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Rating:  - A Masterpiece Of Cinema!! Olivier's Best Work Yet!!
Sir Laurence Olivier's absolute mastery of another of William Shakespeare's timeless plays (his previous two self-directed efforts being "Henry V" and "Hamlet" [see my review on it]) is revealed yet again in this sumptuous adaptation of another of Shakespeare's most beloved tragedies. He is nothing but the absolute villain as Richard, Duke Of Gloster, who schemes to get the crown. His appearance was so scary, that he doesn't seem like the brooding Dane who won my sympathy in "Hamlet," the jealous Moor who took my breath away in "Othello," or the evil general who made me squirm in "Spartacus." He was an excellent actor, stepping into/becoming each character that he played. I really liked the camera showing his deformed shadow as he walked, his soliloquies to the camera, as if he were involving the audience in his wicked schemes and the way he was able to slither his way to the top unsuspected, NEVER backing down for even a second, evil to the end, not to mention the choice additions (the final scene from "Henry VI, Part III" and portions of a speech from that same play, which really fleshes out his character even further, so that we empathize with him throughout the film) and cuts (Queen Margaret and an interesting, but long scene between Richard, his mother, Margaret and Queen Elizabeth; if I forgot any others, let me know). As usual, Olivier cut a lot out, but that was just to keep the running time under 3 hours; you want uncut Shakespeare, see Kenneth Branagh's excellent, 4 hour take on "Hamlet," also done masterfully by Sir Laurence Olivier (see my reviews on both of them). All the actors in this film did an excellent job, ESPECIALLY Olivier, who was nominated for Best Actor, but lost to Yul Brynner for "The King And I" (see my review on it); should've been a tie. The film opens with a great prologue to the story, for those who aren't familiar with the play, showing the cast of characters before AND AFTER the film. The royal-sounding score, as composed by Sir William Walton, who also scored Olivier's "Henry V" and "Hamlet" (see my review on it) is terrific. I recommend this movie to everyone who enjoys Shakespeare, NOT the s**tty 1995 "Remake" (which I haven't seen, but the concept is just "Bleah!!"; see my review of Luhrman's sh-tty "Romeo + Juliet" for more information) of this classic tragedy "Of a hunchback who sought solace and glory in being a king." What I really enjoyed about Olivier's films (mostly the Shakespeare, even those that he didn't direct, such as the 1965 stage production of "Othello" [see my review on it]) is his ability to transform a play into a movie, while maintaining the essence of theatricality at the same time (at the end of his "Hamlet" [see my review on it], you see that part of the scenery [the stage in the play] was a real stage, etc.)
My only complaint is that the VHS (the MUST-HAVE 2 Disc Collector's Edition DVD being priced at almost $28) is poor quality (but not so bad as to prevent you from seeing the picture clearly, isn't widescreen as it said it would be when I ordered it from this site and isn't closed-captioned (which I would definitely recommend to keep up with the dialogue, even if you are familiar with the Bard's works and know every line...or every FAMOUS line, that is), but it's not bad-quality wise, the movie is EXCELLENT. Only Kenneth Branagh can equal Sir Laurence Olivier in everything Shakespeare (they both produce, text-edit, direct AND star in most adaptations of Shakespeare, take leading and small roles in others, etc). This film is Not Rated.
Rating: - Olivier's Master performance
This old classic has netted so many sterling tributes on the net review site - it seems pointless trying to cap them with more superlatives, much as the film - and Olivier's acting deserve them. Olivier's performance in this film absolutely electrified me as a young boy, and it still does.It turned me on to Shakespeare - and what a great thing acting can be, as a way of exploring the multi-faceted mysteries of human nature.
The only thing I would wish to add - to what other reviewer's have had to say, concerns Olivier's adaption of Shakespeare to the screen/film medium. Some feel that Olivier's Richard III is a bit 'stagey' - that Olivier failed to make maximum use of the camera, technically. It is surely obvious that Olivier expressly intended the film to look 'stagey' - to convey the feeling of theatre. The make-up is purely 'Stratfordian' and traditional. Admittedly, it comes over different - on film, but satisfying, because it still feels 'Stratfordian' (you can almost smell the grease-paint, and imagine nose extensions being applied in the dressing room). In key respects, Olivier made intelligent use of the camera - bringing a greater intimacy between the audience - and Richard's scheming soliliquies - than would otherwise have been the case - watching the play in a theatre. Otto Heller's camera-work and lighting has generally been praised, satisfying the requirements of Olivier's instincts - as a director. This film dates back to 1956 - and yes, it was a 'low budget' movie, compared to Hollywood productions, past or present. Britain wasn't that wealthy in the 1950's (t.v. had barely arrived, for most people). Buying tickets for the theatre in Stratford would have made a large hole in most pockets, so the advent Henry Vth and Richard III - at the cinema, was the first chance many had to see Shakespeare's 'plays' in action. What with the addition of William Walton's music, the extra pageantry afforded by the use of film - this was a real treat to watch, and it still is!
Rating:  - a fine release of a great film.
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.
Lawrence Olivier directed and stars in this great movie. As this is a Shakespeare release, I see no need to write a synopses. The acting is incredible and the photography is great also.
The Criterion Collection has done a fine job releasing this in a double disc set. It includes footage that was recently rediscovered and not seen for many years prior to the release.
The special features are:
"Great Acting: Laurence Olivier" A 1966 interview with Lawrence Olivier conducted for the BBC, a 12 minute featurette/trailer for the film as well as a theatrical trailer. There are also production and publicity photos and lobby cards. The film also has an optional audio commentary track by Russell Lees and John Wilders.
This is a must for Shakespeare fans.
Rating:  - Acting - Yea; Cinematography - Nay
This is a splendidly acted filmed play - notice how I write "filmed play" for this is by no means a masterpiece in anything but acting. Do not misinterpret what I say - Laurence Olivier's performance is a SPELLBINDING one, and, as with almost all the cast members, is just absolutely magnificent.
However, acting can only hold one's attention for all of "Richard III" if that person is a lover of the stage, because this `movie' feels like nothing more than filmed play. I don't give a damn how good the acting is - I'm a film major and was abhorred at the lack of use of cinematic techniques. Editing, camera angles, lighting, lenses, and so on could have taken this movie to another level.
I do not believe that a film should ever be so bland in its making - Technicolor is invariably the wrong choice for this, although that probably reflects the public's demand of it, so I'll let that slide. The fact of the matter is, filming techniques COMBINED with those stellar performances would have made a knock-out hit. Even if I attended theater performances regularly, I would still have disliked this movie, because it is not a movie and does not deserve that title. This could have been one of the greatest films of our time (it was, after all, originally written by the greatest author of ALL time), but instead I found myself looking at my watch because it failed to glue my eyes to the screen.
If you want a glimpse of combining technique with acting, watch Al Pacino's "Looking For Richard" (1996). It is filmed documentary style with handheld cameras and luminous lighting, which, although may not be the best way to film it, at least is one way to FILM it, creating a FILM. I happen to believe that Pacino's film is a great movie and a must see for anyone who purchases this film.
So, if you love the theater or are a Shakespeare nut, go ahead and buy it - you'll love Olivier's performance (it's almost impossible not to). But if you are a film lover first-hand, you will undoubtedly be disappointed.
Rating: - A horse , a horse , my kingdom for a horse!
Laurence Olivier at the top of his form with this sublime performance about Richard III the wicked deform king and his conquests . This is the definitive and greatest adaptation of this magnificent work of William Shakespeare . If you liked the acting of Olivier in Hamlet , this is much more compelling , beside the fact that Olivier did not win the Academy Award with this movie .
A superb triumph . Watch for the cast : Ralph Richardson , John Gielguld , Claire Bloom .
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