468 - Hamlet, US/UK, 1990. Dir. Franco Zefferelli.

Friday, April 13, 2018

468 - Hamlet, US/UK, 1990.  Dir. Franco Zefferelli.

The king's to blame.

So says Laertes.  And it is important that it is he who realizes it.

Laertes' position up to now has been--

My name is Laertes.  You killed my father (and drove my sister to drown herself).  Prepare to die.

But now his position is--

Your uncle caused all of this.  I forgive you.  Please forgive me.  Let us go to Heaven.

Good idea.

And just as Laertes realizes that Claudius and not Hamlet is responsible for the tragic events that have taken place in the castle, Franco Zefferelli reminds us that Claudius and not Hamlet is responsible for instigating the roiling taking place in Hamlet's own soul.

In this version, Hamlet is not by nature brooding, melancholic, and indecisive.  He only moves in that direction in response to the shock and grief of his uncle's and mother's betrayal and the burdensome task of carrying out his father's mandate.

In this version, Hamlet is by nature a young, virulent, intelligent, athletic, loving, decisive man of action.

Had Claudius and Gertrude not conspired to murder the elder Hamlet, the younger Hamlet, just returned from Wittenberg, would have most likely married Ophelia, assumed his duties as the Prince, served his mother and father with honor and affection, dealt with Norway, and one day taken his place as the rightful King.

Imagine his future reign as having some similarities with Henry V.  Albeit with a different youth.  Whereas Prince Hal's youth is wild and rebellious, Prince Hamlet's youth is dutiful and true.  However, as a man, as king, would not have Hamlet dealt with Fortinbras of Norway as Henry deals with the French king at Agincourt?  And would he not have gone on to reign as Denmark's favorite king, as Henry does in England?

Zefferelli presents us with this possibility.  Which makes the tragedy more tragic.  It is not a flaw in Hamlet's character--indecisiveness, over-thinking--but the circumstances caused by Claudius that subvert the intended course.

His casting of Mel Gibson hits the sweet spot on that point.  A movie star at the peak of his powers.  A young, virulent, intelligent, athletic, loving, decisive man of action.

At the time Zefferelli stated that he was inspired to cast Mel Gibson after watching Lethal Weapon.  And if you know Lethal Weapon, you can see that.

Look at Martin Riggs.  With his thick flowing hair and wild eyes pontificating.  Is he manic?  Is he depressed?  Is he both?

"You think I'm crazy?  Are you calling me crazy?  You think I am crazy?  I'll show you . . ."

But Mel Gibson does not play Martin Riggs here.  He plays Hamlet.  And he plays him well.

Mel Gibson is a classically trained actor.  You may think of him as Australian, but he is actually American.  He was born in New York and did not move to Australia until he was 12.  While there he trained at NIDA, the National Institute of Dramatic Art.  And he starred as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream.  He then joined the Southern Australian Theater Company, where he played Oedipus in Oedipus and Henry Bolingbroke, aka Henry IV, in Henry IV.  He also starred in Waiting for Godot and Death of a Salesman.

"I think anyone who's seen Galipoli knows how good he is.  He's totally honest, makes the part work a hundred percent.  He sort of can't emotionally tell a lie.  He's absolutely centered on it . . . and he has tremendous passion.  He has wit, and he has a great variety of feeling." - Paul Scofield.

All of the cast shines.  Glenn Close.  Alan Bates.  Paul Scofield.  Ian Holm.  Helena Bonham Carter.  Stephen Dillane.  Nathaniel Parker.  Michael Maloney.  Sean Murray.  Pete Postlethwaite.  Christopher Fairbank.  And the others.  Well cast.  Well played.

The production design is stunning.  A real castle high upon a rock in Scotland.  Another castle built to specifications.  Wardrobe done to the minutest detail.  Fresh flowers.  Period-accurate vegetables.  Heavy swords.

Franco Zefferelli has done this before.  Shakespeare.  Opera.  Literature.  History.  The Taming of the Shrew (1967).  Romeo and Juliet (1968).  La Boheme (1965).  La Traviata (1982).  Otello (1986).  Jane Eyre (1996).  Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972).  Young Toscanini (1988).

If you have never seen this version of Hamlet, watch it.

If you have seen it, watch it again.  And remember what you always loved about Mel Gibson.

If you think you are not allowed to like Mel Gibson, you are.  He is one of the greatest star talents of our time.

Do not allow society to dictate whom you are allowed to like and not like.  If they tell you to pick up stones and stone someone, say No.  Put your stone down and walk away.

Your job is to love people.  Not to stone them.