Top Cast
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Laurence Olivier
MacHeath
Hugh Griffith
The Beggar
George Rose
1st Turnkey
Stuart Burge
1st Prisoner
Cyril Conway
2nd Prisoner
Gerald Lawson
3rd Prisoner
Dorothy Tutin
Polly Peachum
George Devine
Peachum
Mary Clare
Mrs. Peachum
Edward Pryor
Filch
Athene Seyler
Mrs. Trapes
Stanley Holloway
Mr. Lockit
Daphne Anderson
Lucy Lockit
Eric Pohlmann
Inn Keeper
Yvonne Furneaux
Jenny Diver
Kenneth Williams
Jack the Pot Boy
Sandra Dorne
Sukey Tawdry
Laurence Naismith
Matt of the Mint
Release History & Theatrical Window
London
Festival / Special Debut
August 24, 1953
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Peter Brook
- Screenplay & Story
- Christopher Fry, Denis Cannan, John Gay
- Original Score
- Arthur Bliss
- Original Title
- The Beggar's Opera
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 34m
- Production Studios
- Herbert Wilcox Productions, British Lion Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Peter Brook
Christopher Fry, Denis Cannan, John Gay
Arthur Bliss
Guy Green
Reginald Beck
Herbert Wilcox, Laurence Olivier
Department Leadership Roster
Peter Brook
Director
Guy Green
Director of Photography
Arthur Bliss
Original Music Composer
Herbert Wilcox
Producer
Laurence Olivier
Producer
Christopher Fry
Writer
Denis Cannan
Writer
Reginald Beck
Editor
Georges Wakhévitch
Production Design
William C. Andrews
Production Design
Georges Wakhévitch
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Beggar's Opera.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Beggar's Opera.
Musicals
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Beggar's Opera
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Beggar's Opera about?
Adaptation of John Gay's 18th century opera, featuring Laurence Olivier as MacHeath and Hugh Griffith as the Beggar.
Who directed The Beggar's Opera?
The Beggar's Opera was directed by Peter Brook.
Who stars in The Beggar's Opera?
The principal cast of The Beggar's Opera includes Laurence Olivier, Hugh Griffith, George Rose, Stuart Burge, Cyril Conway.
When was The Beggar's Opera released and how long is it?
The Beggar's Opera was released in 1953 with a total runtime of 1h 34m.
Who composed the musical score for The Beggar's Opera?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Beggar's Opera was composed by Arthur Bliss.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Beggar's Opera?
The Beggar's Opera holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).