the scene where he confronts his mother is so breathtaking in its heart break. Both actors have great chemistry and I will never get over how well everyone in this production acts together. Every single one of them are a thrill to watch
@@raulbetancourt5795 .75 speed plus subtitles helps, but much of the machine-generated subtitling is poor, mistaken and misleading. I often rewind/review dialogue. There are other great versions ("Haider" 2014 and Branagh's 4hr Hamlet 1996,) but best of all: *Read the Plays.* 😄😩
I have complete works book, sometimes read passages along as I watch or listen to the actors recite. It helps glean the meanings as shakespeare’s language is super dense. A lot of the content in the plays is usually shortened and/or rearranged in productions though!
I can't think about Hamlet without thinking of Sir Laurence Olivier. What an actor! And not forgetting all the actors of this movie: all of them are sublime!
What a beautiful accent and pronunciation! What a beautiful English speech! It’s a pity that now you won’t hear such a pronunciation and accent anywhere 
Superb production in every way. We can all very much appreciate the great acting on display here but no one ever mentions the great camerawork by Desmond Dickinson --- it lent a moody, atmospheric and experimental tone to the film, a feeling akin to the work done by Gregg Toland on _Citizen Kane_ seven years earlier --- which, like this film, had a _film noir_ sensibility. Dickinson's moody atmospherics were also memorably on display 12 years later in the cult classic _City of the Dead (aka Horror Hotel)._ In my opinion, this is the best film version of Hamlet --- quite memorable.
One of the greatest pieces of English literature in combination with one of the most sublime dramatic expression by actresses and actors. I cannot help but think Hamlet was a real person.
@@limbsofosiris3187 I believe Olivier and specifically this amazing production is the best Hamlet on film that exists, and I have seen them all. But, his statement about “not making up his mind”, also bothers me. I don’t follow his meaning. I wonder if anyone has done explanatory research on this?
I struggled to understand so much of Shakespeare. I've seen Hamlet performed on stage a handful of times but I never understood a darn thing. However, this performance was on point! I knew exactly what everyone's motivations were. I didn't get bored and tuned out at any point. This isn't just fine acting, it is acting in a league of its own.
This 1948 production of "Hamlet" is rightfully the definitive version of the play. "Hamlet" has alot of complex themes that transcend the boundaries of time. Of course, Laurence Olivier's depiction of "Hamlet" is certainly the gold standard for playing this leading role.
Beat you Im 61 and just beginning to appreciate him . Read him in hi school and college ,but it just stuck me as to pretentious .Only now that im older I can appreciate language that is art in it self . Even more Shakespeare s unworldy understanding of human physcology especially for someone who was untraveled as he .
Thank God the audio quality is good, the other versions i found had poor audio and no subtitles... this is my first time experiencing hamlet and its so good so far 20ish minutes in so far like ophelias quirks like messing with her brothers dagger and lil pouch lol good visual storytelling about her personality
I'm sure there's much to love about this film, but the Brannagh film is the full text runs just over four hours. I mean no disrespect to Olivier, but the summary at the beginning about Hamlet being merely a person who "could not make up his mind" seems limited to me. And it seems wrong to cut any lines from this glorious play, especially Hamlet's own lines. I guess they used voiceovers to try to make it more "realistic," but I'd much prefer to see the actor speaking the lines. For what it's worth, I was utterly destroyed by Olivier's version of King Lear.
If this is the truest version of Hamlet for you than you obviously haven’t seen any well produced stage adaptations. Olive has cut out major points and characters, not to mention moving key dialogue among different cast. But as to the best Hamlet ever filmed I agree hands down. Thur Olive almost makes it seem the titular character is love with his own mother (yikes). You should checkout the 1969 version to put this one in perspective. Funny Nicole Williams version was hailed at the time but now is all but forgotten.
@@michaelgarza8271 Can't agree with you more about the summary! I think Hamlet was, instead of being unable to make up his mind, very real and very determined!
Thank you for this fabulous upload. To have such an old film preserved so beautifully, is something to be grateful for. While playing a very minor role, it's also the earliest appearance of Patrick Troughton that we have in acceptable viewing quality.
it's one of Shake Spears best, it's a beautiful setting sun, brilliant Hamlet is court jester, stand up comedian, politician, prince, and of course a poet.
I'm doing a project where I'm trying to watch every version of Hamlet that I can find. Here's my take on Olivier's. What I dig: -Olivier's performance is awesome. He sees Hamlet as a mirror and is exploring everything he can with it -The villains are great. Claudius, Polonius, and Laertes all feel like fully-realized men with understandable motives -The Mousetrap was perfect. The play-within-a-play slows me down on most readings and this movie kept the important parts and made apropriate cuts. I was impressed with the way they incorporated Elizabethan theatre elements -The graveyard scene was wonderful; I love the bit where Hamlet surprises himself by spilling dirt out -The fencing match was AWESOME! Most actors these days couldn't manage those moves -The ghost was appropriately disturbing Rough bits: -Inner monologues; this always seems like cheating to me in Shakespeare movies, I would have rather seen Olivier speak every line. This honestly ruined "To be or not to be" for me -Gertrude. The heavy Oedipal interpretation makes this version famous, but I think they fumbled it. Gertrude being so close to Hamlet's age takes a lot of the strangeness out of the problem and turns it more melodramatic than it should be. I also kind of think the actress playing her isjust a ham in this. -Horatio is entirely forgettable
I am in my mid 50's & cannot find the 1929 and 1936 versions of the same play, released in England, that I am certain was shown on either BBC or ITV, in the early 1970's.
Not sure why Olivier decided to dispense with the "adders fang'd" Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Would have liked to have the "What's he to Hecuba?" speech and "She doth protest too much" remain. Meanwhile Jean Simmons is beautiful and perfectly cast. =
Agreed. I suppose they felt it necessary to edit the play to fit it into a movie. But I think the play should be done completely without cutting anything out, even if takes four hours like Branaugh version did.
Shit goes sooooo hard. Tried and failed to watch several awful college productions before landing here and enjoying every forsaken second. Poor guy; lucky us.
Stunning...Absolutely Stunning!!! I'd heard of the famous 'Yoricks skull scene but had never seen it. The movie just absorbs you to the point that I had completely forgotten about it....Then Ophelia dies, the scene fades and next we're in a graveyard...I remember thinking, 'oh yes! The graveyard scene. Let's see how it goes....Brilliant!! Oliver's acting and directing cannot be beaten!! Two bits stand out. When the grave digger says, "who'd you think it was?" And Oliver laughs and says, 'nay, I know not." Just the way he laughs as he says it is perfect! And of course, when Oliver holds the skull with the Classic Lines, "Where be your jibes now? Your songs, your gambles? Your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar?"...Genius Shakespeare, Brilliant Oliver
So, that performance suggests it's Horatio to take over the Denmark after Hamlet's death? by the way the fact that he remaines there next to his body is just heartwrenching.
the scene where he confronts his mother is so breathtaking in its heart break. Both actors have great chemistry and I will never get over how well everyone in this production acts together. Every single one of them are a thrill to watch
The joy the actor conveys when he shouts "IS IT THE KING?" gets me everytime lol
409 years old, yet we still understand the language, drama, and brilliance.
We still get those from far older texts. Greek or roman
I think I will have to watch It 2 or 3 more times to fully understand the dialogues, It kinda hard for me.
@@raulbetancourt5795 .75 speed plus subtitles helps, but much of the machine-generated subtitling is poor, mistaken and misleading. I often rewind/review dialogue. There are other great versions ("Haider" 2014 and Branagh's 4hr Hamlet 1996,) but best of all: *Read the Plays.* 😄😩
I have complete works book, sometimes read passages along as I watch or listen to the actors recite. It helps glean the meanings as shakespeare’s language is super dense. A lot of the content in the plays is usually shortened and/or rearranged in productions though!
@@Anicius_agreed
This is one of the best things to have ever graced RUclips in such quality.
I can't think about Hamlet without thinking of Sir Laurence Olivier. What an actor! And not forgetting all the actors of this movie: all of them are sublime!
Lord olivier played the role with his heart
yes, fantastic...and what writing...wow!!!
What a beautiful accent and pronunciation! What a beautiful English speech! It’s a pity that now you won’t hear such a pronunciation and accent anywhere

I have an exam tomorrow 😫and it's all about Hamlet so here I am
Wahh 😂
@@rimpa_126 yes i also got an exam tmrw
same 😫
How did it go?
same
Sir Laurence Olivier, playing Hamlet. The complete play. On RUclips. For free. Dang! ❤️😀
Ikr!!! I’m searching other websites but made a fool out of myself when i released the og adaptations available on utube!!!😭
Wow. Looks Incredible. Thank you for letting us watch these, free of charge.
This was my first time experiencing Hamlet. Maaaan that play scene was INSANE!!!!
Ikr, watching it for the first time this weekend/when I have the time
Sorry which play scene? What's the time stamp?
@@shushanto 1:13:19
Leave me alone Mom I'm watching 1948 Hamlet
attaboy
Mommy wants to breastfeed you.. c'mon
Lol
Focused fully!😊
It's bloody good isn't it. That sword fight at the end, man I shat a brick the whole way through. Every bit as gripping as any movie released today.
Don't you all respect the actor who plays the king? What a wonderful voice. Pure Shakespeare!
Basil Sydney...until I looked him up, never heard of him .
Timestamps
I.1 00:03:00
I.2 00:10:00
I.3 00:19:29
I.4 00:25:00
I.5 00:29:39
II.1 00:34:35
II.2
Polonius accuses Hamlet of Madness 00:46:42
Hamlet toys with Polonius 00:50:50
The Players introduced 01:06:00
III.1
The Soliloquy 01:01:40
To a nunnery 00:53:53
III.2 01:09:10
The Mousetrap 01:15:19
III.3 01:23:44
III.4 01:28:00
IV.1 cut
IV.2 cut
IV.3 01:38:30
IV.4 cut
IV.5
Ophelia's madness 01:42:03
Laertes sees Ophelia's madness 01:49:46
IV.6 01:47:55
IV.7
Letters 01:46:58
Claudius in conference with Laertes 02:04:30
Ophelia's death revealed 01:54:05
V.1 01:55:55
V.2 02:09:45
The duel 02:15:06
thanks man❤
Thank you very much!
GO TO A NUNNERY, My favorite quote to ruin Someones Valentine's Day 😂😂😂😊
Why, didnt they say that women like SHAKESPEARE's verses in courtsmanship?
Thank you sooo much
I miss R & G they always add a lot of flavour so it’s a shame they were cut
Superb production in every way. We can all very much appreciate the great acting on display here but no one ever mentions the great camerawork by Desmond Dickinson --- it lent a moody, atmospheric and experimental tone to the film, a feeling akin to the work done by Gregg Toland on _Citizen Kane_ seven years earlier --- which, like this film, had a _film noir_ sensibility. Dickinson's moody atmospherics were also memorably on display 12 years later in the cult classic _City of the Dead (aka Horror Hotel)._ In my opinion, this is the best film version of Hamlet --- quite memorable.
Photography, art direction and stage design which no doubt greatly influenced the modern A24 version of Macbeth played by Denzel Washington!
🤓
I agree. It is the best Hamlet on screen. Thank you for the info on the cameraman.
One of the greatest pieces of English literature in combination with one of the most sublime dramatic expression by actresses and actors. I cannot help but think Hamlet was a real person.
Wonderfully done! Shakespeare never goes out of style
Agree ❤️
Never.
1:02:00 is when the To Be Or Not To Be soliloquy starts in case anyone else wants to rewatch that part.
You’re a hero! Thanks
Just missed a whole extra points question on the word soliloquy too😭😭😭
Thank you.
This 1948 version of hamlet will never be surpassed...others since have tried but failed
* Thanks for uploading 👍
The 1996 Version is pretty good too, I recommend giving it a watch although it's much longer of a film
I do like Olivier but I can't stand the simplification of his summary at the beginning (i.e. the tragedy of a man who could not make up his mind)
@@limbsofosiris3187 Yes, I didn't agree with that.
@@limbsofosiris3187 I believe Olivier and specifically this amazing production is the best Hamlet on film that exists, and I have seen them all.
But, his statement about “not making up his mind”, also bothers me.
I don’t follow his meaning. I wonder if anyone has done explanatory research on this?
@@raylicon9525 The Russian version is also good.
A masterpiece of acting n play. A full salute to the late Olivier the master actor of all time.
brilliant, heartbreaking, passionate, yet deliciously delicate. Now I know what it means to be fully human. Shakespeare is the GOAT.
I struggled to understand so much of Shakespeare. I've seen Hamlet performed on stage a handful of times but I never understood a darn thing. However, this performance was on point! I knew exactly what everyone's motivations were. I didn't get bored and tuned out at any point. This isn't just fine acting, it is acting in a league of its own.
Thank you for sharing this.
Olivier’s leap from the balcony at 02:26:09 always amazes me.
The best acted Hamlet. Olivier understood how the meaning of Shakespeares dialogue and how it was meant to be delivered
Wonderful photography. The depth of focus is amazing.
This 1948 production of "Hamlet" is rightfully the definitive version of the play. "Hamlet" has alot of complex themes that transcend the boundaries of time. Of course, Laurence Olivier's depiction of "Hamlet" is certainly the gold standard for playing this leading role.
This is the ultimate level of acting. Great movie. All of them amazing. Love Olivier. He is the God of actors. 🙏♥️🎭
A story of a man's downfall for his mind holds a seed of tortured and darkened thought which deprives him of his good reasons. Marvelous! marvelous!
Am 51 and just got interested in Shakespeare
Beat you Im 61 and just beginning to appreciate him . Read him in hi school and college ,but it just stuck me as to pretentious .Only now that im older I can appreciate language that is art in it self . Even more Shakespeare s unworldy understanding of human physcology especially for someone who was untraveled as he .
You have a wonderful life ahead of you.
Thank God the audio quality is good, the other versions i found had poor audio and no subtitles... this is my first time experiencing hamlet and its so good so far 20ish minutes in so far like ophelias quirks like messing with her brothers dagger and lil pouch lol good visual storytelling about her personality
I have an exam tomorrow and it’s all about Hamlet
So here I am😊
Me too
Is this good enough to study this play without reading original text?
Who is watching in 2k24❤
Just me. In Black and white. I have my own fog too...
Me
Me too 😁❤❤
I am seeing here in Brazil ❤
What an existential masterpiece
Obsessed with this at the sec. Esp John Laurie as Francisco. "...And I am sick at heart". Would have loved to have seen his Hamlet in the 1920s.
My Phd guide suggested me this when I told her I would like to research in Hamlet...... Such a marvellous adaptation though I found it late😍😍😍😍😍😍
I just watched the dvd of this movie now. It's so different. Excellent!
Thank you very much! You make the world a better place. The more, the better
Our pleasure! Cheers!
Truest to the play; interpretation the best I've seen on YT.
I agree. I haven’t come across a better hamlet. BTW - what is the meaning of “this a play about a character who couldn’t make up his mind”?
I'm sure there's much to love about this film, but the Brannagh film is the full text runs just over four hours. I mean no disrespect to Olivier, but the summary at the beginning about Hamlet being merely a person who "could not make up his mind" seems limited to me. And it seems wrong to cut any lines from this glorious play, especially Hamlet's own lines. I guess they used voiceovers to try to make it more "realistic," but I'd much prefer to see the actor speaking the lines. For what it's worth, I was utterly destroyed by Olivier's version of King Lear.
If this is the truest version of Hamlet for you than you obviously haven’t seen any well produced stage adaptations. Olive has cut out major points and characters, not to mention moving key dialogue among different cast. But as to the best Hamlet ever filmed I agree hands down. Thur Olive almost makes it seem the titular character is love with his own mother (yikes). You should checkout the 1969 version to put this one in perspective. Funny Nicole Williams version was hailed at the time but now is all but forgotten.
@@michaelgarza8271 Can't agree with you more about the summary! I think Hamlet was, instead of being unable to make up his mind, very real and very determined!
A plethora of quotes thus spoke unto this day.
Masterpiece of a film. Thanks ;) My favorite Shakespeare play.
studying this play for school right now! Thanks
Thank you for uploading this treasure!
Thank you for this fabulous upload. To have such an old film preserved so beautifully, is something to be grateful for.
While playing a very minor role, it's also the earliest appearance of Patrick Troughton that we have in acceptable viewing quality.
Been watching it many times, such a great movie
it's one of Shake Spears best, it's a beautiful setting sun, brilliant Hamlet is court jester, stand up comedian, politician, prince, and of course a poet.
Shake Spear. Hahaha !!!
During powerful snowstorm Hamlet never goes out of style! 😱
Amazing work ❤love sir Lawrence’s take on Hamlet
I've seen all but Olivier's Hamlet outshines every other
This is the best filmed version of Hamlet, period.
I had to watch this for homework. But honestly the movie is actually good
Lord Olivier had an absolutely HUGE Hamlet! Oh, suits you sir!
Wonderful. A timeless and brilliant interpretation
Probably the best film version of Hamlet ever. And that duel at the end is one of the great movie swordfights.
It takes me back to 1949 when we went miles to see this film in the next town.
We studied .Sheakspeare in School .
The classic film noir lighting is sublime.
Bellissimo ! Il miglior adattamento cinematografico dell'Amleto di Shakespeare.
Hamlet's mother doesn't look a day older than her son slay
Eileen Herlie was eleven years YOUNGER than Olivier. Very odd. In 1964 she did the same role with Richard Burton - they were both in their forties.
The GREATEST actor ever born.. Sir Laurence Olivier
I loved him in the movie " A little Romance". So elegant.
It's been a while since I've watched a play on RUclips. Well done!
Beautiful to watch this restored tragedy
thanks for helping me with my english homework
Our pleasure! We are glad to hear that.
Thank you so much for uploading this video and I wish many more from you
Superbe! With original subtitles would be perfect...
thank you so much
this is amazing to get to see in entirety
I'm doing a project where I'm trying to watch every version of Hamlet that I can find. Here's my take on Olivier's.
What I dig:
-Olivier's performance is awesome. He sees Hamlet as a mirror and is exploring everything he can with it
-The villains are great. Claudius, Polonius, and Laertes all feel like fully-realized men with understandable motives
-The Mousetrap was perfect. The play-within-a-play slows me down on most readings and this movie kept the important parts and made apropriate cuts. I was impressed with the way they incorporated Elizabethan theatre elements
-The graveyard scene was wonderful; I love the bit where Hamlet surprises himself by spilling dirt out
-The fencing match was AWESOME! Most actors these days couldn't manage those moves
-The ghost was appropriately disturbing
Rough bits:
-Inner monologues; this always seems like cheating to me in Shakespeare movies, I would have rather seen Olivier speak every line. This honestly ruined "To be or not to be" for me
-Gertrude. The heavy Oedipal interpretation makes this version famous, but I think they fumbled it. Gertrude being so close to Hamlet's age takes a lot of the strangeness out of the problem and turns it more melodramatic than it should be. I also kind of think the actress playing her isjust a ham in this.
-Horatio is entirely forgettable
The best version.
Thanks for uploading
Our pleasure!
This is the greatest movie I've ever seen.
"Oh true to thee sweet Hamlet, rest in thine sweet repose for thou hast served thy father well in vengeance sweet embrace. " Randy Dorrow.
ooooooo thank you for posting. Much appreciated.
In 1948 I was a 14 Year old schoolgirl and remember watching this very movie in Berlin. Unfortunely I could not understand all of the dialogue
Thank you so very much.
You are so welcome! Cheers!
Such a generous gift !!!! Thank uuuuuuuuuu ❤❤❤❤❤❤
I am in my mid 50's & cannot find the 1929 and 1936 versions of the same play, released in England, that I am certain was shown on either BBC or ITV, in the early 1970's.
Thank you. I enjoyed watching it.
Laurance Olivier o maior ator do século XX !
Not sure why Olivier decided to dispense with the "adders fang'd" Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Would have liked to have the "What's he to Hecuba?" speech and "She doth protest too much" remain. Meanwhile Jean Simmons is beautiful and perfectly cast. =
Agreed. I suppose they felt it necessary to edit the play to fit it into a movie. But I think the play should be done completely without cutting anything out, even if takes four hours like Branaugh version did.
Jean Simmons (Ophelia) was married to Richard Brooks, who directed the wonderful Western film, 'The Professionals'.
thanks for the film
just brilliant.
1:47:05 Peter Cushing!
Mr. Terence Morgan took my heart ❤️ away … rip ❤️
Shit goes sooooo hard. Tried and failed to watch several awful college productions before landing here and enjoying every forsaken second. Poor guy; lucky us.
My favorite version all time 👏👏👏👏❣️
“Come to bed, stud.” ✨
“Not tonight, bae. I’m watching 1948 Hamlet…”
1:51:15 "There's rosemary, for remembrance."
He had more chemistry with his mother than with Ophelia ☻
Yes you're absolutely Right.
chemistry is putting it gently, getting close to a French kiss🫦
Ayo!
This understanding of hamlet is based on Freud's Oedipus theory, but the actual play is different. I was know years old when I learnt this.
thanks for uploading!
amazed..!! 🖤
Il migliore Amleto di tutti quelli portati sullo schermo
Masterpiece ❤
1:39:00 Now Hamlet, where is Polonius?
Awesome effects
Yorick's skull scene
1:59:10
Stunning...Absolutely Stunning!!! I'd heard of the famous 'Yoricks skull scene but had never seen it. The movie just absorbs you to the point that I had completely forgotten about it....Then Ophelia dies, the scene fades and next we're in a graveyard...I remember thinking, 'oh yes! The graveyard scene. Let's see how it goes....Brilliant!! Oliver's acting and directing cannot be beaten!! Two bits stand out. When the grave digger says, "who'd you think it was?" And Oliver laughs and says, 'nay, I know not." Just the way he laughs as he says it is perfect! And of course, when Oliver holds the skull with the Classic Lines, "Where be your jibes now? Your songs, your gambles? Your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar?"...Genius Shakespeare, Brilliant Oliver
Norman Wooland was a wonderful and handsome Horatio.
Thank you☺️🕊️🤍
You are so welcome! Cheers!
So, that performance suggests it's Horatio to take over the Denmark after Hamlet's death?
by the way the fact that he remaines there next to his body is just heartwrenching.
Is this dialogue the original Shakespeare or is it the filmmakers' modern interpretation?
I've just read Hamlet and the words are in fact the same.
The line in the beginning-“This is the tragedy of a man who could not make up his mind”-is not Shakespeare. The rest is, but abridged obviously
PATRICK TROUGHTON ALERT 🔥🔥🔥
Brilliant! 👏👏👏👏
1:02:24 For all those who came for "To be, or not to be" 😉
If you are watching this today Xmas eve don’t worry you will just have to be sent to England…everyone there is a bit like you 😂❤