It's striking how Laurence Olivier consistently avoids looking at the camera when he speaks; even during his most powerful speeches, he manages to maintain eye contact away from the audience! Nevertheless, this "Hamlet" stands as a definitive portrayal of Shakespeare’s complex character, and with a well-chosen ensemble cast, we are presented with roughly two and a half hours of tightly directed, beautifully dark, and unsettling tragic drama. His father has been killed, and his mother, “Gertrude” (Eileen Herlie), has quickly remarried his uncle, now the king, "Claudius" (Basil Sydney). "Hamlet" suspects that this man was involved in the murder, and he wonders if his own mother might have played a part as well—but he lacks proof. Fortunately, his father’s ghost appears to reveal the details of his assassination, prompting Hamlet to weave these events into a play intended to expose the murderers and inflict suffering upon them. This plan doesn't quite work out, and an unfortunate incident in his mother's chamber leads to his formal dispatch to England; however, he encounters pirates who may be able to return him home for a final confrontation with the deceitful individuals at court. Olivier’s exceptional interpretation of this troubled and hesitant character seems as close to Shakespeare’s original vision as one could reasonably achieve. Still, it's an edited version—I once saw a stage production of "Hamlet" at the RSC with Kenneth Branagh that ran for over four hours—so some dialogue had to be omitted. However, this isn’t so significant because the somber cinematography does a great deal to support the narrative, allowing us to understand enough to compensate for the missing descriptive passages. Jean Simmons is remarkable as the young "Ophelia"—a woman who attracts Hamlet's affections but has been cautioned by her father, "Polonius" (Felix Aylmer), to keep her distance! That relationship deteriorates further as she struggles with mental distress after her father becomes a victim of a terrible crime. Sydney also delivers a compelling performance as the king slowly grapples with the guilt associated with his actions—and, as is characteristic of this kind of storytelling, his descent into madness is portrayed through increasingly frantic monologues. The lengthy conclusion embodies tragedy and confusion, marked by widespread poison; however, it rarely finds its intended target, and at the end, "Fortinbras" promises to recount this story to anyone who will listen. It's a thoroughly engaging narrative full of twists, betrayals, deception, love, honor, and betrayal – all the necessary elements for a great drama featuring an exceptional cast that truly captures the imagination.

Source on TMDB