Page 155 - Shakespeare in the Movie From the Silent Era to Shakespeare in Love

144 / Shakespeare in the Movies

If we consider Hamlet the hero, however, then Branagh's inter-
pretation is of a man who wants, more than anything else, to do the
right thing. Branagh's Hamlet is a moral absolutist. This (and this
alone) explains his bitterness toward Gertrude, Ophelia, and ulti-
mately even himself. As a moralist, he knows he must do what the
Ghost commands; as an absolutist, he must have proof positive. So
he hesitates not out of cowardice but out of idealism. After the
player's performance catches the conscience of the king, he knows
for certain and is ready to act; however, circumstances make this
impossible.
Happily, Branagh includes the oft-missing "Oh how all occasions
do inform against me" speech. On his way to England, Hamlet spots
the army of Fortinbras marching off to battle. This is the play's turn-
ing point as well as the pivot for Hamlet's transformation: A man
who lost "the name of action," appearing less guilty (the modern
notion) than embarrassed about not avenging earlier, particularly in
contrast to these noble fellows. They, like the earlier tears in the
eyes of the Player King during his Hecuba speech, cause Hamlet to
reconsider his own now-questionable decision that anything less
than total certainty "must give us pause." Branagh begins the "all
occasions" speech with the camera close on his face; behind him,
we barely perceive Fortinbras's army. As the speech continues, our
hero takes himself to task; the camera slowly pulls back, revealing
the immense scope of men ready to do what a man must do without
any proof positive they're in the right. Simultaneously, Hamlet is
swallowed up by the epic frame. Employing cinematic technique to
convey Shakespeare's concept, Branagh allows us to see how this sit-
uation makes Hamlet feel about himself. No wonder he vows to do
the act at first opportunity.
As an actor, Branagh combines elements of both Olivier and
Gibson. His appearance is marked by a bleach-blond hairstyle, recall-
ing Olivier's; yet the cut is austere and military, more on the order
of Gibson. Like Olivier, this Hamlet is sensitive yet masculine, like
Gibson. Branagh gives us, for the first time, the best of both worlds.
John Simon, in the National Review, mentioned this Hamlet's
"brawn with guidance from the brain," acknowledging the difficult
balancing act. Branagh also makes the issue of Hamlet's madness
comprehensible. Previous versions remained ambiguous, insisting
we decipher whether at some point Hamlet's "playing mad"
descends, without his knowing, into true madness. Branagh's Hamlet
begins as sane man, assumes the "antic disposition," gradually