Hamlet at Elsinore

Hamlet at Elsinore
GenreDrama
Based onHamlet
Written byWilliam Shakespeare
Directed byPhilip Saville
Starring
Music byRichard Rodney Bennett
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerPeter Luke
Production locationsHelsingør, North Zealand, Denmark
Running time170 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCBC Television
Release15 April 1964 (1964-04-15)
NetworkBBC TV
Release19 April 1964 (1964-04-19)
Related
Festival (Canadian season 4)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Hamlet at Elsinore is a 1964 television adaptation of William Shakespeare's play, Hamlet (ca. 1600) directed by Philip Saville, and produced by BBC TV in association with Danmarks Radio. Canadian actor Christopher Plummer took the lead role as Hamlet, having played the role previously with the Stratford Festival. Plummer earned an Emmy Award nomination for his performance.

Also starring are British actors Robert Shaw as Claudius, theatrical manager Alec Clunes as Polonius, June Tobin as Gertrude, London-born stage/screen actress Jo Maxwell-Muller as Ophelia, and, in his only Shakespearean performance, Michael Caine as Horatio. In supporting roles are character actor and comedian Roy Kinnear as the Gravedigger, actor/playwright Steven Berkoff as Lucianus and Canadian actor Donald Sutherland as Fortinbras. The music was composed by English pianist Richard Rodney Bennett.

Hamlet at Elsinore was acclaimed, both for its performances and, for being shot entirely at Helsingør in the castle in which the play is set. It is the only version of the play to have been shot at Elsinore Castle that included sound. It was the longest version of the play telecast in one evening up to that time, running nearly three hours. A 1947 telecast of the play had split it up into two ninety-minute halves over two weeks.