Hamlet (1948)

The melancholy Hamlet (Laurence Olivier), the Prince of Denmark is visited by the ghost of his dead father. The father's ghost tells him that he was murdered by his brother (Basil Sydney) in order to usurp the throne and marry his brother's wife (Eileen Herlie). Thus begins Hamlet's revenge against the usurper King which leaves death in its wake. Based on the play by William Shakespeare and directed by Laurence Olivier. Much admired when first released, the film won the Oscar for best picture as well as best actor for Olivier. For purists, this is a stripped down version of Hamlet, leaving much of the text out as well as several characters. At 40, Olivier was perhaps a bit old to play Hamlet (he was 11 years older than Eileen Herlie who plays his mother) and the vigor and rashness that would befit a younger man doesn't sit well on his shoulders. Age aside, it's an immaculate performance. As a director, Olivier makes sure that it is a movie, not a filmed play. We have, arguably, the greatest actor of the 20th century in, arguably, the greatest role written for an actor. Which makes nitpicking superfluous, doesn't it? With Jean Simmons (as Ophelia), Felix Aylmer, Terence Morgan, Anthony Quayle and Peter Cushing.