[1995, Richard Loncraine Dir., Stars: Ian
McKellen, Annette Bening, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jim Broadbent, Nigel Hawthorne,
Edward Hardwicke and Robert Downey Jr.]
Shakespeare does not always
translate well to film. For every successful cinematic treatment of the Bard’s
work, there are perhaps a dozen or more critical and commercial failures. Shakespeare’s
language is dated for today’s audience; complex and hard to follow, with many
monologues too long to fit into modern cinematic pacing. Still, there have been,
and will continue to be, successful adaptations to the big screen. Back in the
1990’s, Kenneth Branagh was ruler of the roost when it came to Shakespearean
cinema. However, there was one adaptation in 1995 that did not come from his
hand – Ian McKellen’s Richard III. Even
though this film was directed by Richard Loncraine (The Haunting of Julia, Brimstone & Treacle), McKellen was the
true creative force behind this incredible re-imagining of the tragedy of
Richard of Gloucester. It was he that adapted the script and turned in a truly outstanding
performance as the title character.
For those unfamiliar with this
popular piece, Richard III tells the
story of the deformed youngest son of the House of York, who schemes, murders
and manipulates his way into a short-lived possession of the Crown. The story
begins with one of the most stirring of Shakespeare’s soliloquys – “Now is the
winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York...” – which
both hails the ending of a bloody civil war and preambles Richard’s own
dastardly plans to usurp his eldest brother and claim the crown for his
own. What follows is a convoluted
journey from obscurity to notoriety for Richard, fueled by his ambition and
masked by his perceived goodness.
Whether Richard’s hunch-backed and
palsied physique is an outer representation of his inner ugliness, or the cause
of his sociopathic nature, is certainly open to debate. Suffice it to say, by
Richard’s own justification his devious plotting is brought about by the
gnawing knowledge that one such as he is built more for war than for the tender
pleasures of peace.
Ian McKellen, best known today for
his much-lauded portrayal of the wizard Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s Tolkien
films, penned his version of Richard III
while portraying Richard in a touring production of the play. I don’t know
whose idea it was to place this controversial account of 15th
century British upheaval in a 1930’s setting, McKellen’s or director
Loncraine’s, but the inspiration was an undeniable flash of genius. In the
1930’s, Europe was a hotbed of burgeoning dictatorships, from Franco to Hitler
to Stalin; a fitting environment for the likes of Richard of Gloucester. Also,
Shakespeare’s intricate iambic pentameter verses do not seem terribly out of
place in what many consider the last decade of the “old world.” Taken together,
McKellen and Loncraine’s shared vision makes Richard III not only accessible to a modern audience, but engaging
as well as strangely fun.
As
mentioned, McKellen’s performance was brilliant, as it had to be: he is the
focal point of this film and carries the weight of Shakespeare’s darkest
character fiercely. It is creepy to watch McKellen so adept at performing tasks
with his crippled character’s one good hand, from lighting a cigarette to
opening a bottle of gin. Each obsessively precise movement is an eerie reminder
of the man’s life-long afflictions (It’s easy to imagine that during the touring
production, the man labored long and hard honing the skill of using only his
right hand). To anyone who has seen the Lord
Of The Rings movies, it’s no great discovery that McKellen has an extremely
expressive face, capable of delicately conveying a kaleidoscopic range of
emotions in quick succession. This venerable actor utilizes his gift in Richard III to project a smarmy-yet-passionate
interpretation of Shakespeare’s most eloquent villain. Richard habitually
concludes long monologues of lies with a smirking aside through the fourth wall,
letting us, the audience, share in the fun he has in playing his game of
thrones. Perfect timing, perfect delivery, McKellen’s performance in my mind
easily outshines Olivier’s from 1955.
This
film features many noteworthy performances from what was at the time the very
cream of the British theater. Kristin Scott-Thomas portrays the Lady Anne,
widow of Edward, the Earl of Westminster (whom Richard killed in combat), as a
woman whose heartbreak and loss have left her in intense despair. Jim Broadbent
plays Buckingham, Richard’s co-conspirator but eventual victim, as a grinning,
lackey charlatan, for whom it is hard to muster sympathy when his come-uppance
arrives. Maggie Smith is a strong and embittered Duchess of York -- Richard’s mother
-- the only person unafraid of the deviant usurper king and the only person who
can reach what is left of his twisted heart. Annette Bening delivers what is perhaps
the most haunting line of this picture – “Where are my children?!” – when she confronts
Richard with the holy fury of a mother with little left to lose. Nigel
Hawthorne, Edward Hardwicke and Robert Downey Jr. round out the cast, to name
but a few other fine talents, but really everyone who “carried a spear” in this
production deserves high praise for their amazing work.
While
large action set-pieces were never Shakespeare’s thing (how could they be? He
wrote plays to be performed on a small stage in Tudor London!), this version of
Richard III still packs some
remarkable, sometimes even graphic scenes and locations. From the garish morgue
where Kristin Scott Thomas deliver’s Lady Anne’s lament over her husband’s
corpse to the final battle at Battersea Power Station, there truly is some striking
imagery. These visuals not only keep us engaged, but lend this film the epic
scope that this story demands.
Earlier
this year, the remains of a man believed to be Richard III were unearthed in a
Leicester parking lot. While historical accounts from the era are spotty at
best, there are some who believe the true Richard of Gloucester has been given
the dirty end of the stick by popular culture -- including in Shakespeare’s
play. (It might be worth mentioning, too, that when the Bard penned his script,
the ruling British monarch at the time, Elizabeth I, was the granddaughter of
the man who took the crown from Richard). This recent archeological find,
however, presents us with some curious evidence of Richard’s persona. Not only
is the spine of the skeleton twisted, but collateral damage to the remains suggests
that when Richard was killed he was given humiliating post-mortem injuries as
well. Whatever sort of man Richard was in truth, those who took his life and
his crown really hated him.
In
this production, as in the great play, Richard is thwarted when his evil comes
to light among his family and the other aristocracy. This is presented with
swinging jazz-era style. Richard falls to his death at the Battle of Bosworth
Field, filmed at the iconic, art deco Battersea Power Station -- best known as
the image on the cover of Pink Floyd’s album, “Animals.” The music playing,
however, isn’t that of Floyd, but Al Jolson, merrily singing of being on top of
the world. We watch Richard descend fittingly into a fiery hell, waving goodbye
to us, his audience, and smiling, no regrets. From start to finish, Richard III is cinematic gold, and well
worthy of its “cult classic” status.
[“Richard III” is currently available through
Netflix on DVD and in some regions as On Demand video. Also, the original 1995
trailer for this film is available on YouTube, should you wish to view it
before adding this feature to your watch list.]
