Sir John Falstaff (Orson Welles) carouses with Prince Hal (Keith Baxter) and several unscrupulous characters, often in the bawdy house of Mistress Quickly (Margaret Rutherford), much to the displeasure of King Henry IV (John Gielgud). However a civil war and the king’s failing health will change the prince and his relationship with Falstaff. The idea
Hermia (Olivia de Havilland) loves Lysander (Dick Powell), but is required by her father to marry Demetrius (Ross Alexander), who had recently had an affair with Helena (Jean Muir). The Duke (Ian Hunter), who is preparing to wed the queen of the Amazons, sides with the father and the four youths escape into the wood.
Orlando (Laurence Olivier), kept from the life he should have as a gentleman by his cruel older brother (John Laurie), leaves town for the forest of Ardenne, where the usurped duke (Henry Ainley) lives with a merry band of exiles. At the same time, the new duke, Frederick (Felix Aylmer), banishes his niece, Rosalind (Elisabeth
Commander John J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen) and his crew travel to Altair-IV aboard their flying saucer to investigate the disappearance of the ship, Bellerophon, years earlier. They find that only Dr Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) and his innocent daughter, Altaira (Anne Francis), have survived. Morbius is studying the advanced machinery of a dead race, the Krell,
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Laurence Olivier), upset that his mother, Queen Gertrude (Eileen Herlie) has married his uncle Claudius (Basil Sydney) just two months after the death of the old king, is informed by his father’s ghost that Claudius murdered him. Hamlet vows revenge, but moves slowly, feigning madness, rejecting and abusing the young Ophelia (Jean
Envious Roman senators Cassius (John Gielgud) and Casca (Edmond O’Brien) convince noble Brutus (James Mason) to join their plot to assassinate Julius Caesar (Louis Calhern). While the conspirators manage to get the Roman people’s sympathies, Marc Antony’s (Marlon Brando) speech turn the people from the murders and sets up the destruction of the Republic. Producer John
Self-involved actor Fred Graham (Howard Keel) conspires to get his shrill ex-wife Lilli Vanessi (Kathryn Grayson) to take the lead in a new musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. He also casts his new girlfriend, tap dancer Lois Lane (Ann Miller). On opening night, Fred runs into trouble when two gangsters, Lippy (Keenan
A group of peasant actors, including the blustering Nick Bottom (Kevin Kline), and four mixed-up lovers (Anna Friel, Calista Flockhart, Dominic West, Christian Bale) end up as pawns in a fight between faerie royalty (Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett) on midsummer night. Lust. Lots and lots of lust. That’s what A Midsummer Night’s Dream is about. That and
While cynical Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson) are tricked into realizing they love each other, young Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) is tricked into believing his bride-to-be, Hero (Kate Beckinsale), is unfaithful. Much Ado About Nothing is an odd play, at least as it is normally produced. Claudio, assumed to be a good man, tosses
Iago (Frank Finlay), enraged that Cassio (Derek Jacobi) has been promoted instead of himself, vows revenge upon his commander, Othello the Moor (Laurence Olivier), as well as Cassio. Othello has recently married the beautiful, young Desdemona (Maggie Smith), much to the regret of the foolish Roderigo (Robert Lang), who wanted her for himself. Iago and Roderigo stir
Iago (Kenneth Branagh), seeped in hatred for his commander, Othello (Laurence Fishburne), vows to destroy him and fellow officer Cassio (Nathaniel Parker). Othello has recently married the beautiful, young Desdemona (Irène Jacob), much to the regret of the foolish Roderigo (Michael Maloney), who wanted her for himself. Iago uses Roderigo in his plot to disgrace Cassio,
Fenge (Gabriel Byrne) usurps the throne of Jutland by killing his brother, King Hardvanael, and marrying his widow (Helen Mirren). Hardvanael’s son, Amled (Christian Bale), feigns insanity, but Fenge doubts his condition and sends him to a friendly duke (Brian Cox) in England to be murdered. Instead, the prince becomes a hero, marries an English girl