Hamlet
Гамлет
Synopsis
Shakespeare's 17th century masterpiece about the "Melancholy Dane" was given one of its best screen treatments by Soviet director Grigori Kozintsev. Kozintsev's Elsinore was a real castle in Estonia, utilized metaphorically as the "stone prison" of the mind wherein Hamlet must confine himself in order to avenge his father's death. Hamlet himself is portrayed (by Innokenti Smoktunovsky) as the sole sensitive intellectual in a world made up of debauchers and revellers. Several of Kozintsev directorial choices seem deliberately calculated to inflame the purists: Hamlet's delivers his "To be or not to be" soliloquy with his back to the camera, allowing the audience to fill in its own interpretations.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Hamlet Гамлет (1964) Original Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2011-05-03
Top Cast
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Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy
Hamlet
Anastasiya Vertinskaya
Ophelia
Mikhail Nazvanov
Claudius
Elza Radziņa
Gertrude
Yuriy Tolubeev
Polonius
Igor Dmitriev
Rosencrantz
Vadim Medvedev
Guildenstern
Vladimir Erenberg
Horatio
Stepan Oleksenko
Laertes
Grigoriy Gay
Ghost of Hamlet's Father
Ants Lauter
Priest
Viktor Kolpakov
Gravedigger
Aleksandr Chekayevsky
First actor
Release History & Theatrical Window
Venice Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Grigori Kozintsev
- Screenplay & Story
- Grigori Kozintsev, William Shakespeare, Isaac Glikman, M. Gukovskiy, Leonid Tarasyuk
- Original Score
- Dmitri Shostakovich
- Original Title
- Гамлет
- Country of Origin
- Soviet Union
- Spoken Languages
- Russian
- Runtime
- 2h 20m
- Production Studios
- Lenfilm
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Grigori Kozintsev
Grigori Kozintsev, William Shakespeare, Isaac Glikman, M. Gukovskiy, Leonid Tarasyuk
Dmitri Shostakovich
Jonas Gricius
Yevgeniya Makhankova
Mikhail Shostak
Department Leadership Roster
Grigori Kozintsev
Director
Grigori Kozintsev
Writer
Jonas Gricius
Director of Photography
Dmitri Shostakovich
Original Music Composer
Yevgeniya Makhankova
Editor
Evgeny Eney
Production Design
Simon Virsaladze
Costume Design
Liliya Moshkina
Costume Design
Georgi Kropachyov
Production Design
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Hamlet.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Hamlet.
European Cinema
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Ghost
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Medieval
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ALLL MOVIESSS
Soviet Movies With English Subtitles
Sovyet ve Rus Sineması
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hamlet
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Hamlet about?
Shakespeare's 17th century masterpiece about the "Melancholy Dane" was given one of its best screen treatments by Soviet director Grigori Kozintsev. Kozintsev's Elsinore was a real castle in Estonia, utilized metaphorically as the "stone prison" of the mind wherein Hamlet must confine himself in order to avenge his father's death. Hamlet himself is portrayed (by Innokenti Smoktunovsky) as the sole sensitive intellectual in a world made up of debauchers and revellers. Several of Kozintsev directorial choices seem deliberately calculated to inflame the purists: Hamlet's delivers his "To be or not to be" soliloquy with his back to the camera, allowing the audience to fill in its own interpretations.
Who directed Hamlet?
Hamlet was directed by Grigori Kozintsev.
Who stars in Hamlet?
The principal cast of Hamlet includes Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy, Anastasiya Vertinskaya, Mikhail Nazvanov, Elza Radziņa, Yuriy Tolubeev.
When was Hamlet released and how long is it?
Hamlet was released in 1964 with a total runtime of 2h 20m.
Who composed the musical score for Hamlet?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Hamlet was composed by Dmitri Shostakovich.