Hamlet

At the forbidding castle of Elsinore, The Prince of Denmark (Mel Gibson) plots revenge and ponders existential matters when his uncle (Alan Bates) murders his father the King (Paul Scofield) and marries his mother (Glenn Close). Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet is a somewhat monotone telling boasting of great production design. It's fun to watch Gibson in this sort of against type role, and he proves to be more than capable in an animated performance. Bates and Scofield (in a limited role) stand out among the cast.

*** out of ****

Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare's enduring tragic tale of two star-crossed lovers from rival families in fair Verona is given grand treatment in this sumptuous adaptation by Franco Zeffirelli who casts like aged teens Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, who are surprisingly appealing and quite excellent, and matched by resplendent, Oscar winning cinematography by Pasqualino De Santis and a lovely Nino Rota score. Also, the courtyard scene is unforgettable.

*** 1/2 out of ****