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Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (April 26, 1564 - April 23, 1616) is reputed to be the greatest of all writers in the English language, or indeed in any language. His ability to capture and convey the most profound aspects of human nature is regarded by many as unequalled, and the English Renaissance has often been called "the age of Shakespeare". He was among few playwrights who have excelled in both tragedy and comedy and several of his plays contain songs that are among the finest lyric poems in English. His prolific output is especially impressive in light of the fact that he lived only 53 years. "A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool." - Will Shakespeare

Romeo And Juliet (BBC) (1978)

7.6/10
Director: Alvin Rakoff
Starring: John Gielgud, Patrick Ryecart, Rebecca Saire, Alan Rickman, Celia Johnson, Micha...

Shakespeare's tragic love story was among the first of the BBC's Shakespeare series to be filmed, and possibly one of the most faithful to the play.... Read more

Macbeth (Polanski) (1971)

6.6/10
Director: Roman Polanski
Starring: Jon Finch, Francesca Annis, Martin Shaw

Aka "The Tragedy of Macbeth". Roman Polanski's violent retelling of Shakespeare's story of the Scottish war hero, prompted by supernatural prophecy an... Read more

King Lear (Scofield) (1970)

8.3/10
Director: Peter Brook
Starring: Paul Scofield, Irene Worth, Jack MacGowran

To see Paul Scofield as Lear is to see nobility turn to pauperdom, pride to a frenzy of madness, manhood to senility, in the course of a single and un... Read more

The Thames Shakespeare Collection (1970)

Director: Kenneth Branagh, Joan Kemp-Welch, Philip Casson
Starring: Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, Marie Kean, Ian McDiarmid, Patrick Magee, Ray Smith, W...

From royal family struggles and star-crossed lovers to a shipwreck romance and witches' prophecies, this acclaimed collection features the four of Sha... Read more

Hamlet (Williamson) (1969)

7.8/10
Director: Tony Richardson
Starring: Nicol Williamson, Gordon Jackson, Anthony Hopkins

Nicol Williamson and director Tony Richardson bring their successful stage version of the world's most famous play to the screen with striking results... Read more

Romeo and Juliet (Zeffirelli) ( Blu-ray ) (1968)

7.6/10
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Starring: Leonard Whiting, Michael York, Milo O'Shea, Olivia Hussey, John McEnery

One of the most popular film adaptations of Shakespeare's classic, the recipient of international acclaim and four Academy Award nominations. Starring... Read more

Romeo and Juliet (Zeffirelli) (1968)

7.6/10
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Starring: Olivia Hussey, Milo O'Shea, Leonard Whiting, Michael York

One of the most popular film adaptations of Shakespeare's classic, the recipient of international acclaim and four Academy Award nominations. Starring... Read more

The Taming Of The Shrew (1967)

7.2/10
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Cyril Cusack, Michael Hordern, Alfred Lynch, A...

An exquisite mounting of Shakespeare's comic look at male-female relationships stars Richard Burton as Petruchio, the wily gentleman from Verona who t... Read more

Falstaff (Chimes at Midnight) (1965)

8.6/10
Director: Orson Welles
Starring: Jeanne Moreau, John Gielgud, Margaret Rutherford, Orson Welles, Norman Rodway

Henry IV (John Gielgud) usurps the English throne, sets in motion the factious War of the Roses and now faces a rebellion led by Northumberland scion... Read more

Othello (Olivier) (1965)

6.9/10
Director: Stuart Burge
Starring: Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Joyce Redman, Frank Finlay, Derek Jacobi

Shakespeare's tragic story of how a great man's vanity is manipulated by a jealous aide to bring his downfall, has never been more movingly nor dramat... Read more