25 of the best Shakespeare film adaptations
From “The Tragedy of Macbeth” to “10 Things I Hate About You,”
Stackercompiled a list of the best Shakespeare film adaptations, using data from
IMDb.
The Best Shakespeare film adaptations
Updated
Shakespeare is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest English language writers of all time. His beautiful language, insight into portraying human nature, and mastery in writing dirty jokes have all landed him an iconic place in the literary canon. It seems a natural consequence, then, that artists should want to translate Shakespeare’s works into other mediums--including artwork, novelizations, and a seemingly infinite number of screen adaptations.
But which of these adaptations are the most successful at bringing Shakespeare’s genius to a wider audience? How can movies compare to the Bard’s original texts themselves? In honor of Shakespeare’s death (April 23), Stacker sought to answer these questions by compiling a list of the 50 best Shakespeare film adaptations. Films were pulled from Shakespeare’s writing credits on IMDb, filtered into only full-length movie adaptations (not filmed stage productions) in English with over 100 audience rating votes, and ranked by their audience scores. Click through the slideshow to find out which movie adaptations were considered the most entertaining and compelling (spoiler: there’s a lot of Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh.)
#50. Hamlet
Updated
Year: 1969
IMDb rating: 7.1
The first film on this list is, fittingly, an adaptation of one of the most frequently performed Shakespeare plays: "Hamlet," the story of a young prince desperate to get revenge for his father’s murder. This adaptation, directed by Tony Richardson, is close to the text and performed on a small budget, with a minimalist set and merely a shining light to represent Hamlet’s father’s ghost. This was the first version of "Hamlet" in color.
#49. All Night Long
Updated
Year: 1962
IMDb rating: 7.1
"All Night Long" adapts Shakespeare’s "Othello," the tragedy of a general consumed by fictitious jealousy over his young wife, into the London jazz scene of the 1960s. The film is performed with less tragedy than the play’s original text (i.e. nobody is stabbed or suffocated), and far more jazz, including performances by Dave Brubeck and Charles Mingus.
#48. A Double Life
Updated
Year: 1947
IMDb rating: 7.1
"A Double Life" is also a retelling of "Othello," although this noir film puts a metatextual spin on the play. It tells story of Anthony John (Ronald Colman), an actor infamous for getting too into his roles, who is cast opposite his ex-wife Brita (Signe Hasso) in a stage production of "Othello." Colman won an Academy Award for his role, and composer Miklós Rózsa won an Academy Award for the film’s original soundtrack.
#47. Jubal
Updated
Year: 1956
IMDb rating: 7.1
"Jubal," or “THE SOMETIMES VIOLENT STORY OF A DRIFTIN' COWHAND!” according to its original print ad, retells the story of "Othello" within the setting of a 1930’s cattle ranch. Jubal Troop (Glenn Ford) is a traveling cowboy who runs into trouble when Mae (Valerie French), the wife of a rancher who has taken him in, begins to lust after him.
#46. The Merchant of Venice
Updated
Year: 2004
IMDb rating: 7.1
This adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s more morbid comedies is the first full-length film version of the play that is not a filming of a stage production. While the setting of this film is true to the play, director Michael Radford narrowed the play’s angle to present Shylock (Al Pacino) as a tragic hero victimized by Venice’s rampant antisemitism.
#45. My Own Private Idaho
Updated
Year: 1991
IMDb rating: 7.1
"My Own Private Idaho" is a modern reworking of "Henry IV, Part 1," "Henry IV, Part 2," and "Henry V," focusing on the relationship between the crown prince Hal (later King Henry V) and his friend Falstaff. In this movie, Henry V is Scott (Keanu Reeves), a young hustler set to inherit his rich father’s fortune, and Falstaff is Mike (River Phoenix), an older friend and hustling mentor who harbors unrequited romantic feelings for Scott.
#43. The Taming of the Shrew
Updated
Year: 1980
IMDb rating: 7.2
This adaptation of "The Taming of the Shrew," one of Shakespeare’s most often-performed comedies about a swaggering drifter who marries a fiery nobleman’s daughter (partially for her money, partially to prove his masculine power by “taming” her spirit), is also part of the BBC’s Shakespeare Collection. Director Jonathan Miller cast John Cleese, known for his comedy as part of Monty Python, as the male lead Petruchio—and Cleese plays the character as a staunch Puritan rather than the brash bully of other adaptations. The choice seems strange, but audiences found Cleese’s performance engrossing.
#42. Kiss Me, Kate
Updated
Year: 1953
IMDb rating: 7.2
"Kiss Me, Kate" is also a retelling of "The Taming of the Shrew," albeit with a more modern setting and meta implications: it tells the story of a divorced pair of actors playing Katherine and Petruchio in a musical version of Shakespeare’s play. This film directly adapted the Broadway production of the same name, Cole Porter’s most successful musical and the first winner of the Best Musical Tony award in 1949.
#41. The Taming of the Shrew
Updated
Year: 1967
IMDb rating: 7.2
When we said "The Taming of the Shrew" is one of Shakespeare’s most often-performed comedies, we weren’t joking. Director Franco Zeffirelli’s 1967 version is a more classical adaptation than the BBC’s 1980 film, shot in Italy and full of swagger and humor, but it still cuts out significant portions of the original play’s subplots.
#40. Much Ado About Nothing
Updated
Year: 2012
IMDb rating: 7.2
Joss Whedon, better known for his work in superhero movies, directed the 2012 film version of "Much Ado About Nothing"—a comedy best understood when one learns that “nothing,” in Shakespeare’s day, was a slang term for female genitalia. Whedon left the plot and dialogue of the original play mostly unchanged, but set the story in the modern day and shot the film at his and his wife’s house in Santa Monica, California. Filming took place over under two weeks while Whedon was on vacation from post-production of "The Avengers."
#39. Shakespeare in Love
Updated
Year: 1998
IMDb rating: 7.2
"Shakespeare in Love" is not directly based on any one particular Shakespeare play, but it is full of allusions to various works, as well as true historical people and events. The film, directed by John Madden with a screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, details how a frustrated Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) is inspired to write "Romeo and Juliet" after meeting and falling in love with the lady Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow).
#38. King Lear
Updated
Year: 1971
IMDb rating: 7.3
Director Peter Brook adapted "King Lear," the tragedy of an aging king whose daughters turn on him, into a bleak tale about the dangers of human violence. To go along with the theme of emptiness, there is no background music in this film—not even during the opening credits.
#37. Othello
Updated
Year: 1965
IMDb rating: 7.3
This adaptation of "Othello" stars famous Shakespeare actors Laurence Olivier in the titular role (a Venetian general of Moorish descent) and Dame Maggie Smith as Desdemona (Othello’s young wife, whom he is driven to kill by fabricated jealousy). This is, so far, the only Shakespeare film for which all main actors have received Academy Award nominations, but Laurence Olivier has faced criticism for his role, which he played in blackface.
#36. In the Bleak Midwinter
Updated
Year: 1995
IMDb rating: 7.3
"In the Bleak Midwinter," named after the Christmas carol, tells the story of an out-of-work actor who leads a Christmas production of "Hamlet" at his sister’s local church in the town of Hope, Derbyshire. Unsurprisingly, the actor finds hope along the way. This big-hearted picture is the first Shakespeare film by legendary director Kenneth Branagh in which he did not act.
#35. Henry V
Updated
Year: 1944
IMDb rating: 7.3
"Henry V" is often considered a great patriotic story for Britain, as it chronicles the nation’s victory over France at the Battle of Agincourt during the 100 Years’ War; Shakespeare’s portrayal of the British army’s ability to best a much larger French force presents both the glories and atrocities of war. Director and star Laurence Olivier focused on the positives in his 1944 adaptation, designed to rouse patriotic spirit near the end of World War II, and was successful both commercially and critically.
#34. Twelfth Night
Updated
Year: 1996
IMDb rating: 7.3
Trevor Nunn’s 1996 adaptation of "Twelfth Night" doesn’t stray too far from the original comedy about mad romances complicated by gender confusion. Nunn set his film in the late 19th century, filmed on location in Cornwall, and cast several major stars, including Richard E. Grant as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Nigel Hawthorne as Malvolio, and Helena Bonham Carter as Olivia.
#33. 10 Things I Hate About You
Updated
Year: 1999
IMDb rating: 7.3
"10 Things I Hate About You" is well-known as a high school romance classic, but its plot is actually a modern, teen-friendly adaptation of "The Taming of the Shrew." Kat (Julia Stiles) is Shakespeare’s angry Katherine, Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) is her sweet younger sister, and delinquent Patrick (Heath Ledger) is Petruchio, the “bad boy” roped into pretending to date Katherine so that new student Cameron (Lucentio) (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) can go after Bianca. Kat’s speech at the end of this movie is far more romantic than Katherine’s in the original play.
#32. Macbeth
Updated
Year: 2005
IMDb rating: 7.4
The 2005 adaptation of "Macbeth" is part of “ShakespeaRe-Told,” a BBC series of modern retellings of four of the Bard’s most classic plays put into the modern day. Peter Moffat and Mark Brozel brought the Scottish play, in which a lord murders his king to take power, into a three Michelin star restaurant, starring James McAvoy as head waiter Joe Macbeth.
#31. Looking for Richard
Updated
Year: 1996
IMDb rating: 7.4
"Looking for Richard" is a combination restaging of Shakespeare’s "Richard III" and documentary into examining the writer’s role in the modern cultural consciousness. It was both directed by and stars Al Pacino, playing himself and the historic king; Pacino hoped to market Shakespeare to the average American through this work.
#29. Much Ado About Nothing
Updated
Year: 1993
IMDb rating: 7.4
"Much Ado About Nothing" is one of Kenneth Branagh’s more well-acclaimed adaptations of a Shakespearean comedy. In this retelling, the setting is classic, but the actors are superstars, including Branagh himself as Benedick, his (at the time) wife Emma Thompson as Benedick’s lover Beatrice, Denzel Washington as Don Pedro, Keanu Reeves as Don John, and Michael Keaton as Constable Dogberry. The film also features composer Patrick Doyle, who wrote the soundtrack for this and other Branagh movies, in a singing cameo.
#28. Romeo.Juliet
Updated
Year: 1990
IMDb rating: 7.5
Of the many "Romeo and Juliet" adaptations that have been filmed over the years, this 1990 movie by producer, director and cinematographer, Armando Acosta is one of the wackiest. This film presents the tragic play as a story about the stray cats of Venice, rescued by an eccentric bag lady and set to sail for America. It was filmed by capturing hours of footage of cats, then adding voice-overs by famous actors such as John Hurt, Ben Kingsley, and Dame Maggie Smith. The whole thing is set to Sergei Prokofiev’s "Romeo and Juliet" ballet score.
#27. King Lear
Updated
Year: 2008
IMDb rating: 7.5
The 2008 "King Lear" TV movie was adapted from a Royal Shakespeare Company production, directed by Trevor Nunn, which finished its run shortly before filming began. Sir Ian McKellen, who starred as Lear, appeared nude in the original stage production, but was censored in the movie adaptation when PBS rebroadcast it to American audiences.
#26. Othello
Updated
Year: 2001
IMDb rating: 7.5
Geoffrey Sax’s "Othello" film is a modern retelling of the play, set within the London police force and told in modern English. It stars Eamonn Walker as John Othello, the new Commissioner of Police, Keeley Hawes as his young wife Dessie Brabant, and Christopher Eccleston (best known as the Ninth Doctor in “Doctor Who”) as jealous detective Ben Jago.
#25. Richard III
Updated
Year: 1955
IMDb rating: 7.5
"Richard III" was another major Shakespeare film directed, produced by, and starring Laurence Olivier, as the titular king whose Machiavellian rise to power served as a warning to later leaders. Although this film was not critically acclaimed when it was released, it broke many box office records in the U.S.A.; the British Film Institute has suggested that it “may have done more to popularise Shakespeare than any other single work.”
#24. Yellow Sky
Updated
Year: 1948
IMDb rating: 7.5
Similar to "Jubal" (#48 on this list), "Yellow Sky" reimagines a classic Shakespeare play as an American western film. In this case, the source material is "The Tempest," a Romantic play focusing on Prospero, an exiled duke and master of magical arts who brings (via a magical shipwreck) the brother who usurped his throne, along with other nobles, to the deserted island where he lives with his daughter, Miranda, in order to help them realize the errors of their ambition. In "Yellow Sky," Prospero and Miranda become “Grandpa” (James Barton) and his granddaughter “Mike” (Anne Baxter), the sole occupants of a ghost town, and the shipwrecked nobles become a gang of outlaws led by James "Stretch" Dawson (Gregory Peck), who falls in love with “Mike.”
#23. Macbeth
Updated
Year: 1971
IMDb rating: 7.5
Director Roman Polanski was inspired to adapt "Macbeth" for the big screen after his wife, actress Sharon Tate, was brutally murdered by the Manson family. The film did poorly at the box office as critics turned up their noses at the gratuitous violence, but its reception has improved over time, landing it a spot on this list.
#22. Richard III
Updated
Year: 1995
IMDb rating: 7.5
The 1995 adaptation of "Richard III" transports this history play to 1930s England, positioning Richard as a prince aiming to usurp his brother’s throne and rule as a fascist dictator. The movie features a star-studded cast including Sir Ian McKellen as Richard III, Dame Maggie Smith as the Duchess of York, Nigel Hawthorne as George, Duke of Clarence, and Robert Downey, Jr. as Rivers. "Richard III" was widely acclaimed in the British film world; it was nominated for five BAFTAs and won two (best costumes and best production design.)
#21. Measure For Measure
Updated
Year: 1979
IMDb rating: 7.6
"Measure for Measure" is one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays” along with "All’s Well that Ends Well" and "Troilus and Cressida"; although he labeled these plays as comedies, they feature psychological drama along with more lighthearted material. This particular play focuses on themes of vice and virtue in the city of Vienna, left with a strict judge in charge while the Duke is away on a diplomatic mission. Desmond Davis’ 1979 adaptation, produced for the BBC and shown in the U.S. on PBS, is considered a faithful depiction of the original work.
#20. Macbeth
Updated
Year: 1948
IMDb rating: 7.6
Orson Welles, best known for “The War of the Worlds” and "Citizen Kane," adapted the screenplay for, produced, directed, and starred in Republic Pictures’ 1948 adaptation of "Macbeth." The film was shot on a small budget using leftover sets from the Westerns that Republic Pictures usually produced and failed to deliver in competition with Laurence Olivier’s "Hamlet" (#12 on this list), released the same year. Its reception has grown with time, however, after it was restored and re-released, and it is now considered “eccentric and haunting.”
#19. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Updated
Year: 1990
IMDb rating: 7.6
"Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" is a film adaptation of the absurdist, metatheatrical play of the same name by Tom Stoppard, who also directed the movie. Stoppard focuses on Rosencrantz (Gary Oldman) and Guildenstern (Tim Roth), two minor characters in "Hamlet" who seem to have no identity outside of their relationships to characters in the source text. Although many critics agree that the story’s humor and impact are more effective in the theater than on-screen, Oldman and Roth deliver engaging performances.
#18. Romeo and Juliet
Updated
Year: 1968
IMDb rating: 7.6
Franco Zeffirelli’s adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" is largely considered to be the most faithful and most engaging adaptation of Shakespeare’s great tragedy—if you watched any film version of the play in your high school English class, it probably was this one (it certainly was for this writer.) This film was popular with teenagers because it was the first "Romeo and Juliet" to cast actors actually close in age to the characters in the play; Leonard Whiting (Romeo) was 17 and Olivia Hussey (Juliet) was 16 at the time, as compared to around 18 and 13 in the play, respectively.
#17. West Side Story
Updated
Year: 1961
IMDb rating: 7.6
"West Side Story," like the film on the previous slide, retells "Romeo and Juliet," but in this version, the connection to the source is far looser. This movie is a direct screen adaptation of the Broadway musical, premiered in 1957, which tells the story of teenage lovers Maria Nunez (Natalie Wood / Marni Nixon singing) and Tony Wyzek (Richard Beymer / Jimmy Bryant singing) separated by gang violence in New York City. "West Side Story" holds the record number of Academy Awards for a movie musical (10, including Best Picture), and has been marked "culturally significant" by the U.S. Library of Congress.
#16. King Lear
Updated
Year: 1983
IMDb rating: 7.7
In this 1983 adaptation of "King Lear," director Michael Elliott set the tragedy in an outdoor location similar to Stonehenge. This movie (made for TV) starred Laurence Olivier in his final Shakespeare appearance; he was 75 years old at the time, and the oldest actor to play the role, but won an Emmy for the performance.
#15. Much Ado About Nothing
Updated
Year: 2005
IMDb rating: 7.7
The 2005 retelling of "Much Ado About Nothing" is part of the BBC ShakespeRe-Told series, along with the 2005 "Macbeth" (#33 on this list). This modern adaptation brings Shakespeare’s plot of quarreling ex-lovers reunited by meddling friends to a twenty-first century TV show, with heroes Beatrice and Benedick as joint anchors.
#14. Macbeth
Updated
Year: 2010
IMDb rating: 7.7
Patrick Stewart stars as the ambitious would-be king Macbeth in the BBC’s 2010 adaptation of the Scottish play, which was adapted by director Rupert Goold from his 2007 stage production at the Chichester Festival Theatre. The setting of this film is modern, meant to conjure images of the Soviet Union during Stalin’s leadership and draw attention to Macbeth’s tyrannical goals.
#13. Henry V
Updated
Year: 1989
IMDb rating: 7.7
Kenneth Branagh’s 1989 adaptation of "Henry V" (in which he both directed and starred) is widely considered to be an incredibly successful Shakespeare film; it has a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and won Branagh several awards, including a BAFTA for best direction. Unlike Laurence Olivier’s "Henry V" (#36), which is staged on stylized sets, Branagh’s adaptation is gritty and realistic, bringing this classic patriotic story into the modern day.
#12. Forbidden Planet
Updated
Year: 1956
IMDb rating: 7.7
When it was released in the 50s, "Forbidden Planet" pioneered many aspects of science fiction, such as a far-from-Earth setting and faster-than-lightspeed travel. However, the movie was actually heavily inspired by "The Tempest:" in it, a crew of space explorers led by Commander John Adams (Leslie Nielsen; this adaptation’s Ferdinand figure) finds an abandoned planet occupied only by Dr. Mobius (Walter Pidgeon; this adaptation’s Prospero) and his daughter Altaria (Anne Francis; this adaptation’s Miranda).
#11. Hamlet
Updated
Year: 1948
IMDb rating: 7.8
"Hamlet" (1948) is the first sound film version of this play, directed, produced, and starred in by Laurence Olivier. Olivier’s screenplay followed the overall arc and setting of the original text, but cut a significant amount of dialogue as well as two minor characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (luckily, they get their own play, see #20). Olivier won the Academy Award for his acting, making him the only actor to ever do so in a Shakespearean role. "Hamlet" was also the first non-American film to win Best Picture.
#10. Hamlet
Updated
Year: 1996
IMDb rating: 7.8
Directly preceding Laurence Olivier’s "Hamlet" on this list is Kenneth Branagh’s "Hamlet." Similarly to the Olivier film, Branagh both directed and starred in his "Hamlet," but unlike Olivier, he did not cut any of the text—the film runs for just over four hours. Branagh did, however, bring the setting into the 19th century in order to give the film greater current political context.
#9. Henry VI, Part I
Updated
Year: 2016
IMDb rating: 8
“The Hollow Crown” is a highly acclaimed, BBC-produced series compiling film adaptations of Shakespeare’s histories; this episode, retelling "Henry VI, Part I," is the first of several adaptations in that series to make this list. "Henry VI, Part I," directed by former Royal Court Theatre Artistic Director Dominic Cooke, presents parts of the first two "Henry VI" plays, with Tom Sturridge starring as the king himself.
#8. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Updated
Year: 1980
IMDb rating: 8
The BBC sponsored a "Hamlet" TV movie in 1980 as part of yet another Shakespeare film series, starring Derek Jacobi as Hamlet, Claire Bloom as Gertrude, and Sir Patrick Stewart as Claudius. In a common move for Hamlet adaptations, Jacobi was 42 in this role—far older than Hamlet in the original text (who is little older than a teenager), only seven years younger than Claire Bloom (Jacobi’s on-screen mother), and two years older than Stewart (Jacob’s on-screen uncle.) Audiences didn’t care about this discrepancy, though; the first screening of this movie was the highest rated production of the whole BBC Shakespeare series in America, with 5.5 million viewers.
#7. Hamlet
Updated
Year: 2009
IMDb rating: 8.2
The 2009 adaptation of "Hamlet" is the most recent on this list, and also the highest rated. This film was adapted from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2008 "Hamlet" production and is less gaudy than other "Hamlet" adaptations, with simple, modern-dress clothing and a single-camera setup. Perhaps most notable in this film, however, are its stars: David Tennant, most known as Doctor Who’s Tenth Doctor, plays Hamlet, and Sir Patrick Stewart once again plays Claudius.
#6. Richard II ("The Hollow Crown")
Updated
Year: 2012
IMDb rating: 8.3
The 2012 "Richard II" stars Ben Whishaw as King Richard, a weak-willed monarch with speeches better formulated than his convictions who loses sense of his identity after he is deposed. This film was the first in the BBC’s “The Hollow Crown” set of history adaptations, and it set the stage for the series’ high level of critical acclaim.
#5. The Taming of The Shrew
Updated
Year: 2005
IMDb rating: 8.3
This "Taming of the Shrew" is another part of the “ShakespeaRe-Told” series (see #33, #16), bringing a contentious Shakespeare comedy into a modern day setting. In this adaptation, Katherine Minola (Shirley Henderson) is an ambitious politician who marries nobleman Petruchio (Rufus Sewell) in order to improve her public image.
#4. Othello
Updated
Year: 1990
IMDb rating: 8.4
Of the many adaptations of "Othello" on this list, Trevor Nunn’s 1990 film version of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production is the highest rated. This film was shot in a black box theater with minimal sets and props, and stars hotshots Willard White as Othello, Sir Ian McKellen as Iago, Imogen Stubbs as Desdemona, and Zoë Wanamaker as Emilia.
#3. Henry VI, Part II ("The Hollow Crown")
Updated
Year: 2016
IMDb rating: 8.5
"Henry VI, Part II" followed "Henry VI, Part I" (#9 on this list) in the “The Hollow Crown” series. This adaptation picked up where "Part I" left off to finish Shakespeare’s three "Henry VI" plays, keeping primarily the same main cast with the notable introduction of Richard III (Benedict Cumberbatch.)
#2. Henry V ("The Hollow Crown")
Updated
Year: 2012
IMDb rating: 8.5
Number two on our list is another “Hollow Crown” adaptation, this one using the source material of the traditionally patriotic "Henry V." Here, King Henry is played by Tom Hiddleston (popularly known as Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), whose performance finishes the first tetralogy of history plays ("Richard II," the two parts of "Henry IV," and "Henry V") with rousing success.
#1. Richard III ("The Hollow Crown")
Updated
Year: 2016
IMDb rating: 8.7
"Richard III," the final part in “The Hollow Crown,” picks up where "Henry VI, Part II" (#3 on this list) left off to complete the story of Richard III's (Benedict Cumberbatch) rise to power. This film is chilling in its depiction of a tyrant’s unstoppable ambition, and its position as #1 on this list suggests that the current world is as enamoured with villainy as ever.
25 of the best Shakespeare film adaptations
Updated
Shakespeare is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest English language writers of all time. His beautiful language, portrayals of human nature, and mastery of writing dirty jokes have all landed him an iconic place in the literary canon. It seems a natural consequence, then, that artists should want to translate Shakespeare’s works into other mediums, including artwork, novelizations, and a seemingly infinite number of screen adaptations.
But which of these adaptations is the most successful at bringing Shakespeare’s genius to a broader audience? How can movies compare to the Bard’s original texts themselves? In honor of the anniversary of Shakespeare’s death on April 23, 1616, Stacker sought to answer these questions by compiling the 25 best Shakespeare film adaptations. Films were pulled from Shakespeare’s writing credits on IMDb, filtered into only full-length movie adaptations (not filmed stage productions). Films had to have at least 1,000 votes and a 7.0 IMDb user rating to be considered. Data is updated as of April 2022.
From a contemporary adaptation that garnered Denzel Washington an Academy Award nomination to a ’60s picture that wasn’t available for at-home viewing for almost 50 years, read on to see which Shakespeare movie adaptations made the cut.
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Henry V (1944)
Updated
- Director: Laurence Olivier
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 137 minutes
“Henry V” is often considered a great patriotic story for Britain as it chronicles the nation’s victory over France at the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years’ War; Shakespeare’s portrayal of the British army’s ability to best a much larger French force presents both the glories and atrocities of war. Director Laurence Olivier, who also stars in the film, focused on the positives in his 1944 adaptation, designed to rouse patriotic spirit near the end of World War II, and was successful both commercially and critically.
A Double Life (1947)
Updated
- Director: George Cukor
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 104 minutes
“A Double Life” is also a retelling of “Othello,” although this noir film puts a metatextual spin on the play. It tells the story of Anthony John (Ronald Colman), an actor infamous for getting too into character for his roles, who is cast opposite his ex-wife, Brita (Signe Hasso), in a stage production of “Othello.” Colman won an Academy Award for his role, and composer Miklós Rózsa won an Academy Award for the film’s original soundtrack.
Hamlet (1948)
Updated
- Director: Laurence Olivier
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 154 minutes
This 1948 version of “Hamlet” is the first sound film version of this play, which is directed and produced by Laurence Olivier, who also stars. Olivier’s screenplay followed the overall arc and setting of the original text, but cut a significant amount of dialogue as well as two minor characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (luckily, they get their own play later down the list). Olivier won the Academy Award for his acting, making him the only actor to ever do so in a Shakespearean role. “Hamlet” was also the first non-American film to win Best Picture.
Macbeth (1948)
Updated
- Director: Orson Welles
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 107 minutes
Orson Welles, best known for authoring “The War of the Worlds” and “Citizen Kane,” adapted the screenplay for, produced, directed, and starred in Republic Pictures’ 1948 adaptation of “Macbeth.” The film was shot on a small budget using leftover sets from the Westerns that Republic Pictures usually produced and failed to deliver in competition with Laurence Olivier’s “Hamlet,” released the same year. Its reception has grown with time, however, after it was restored and reissued, it is now considered “eccentric and haunting.”
Julius Caesar (1953)
Updated
- Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 120 minutes
In 1953, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adapted Shakespeare’s classic tragedy of the Roman politician killed by his fellow senators before he can take too much power for the big, colorful screen. The film was highly regarded critically and marked a shift in reputation for Marlon Brando, who starred as Caesar.
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Richard III (1955)
Updated
- Director: Laurence Olivier
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 88
- Runtime: 161 minutes
“Richard III” was another major Shakespeare film directed and produced by Laurence Olivier, who also stars as the titular king whose Machiavellian rise to power served as a warning to later leaders. Although this film was not critically acclaimed when it was released, it broke many box-office records in the U.S.; the British Film Institute stated the film “may have done more to popularise Shakespeare than any other single work.”
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Updated
- Director: Fred M. Wilcox
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 80
- Runtime: 98 minutes
When it was released in the ’50s, “Forbidden Planet” pioneered many aspects of science fiction, such as a far-from-Earth setting and faster-than-lightspeed travel. However, the movie was actually heavily inspired by “The Tempest”: in it, a crew of space explorers led by Commander John Adams (Leslie Nielsen, this adaptation’s Ferdinand figure) finds an abandoned planet occupied only by Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon, this adaptation’s Prospero) and his daughter Altaria (Anne Francis, this adaptation’s Miranda).
Throne of Blood (1957)
Updated
- Director: Akira Kurosawa
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 110 minutes
“Throne of Blood” transposes the drama of “Macbeth” from medieval Europe to feudal Japan. The 1957 Noh-inspired film follows a samurai warrior who, at the urging of his power-hungry wife, murders his lord and usurps his position, only to find that he must rule with an iron (and bloody) fist if he hopes to hold onto his new-found position. Critics loved the film, with Harold Bloom calling it “the most successful film version of ‘Macbeth’” and Time Magazine praising it as “the most brilliant and original attempt ever made to put Shakespeare in pictures.”
West Side Story (1961)
Updated
- Directors: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 86
- Runtime: 153 minutes
“West Side Story,” like the film on the previous slide, retells “Romeo and Juliet,” but in this version, the connection to the source is far looser. This movie is a direct screen adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical, which tells the story of teenage lovers Maria Nunez (Natalie Wood) and Tony Wyzek (Richard Beymer) separated by gang violence in New York City. “West Side Story” holds the record number of Academy Awards for a movie musical (10, including Best Picture), and has been marked “culturally significant” by the U.S. Library of Congress.
All Night Long (1962)
Updated
- Director: Basil Dearden
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 91 minutes
“All Night Long” adapts Shakespeare’s “Othello,” the tragedy of a general consumed by fictitious jealousy over his young wife, into the London jazz scene of the 1960s. The film is performed with less tragedy than the play’s original text (i.e., nobody is stabbed or suffocated), and far more jazz, including performances by Dave Brubeck and Charles Mingus.
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Chimes at Midnight (1965)
Updated
- Director: Orson Welles
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 94
- Runtime: 115 minutes
Somewhat of a mashup of Shakespearean plays, “Chimes at Midnight” combines elements from “Henry IV” (Parts 1 and 2), “Richard II,” “Henry V,” and “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Director Orson Welles stars as Sir John Falstaff, a recurring Shakespeare character, who shares a close father-son-like relationship with Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. Originally panned by critics, it took years for the movie to get the recognition it deserved, and it wasn’t until 2015 that it was widely available on DVD for audiences in the U.S. and U.K.
The Taming of The Shrew (1967)
Updated
- Director: Franco Zeffirelli
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 122 minutes
When we said “The Taming of the Shrew” is one of Shakespeare’s most often-performed comedies, we weren’t joking. Director Franco Zeffirelli’s 1967 version is a more classical adaptation than the BBC’s 1980 film, shot in Italy and full of swagger and humor, but it still cuts out significant portions of the original play’s subplots.
Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Updated
- Director: Franco Zeffirelli
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 69
- Runtime: 138 minutes
Franco Zeffirelli’s adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet” is largely considered to be the most faithful and most engaging adaptation of Shakespeare’s great tragedy—if you watched any film version of the play in your high school English class, it probably was this one (it certainly was for this writer). This film was popular with teenagers because it was the first “Romeo and Juliet” to cast actors actually close in age to the characters in the play; Leonard Whiting (Romeo) was 17 and Olivia Hussey (Juliet) was 16 at the time, as compared to around 18 and 13 in the play, respectively.
Macbeth (1971)
Updated
- Director: Roman Polanski
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 140 minutes
Director Roman Polanski was inspired to adapt “Macbeth” for the big screen after his wife, actress Sharon Tate, was brutally murdered by the Manson family. The film did poorly at the box office as critics turned up their noses at the gratuitous violence, but its reception has improved over time, landing it a spot on this list.
Ran (1985)
Updated
- Director: Akira Kurosawa
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 96
- Runtime: 162 minutes
Director Akira Kurosawa’s third Shakespeare adaptation, “Ran” combines the plot of “King Lear” with the Japanese legend of Mōri Motonari. The epic drama is about a Sengoku-period warlord who abdicates his throne in favor of his three sons, who, in a demented show of appreciation, antagonize their father, eventually driving him to madness. Critics loved the film, generally agreeing that it was “a great, glorious achievement.”
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Henry V (1989)
Updated
- Director: Kenneth Branagh
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 83
- Runtime: 137 minutes
Kenneth Branagh’s 1989 adaptation of “Henry V” (in which he both directed and starred) is widely considered to be an incredibly successful Shakespeare film; it has a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and won Branagh several awards, including a British Academy Film Award for Best Direction. Unlike Laurence Olivier’s “Henry V,” which is staged on stylized sets, Branagh’s adaptation is gritty and realistic, bringing this classic patriotic story into the modern-day.
My Own Private Idaho (1991)
Updated
- Director: Gus Van Sant
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 104 minutes
“My Own Private Idaho” is a modern reworking of “Henry IV, Part 1,” “Henry IV, Part 2,” and “Henry V,” focusing on the relationship between Prince Hal (later King Henry V) and his friend Falstaff. In this movie, Henry V is Scott (Keanu Reeves), a young hustler set to inherit his rich father’s fortune, and Falstaff is Mike (River Phoenix), an older friend and hustling mentor who harbors unrequited romantic feelings for Scott.
Richard III (1995)
Updated
- Director: Richard Loncraine
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 110 minutes
The 1995 adaptation of “Richard III” transports this history play to 1930s England, positioning Richard as a prince aiming to usurp his brother’s throne and rule as a fascist dictator. The movie features a star-studded cast including Sir Ian McKellen as Richard III, Dame Maggie Smith as the Duchess of York, Nigel Hawthorne as George, Duke of Clarence, and Robert Downey Jr. as Rivers. “Richard III” was widely acclaimed in the British film world; it was nominated for five BAFTAs and won two (best costumes and best production design).
Hamlet (1996)
Updated
- Director: Kenneth Branagh
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 242 minutes
Directly preceding Laurence Olivier’s “Hamlet” on this list is Kenneth Branagh’s “Hamlet.” Similar to the Olivier film, Branagh both directed and starred in his adaptation, but unlike Olivier, he did not cut any of the text—the film runs for just over four hours. Branagh did, however, bring the setting into the 19th century in order to give the film greater current political context.
Twelfth Night (1996)
Updated
- Director: Trevor Nunn
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 134 minutes
Trevor Nunn’s 1996 adaptation of “Twelfth Night” doesn’t stray too far from the original comedy about mad romances complicated by gender confusion. Nunn set his film in the late 19th century, filmed on location in Cornwall, and cast several major stars, including Richard E. Grant as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Nigel Hawthorne as Malvolio, and Helena Bonham Carter as Olivia.
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10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Updated
- Director: Gil Junger
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 70
- Runtime: 97 minutes
“10 Things I Hate About You” is well-known as a high school romance classic, but its plot is actually a modern, teen-friendly adaptation of “The Taming of the Shrew.” Kat (Julia Stiles) is Shakespeare’s angry Katherine; Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) is her sweet younger sister; delinquent Patrick (Heath Ledger) is Petruchio, the “bad boy” roped into pretending to date Katherine so that new student Cameron (Lucentio, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) can go after Bianca. Kat’s speech at the end of this movie is far more romantic than Katherine’s in the original play.
Titus (1999)
Updated
- Director: Julie Taymor
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 57
- Runtime: 162 minutes
The first film adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy “Titus Andronicus,” “Titus” is incredibly faithful to its source material despite using experimental storytelling techniques. The movie, which is largely set in the same time period as the play, follows the drama and retaliations that take place between Titus, a general in the Roman army, and Tamora, his captive and the Queen of the Goths. Although it received mixed reviews from critics, audiences largely loved the film, which stars big names like Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange.
The Merchant of Venice (2004)
Updated
- Director: Michael Radford
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: 63
- Runtime: 131 minutes
This adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s more morbid comedies is the first full-length film version of the play that is not a filming of a stage production. While the setting of this film is true to the play, director Michael Radford narrowed the play’s angle to present Shylock (Al Pacino) as a tragic hero victimized by Venice’s rampant antisemitism.
Much Ado About Nothing (2012)
Updated
- Director: Joss Whedon
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 78
- Runtime: 109 minutes
Joss Whedon, better known for his work in superhero movies, directed the 2012 film version of “Much Ado About Nothing”—a comedy best understood when one learns that “nothing,” in Shakespeare’s day, was a slang term for female genitalia. Whedon left the plot and dialogue of the original play primarily unchanged, but set the story in the modern-day and shot the film at his and his wife’s house in Santa Monica, California. Filming took place under two weeks while Whedon was on vacation following the production of “The Avengers.”
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
Updated
- Director: Joel Coen
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 87
- Runtime: 105 minutes
Denzel Washington, who stars as Lord Macbeth, earned Oscar, Golden Globe, Critic’s Choice, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his work in 2021’s sleeper hit, “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” Shot in black and white, the film is intended to feel as if it is untethered from reality, and critics largely agree that its style makes it feel particularly eerie. Frances McDormand, Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling, Kathryn Hunter, and Brendan Gleeson round out the movie’s all-star cast.
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