Hamlet at Elsinore

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Hamlet, a.k.a. Hamlet at Elsinore, is a 1964 made-for-television production of Shakespeare's play. Presented in the UK on the BBC, and in the U.S. on NET in 1965, it won wide acclaim both for its performances and for being filmed entirely at Elsinore, in the castle in which scholars believe that the play is set. At a length of nearly three hours, it was very likely the longest production of the play presented on American television up to that time.

The film starred Christopher Plummer as the melancholy Prince of Denmark. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance. Supporting performances were given by such actors as Robert Shaw (as Claudius), and Michael Caine, in his only filmed Shakespeare performance so far, as Horatio. Both actors were, at the time, almost completely unknown to American audiences, and Plummer had only recently gained popularity in the U.S. because of his portrayal of Captain Von Trapp in the smash hit musical film The Sound of Music.

Although clips of the film (revealing it to be in startlingly good condition) are very rarely shown on television, it has, unfortunately slipped into obscurity, never having been released on VHS or DVD, not seen complete on television for many years, and remembered fondly mostly by those who saw it upon its first telecasts. The film was directed by Philip Saville.