Richard III (1955)

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Richard III on DVD.

It's hard to imagine anyone better than Laurence Olivier playing the twisted, lurching, serpentine Richard III, a Shakespearian villain that might even give Iago the shakes. In his 1955 feature film adaptation, Olivier gives the character pride, boredom and frustration and brings him down to a more human level. As director, Olivier manages a few stunning flourishes, especially in the film's first few minutes. His lengthy traveling shots and brilliant transitions take the play from the stage and into the cinema. But somewhere over the course of 158 minutes the film loses its momentum, mostly thanks to the supporting cast. Despite such luminaries as John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson and Claire Bloom, they just can't match Olivier's enthusiasm and passion -- or maybe the director/star wouldn't let them.

In any case, the Criterion Collection has updated their 1994 laserdisc release into a crisp new 2-disc DVD set bursting with Olivier's glorious color scheme. They've included the vintage 1994 commentary track by playwright and stage director Russell Lees with former governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company John Wilders. The second disc includes a full-length BBC documentary from 1966, Great Acting, an interview with Olivier conducted by Kenneth Tynan. The package also includes stills, the theatrical trailer, and the twelve-minute television trailer that includes behind the scenes footage. Bruce Eder provides the informative jacket essay.