Zeffirelli vs. Branagh: Cinematic Portrayals of Hamlet

Introduction: Capturing Hamlet on Film

Hamlet may be one of literature's most famous characters, and he is probably one of the most difficult to portray. He is a complex man, and many things contribute to his character. Shakespeare's Hamlet is a broken man. Critic Harold Bloom observes that "something in Hamlet dies before the play opens" (Bloom 86), and this notion is critical in establishing our first impressions of Hamlet on film. Pinpointing the character of Hamlet is essential to understanding the plot of the play. Mood and tone express many things, and this is especially true when viewing films. Hamlet is a complicated character to capture. Much of his popularity stems from the notion that he is both complicated and very human at the same time. Not all film versions have captured the true essence of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Perhaps the one that comes closest to revealing and exploring this character is Franco Zeffirelli's interpretation. In contrast, Kenneth Branagh's version does a less adequate job of capturing the mood of this troubled character. While both films tell Hamlet's story, they each focus on different aspects of his character, and the best interpretation hones in on the barren emotional landscape that is Hamlet's mind.

Mood, Tone, and the Director's Interpretation

Shakespeare's Hamlet never finds a place of comfort or peace. Throughout the play, he is in a state of angst that never leaves him — an element of his personality that is critical for the audience. Zeffirelli successfully portrays this mood in his film. From the opening scenes, Hamlet is lost. He is searching for something he will never find; he is awaiting something that never comes. Zeffirelli's Hamlet lingers near the edge of sanity more than once, and Mel Gibson's expressions convey this very well. Hamlet never relaxes during this film, and the audience can only relax when it is finally over.

Zeffirelli understands the importance of capturing and securing a particular mood for the characterization of Hamlet. He uses every resource available to do this. The dark and somber emotions are reflected in the medieval architecture. Rarely do we see a sunny day or a blue sky. The costumes are fitting. All of these components allow the audience to focus on the character of Hamlet. In comparison, Kenneth Branagh's version misses this point. It depends far too much on costume and setting, which detracts from the characters themselves. Elaborate decorations pull the viewer's eyes away from the people on screen, and this hurts the film. Branagh's version also tries to be too modern in setting while using the original text of the play, and the result comes off as confusing for the audience.

Both films demonstrate how much a director's interpretation influences the outcome of a film. Branagh's Hamlet is luminous and theatrical; Zeffirelli's Hamlet is not. They are completely different images of the man, and they influence how we perceive him. The most successful version will make us think of a man buried in grief and sorrow. Realizing this is a dark place to inhabit, a good interpretation will be gloomy, dark, and even depressing. Zeffirelli captures this perfectly.

The Crypt Scene and the 'To Be, or Not to Be' Soliloquy

One of the most powerful scenes representing Zeffirelli's directorial vision takes place in the crypt. Here we see Hamlet pondering death. He is weighing the importance of life against the reality of death. When he speaks, we sense that he is sincere and genuinely wants to discover the answers to his questions. Hamlet moves through the crypt, passing between the tombs — between the dead — as he contemplates life and death's purpose. This is a powerful scene because it places the viewer inside the murky landscape of Hamlet's mind. Hamlet wonders about death, and the answer seems to lie with the dead in the cold earth. He wanders endlessly among the tombs, illustrating how he has lived most of his life since returning to Elsinore: going in circles and coming no closer to an answer than he was when he started.

This scene captures the dark and melancholy nature of the man and his mood. When Hamlet asks, "To be, or not to be" (Shakespeare III.i.56), he is genuinely confused. When he wonders if it is "nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles" (III.i.56–59), he is sincere. To consider death as preferable to the "heartache, and the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to" (III.i.61–63) is to seriously question life and one's place in it. Zeffirelli emphasizes these moods perfectly in the crypt setting, and we can see Hamlet's anguish throughout the scene.

In contrast, Branagh's interpretation of this scene has Hamlet looking into a mirror. While one could read this as a scene of self-reflection, it does not capture Hamlet's mood in the same way. Hamlet is not convinced the solution to his problems comes from within — he is looking for answers but does not know from where they will come. The soliloquy is famous precisely because it questions life itself, and Hamlet wonders whether what lies on the other side of death might be more comfortable than the slings and arrows of this side. Nothing complements this aspect of Hamlet's character better than the image of him wandering through a row of tombs, surrounded by the dead to whom he cannot speak.

Works Cited

Bloom, Harold. Hamlet: Poem Unlimited. New York: Riverhead Books, 2003.

Hamlet. Dir. Franco Zeffirelli. Perf. Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, and Helena Bonham Carter. Warner Brothers, 1990.

Hamlet. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Perf. Kenneth Branagh, Julie Christie, Kate Winslet, and Billy Crystal. Warner Brothers, 1996.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992.