Rent King Lear (1983)
3.8 of 5 from 54 ratings
2h 37min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- The most revered actor of the 20th Century stars in King Lear, Shakespeare's greatest tragedy. Laurence Olivier gives an outstanding performance, portraying drama's most celebrated octogenarian with spirit and pathos. This internationally acclaimed production boasts Olivier in his first appearance in a Shakespeare play filmed exclusively for television. King Lear is a violent story about family strife, crumbling power and divided loyalty, culminating in madness. Its themes are as pertinent today as when the play was written some 400 years ago.
- Actors:
- Laurence Olivier, Colin Blakely, Anna Calder-Marshall, Jeremy Kemp, Robert Lang, Robert Lindsay, Leo McKern, David Threlfall, Dorothy Tutin, John Hurt, Diana Rigg, Brian Cox, Edward Petherbridge, Geoffrey Bateman, John Cording
- Directors:
- Michael Elliott
- Producers:
- David Plowright
- Writers:
- William Shakespeare
- Studio:
- Cinema Club
- Genres:
- Drama
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Reviews (1) of King Lear
King Lear - King Lear review by AO
This play, although a work of genius, is unrelentingly grim. It plays on brutality, wanton cruelty, civil war, family strife and madness. And that's not to mention the stabbings, hangings and 'that' eye gouging scene. 'Notting Hill' it isn't. What it is though is a searing look it how humans really are or can be, and its not a jolly look. To complain about the ending in King Lear is to miss the point. The ending is the point. It's little wonder that Hollywood with its love of neat, happy-ever-after endings has stayed away from this tragedy like you would a dog with fleas.
In a way, good does win through but not before total carnage and immense all round suffering. During which a lot of both bad and good people die, some a lot more deserving than others. I don't think i need to put out a spoiler alert (the thing is over 400 years old after all), but the end scene with Cordelia (who truly doesn't deserve to die) is one of the most tender and heart wrenching scenes ever. Anyone who doesn't have a piece of grit in their eye watching her demise, deserves to have it gouged out.
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