villain. A pure master of the political stage, Richard deploys a barrage of odious, unscrupulous traps in an attempt to exercise complete control over his rivals. As the personification of evil impudence, Olivier portrays the Duke of Gloucester with such aplomb that he even lures the audience on to his side. This is true even as Richard engineers plots to murder his brother Clarence (John Gielgud), betray his cousin Buckingham (Ralph Richardson) and seduce his niece Lady Anne (Claire Bloom). From the play's famous opening lines ("Now is the winter of our discontent"), Olivier delivers every speech with truly Machiavellian splendour. As usual, his voice is a force of nature--a full-bodied coloratura at one moment, an earthy baritone cello a few beats later. As a director, Olivier fully realises but underplays the corners of the script that most directors would hinge their dramatisation on. But he can also play it large: Olivier's superb staging of the climactic battle rivals his work on Henry V. Though Richard is finally brought down by the whispered curses of Queen Margaret, the audience exits feeling that the journey has been both entertaining and complete. Regrettably, this would be Olivier's last Shakespeare film, as a planned adaptation of Macbeth was abandoned for financial reasons. Olivier justly received an Oscar nomination for his performance; and believe it or not, this film was the inspiration for the original Blackadder! --Kevin Mulhall

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
115 of 115 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Now is the Richard of our content 7 April 2006
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Those of us who have been maddened by poor prints of this film can rejoice in this nicely restored edition. The picture quality is good (suitably dark Technicolor), the format is slightly wide screen (VistaVision), and the sound is clear.
Shakespeare's Richard 111 may not be historically accurate, but dramatically it is spot on! Olivier fielded a wonderful team of supporting players for this: Cedric Hardwicke, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Claire Bloom and so on. Even the smallest roles were well played.
The film has been a personal favourite for half a century. I think it's wonderful and I'll fight any man who says it isn't.
On the bonus disc is a 1980s television production, lasting three and a half hours, in which a mock trial of Richard was staged - a jury was asked to decide whether he really had been responsible for the murder of two young princes in the tower (an incident in the play/film).
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58 of 60 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Is this Olivier's Magnum Opus?? 28 Jan 2007
By Mr. R. Mayou VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
Finally, it is good to see this film get the special edition DVD treatment it deserves. Top quality for a top film. I first saw this when I was 15 and struggling with Shakspeare alot. Finally I understood due to the performances in this film. This for me is Oliviers Magnum Opus. Even more so than Henry V. The greatest performance from arguably the greatest acting talent this fair isle has ever produced. The set's are a bit crude yes and look very early cinema rather than 1950's but if you've seen Shakespeare on the stage you will know that is par for the course. The point is the acting. Because when a great actor is giving a great performance, as everyone does here not just Olivier, all else is mere cosmetics. Buy it, watch it and be mesmerised by the greatest performance you are ever likely to see. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This has been on my `To-Get' list for a long long time, but I've never been happy with the offerings to date. That all changed when I picked up this gem - an excellent package and fully deserving the five stars I've awarded it. The bonus `Trial' documentary is invaluable as it's been years since I've seen that aired on TV. It's a definite must-have - so much so, that I bought a second copy for my father! Well-recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Acting
following the discovery of Richards remains this is a powerful version of the events leading to his downfall. Pity they are not closer to the current version of these matters. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Alan John Wheeler
4.0 out of 5 stars Teenage fixation
I saw this about twelve times when I was a mere lad. It was my first independent view of Shakespeare outside of the classroom. Read more
Published 14 days ago by Peter Kettle
5.0 out of 5 stars Richard the III
Again,my late Dad took me to this in 1959,when i was Five...
I hadn't seen it again,till i saw it on Amazon...Was so pleased
when I saw it advertised here on here... Read more
Published 20 days ago by jacksparra1
4.0 out of 5 stars dated
expected a stellar performance from Olivier, but for today, his acting seems studied, and rather petulant. Read more
Published 26 days ago by passaro
4.0 out of 5 stars very good
enjoyed the film although it was a little confusing at the end. Sir lawrence olivier was brilliant. pleased I bought it
Published 1 month ago by rosemary spiers
4.0 out of 5 stars Richard the Third came first for me.
I enjoyed this. The sets seem to have been very grateful for the invention of cardboard. A low-budget movie. Read more
Published 1 month ago by flimbo
5.0 out of 5 stars Richard III DVD
I had not seen the play before, but with the excavating of the burial of Richard III in 2012, I was interested in getting this. The film was not disappointing. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Buzz Read
5.0 out of 5 stars Why not mention the trial as well?
Of course Olivier's depiction is definitive and this is the best rendition. What is not mentioned in the product details is that there is a bonus included: 225 minutes of it in the... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Samuel Romilly
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent 2-Disc Set
The 1955 movie is a classic, and well worth watching. But what makes this product so good is the second disc, where two decades ago, various historians mounted a "trial" of... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. AR MORGAN
5.0 out of 5 stars Crookback Dick
Although Richard III might have not actually been as bad as Ollivier (with the help of Shakespeare) portrays him, this is a bravura performance. Love it!
Published 2 months ago by Peter Tabb
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