Laurence Olivier (1948) Directing himself in this film adaptation, Olivier highlights the prince’s mopey narcissism and incestuous feelings for his mother, Gertrude. The post-Freudian interpretation won four Oscars, including best picture and actor. (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Popperfoto/Getty Images
From Olivier’s Oscar glory to Day-Lewis’ Method meltdown (when he hallucinated and saw his dead dad onstage), THR critic Stephen Dalton picks 10 of the most riveting performances of literature’s most demanding role, before Benedict Cumberbatch stepped in.
Laurence Olivier (1948) Directing himself in this film adaptation, Olivier highlights the prince’s mopey narcissism and incestuous feelings for his mother, Gertrude. The post-Freudian interpretation won four Oscars, including best picture and actor. (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Popperfoto/Getty ImagesRichard Burton (1964) Wearing modern dress, Burton plays Hamlet at a booming pitch, virile and muscular yet bitter and sardonic. Directed by John Gielgud on a stark stage, the hit production gave Hamlet its longest Broadway run before becoming immortalized on film. (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Mondadori Portfolio/Getty ImagesDaniel Day-Lewis (1989) In a brooding performance, Day-Lewis played Hamlet opposite Judi Dench’s Gertrude in Richard Eyre’s National Theatre production in London. He quit the run early following an onstage meltdown during which he apparently hallucinated, seeing his dead father. (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Gemma Levine—Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesMark Rylance (1989) Director Ron Daniels accentuated Hamlet's inner madness in this bold Royal Shakespeare Company staging, with Rylance spitting and mooning and babbling in stained pajamas. When this production played at Britain's most notorious mental hospital, Broadmoor, even the inmates applauded Rylance's authenticity. (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Matt Dunham—APMel Gibson (1990) Critics sniffed, but Gibson’s Hamlet is full of swagger and conviction in Franco Zeffirelli’s film. Although the text is cut to shreds, the Scottish locations are majestic. The starry supporting cast includes Glenn Close and Helena Bonham Carter. (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Canal+Arnold Schwarzenegger (1993) Yes, really. In John McTiernan's Last Action Hero, Arnold sportingly spoofs his own big-screen tough-guy image, including a brief but hilarious dream sequence as a gun-toting, skull-kicking, take-no-prisoners Hamlet. "To be or not to be?" he muses. "Not to be." Boom! (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Columbia Pictures Corp.Kenneth Branagh (1996) Building on two acclaimed stage performances as Hamlet, Branagh eclipsed Olivier by directing himself in this sumptuous, multi-layered, full-length film version co-starring Julie Christe as Gertrude and Kate Winslet as Ophelia. Branagh's performance feels almost too measured and mature, but the palatial setting and all-star cast carry him along. (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Castle Rock EntertainmentJude Law (2009) Reviewers questioned his lightweight acting skills and movie-star looks but Law brought physicality and intensity to Michael Grandage's wintry stage production. A commercial smash in both London and New York, it marked Law's return to Broadway after 14 years away. (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Peter Kramer—APDavid Tennant (2009) Fresh from TV success as Doctor Who, Tennant lured a large youthful crowd to director Gregory Doran's Royal Shakespeare Company production. Dressed in jeans and T-shirt, Tennant's quick-witted Hamlet was half hero and half jester, all barbed humor and light-footed mischief. (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Nigel Norrington—APMaxine Peake (2014) The English actress’ cross-dressing turn combined snarling anger with agile grace, not to mention androgynous rock-star hair. A box-office smash, Sarah Frankcom’s stylish Manchester stage production later was beamed into cinemas. (Read more at The Hollywood Reporter)Royal Exchange Theater
