Shakespeare

NOTE: According to Wikipedia, over 420 full-length adaptations of Shakespeare’s works have been made over the years. Wikipedia users have already slaved away to compile the majority of them together in a convenient little article titled “Shakespeare on screen“; so I’ve stuck with highlighting the two main biographical films about the Bard and any good adaptations that I come across and happen to watch.

 

Anonymous (2011); directed by Roland Emmerich; Columbia Pictures.

Starring:

• Edward de Vere = Rhys Ifans
• Queen Elizabeth I = Vanessa Redgrave
• William Cecil = David Thewlis
• Young Oxford = Jamie Campbell Bower
• Will Shakespeare = Rafe Spall
• Henry Wriothesley = Xavier Samuel
• Princess Elizabeth = Joely Richardson
• Prologue = Derek Jacobi

 

Shakespeare in Love (1998); directed by John Madden; Universal Pictures. Music by Stephen Warbeck.

Starring:

• Shakespeare = Joseph Fiennes
• Philip Henslowe = Geoffrey Rush
• Viola De Lesseps = Gwyneth Paltrow
• Lord Wessex = Colin Firth
• Richard Burbage = Martin Clunes
• Nurse = Imelda Staunton
• Ned Allyen = Ben Affleck
• Hugh Fennyman = Tom Wilkinson
• Queen Elizabeth = Judi Dench

Will Shakespeare (1978); directed by Mark Cullingham/Robert Knights; Associated Television

Starring:

• Shakespeare = Tim Curry
• Dick Burbage = Paul Freeman
• Alex Cooke = John Normington
• Jack Rice = Ron Cook
• Henry Condell = Richard Cordery
• Sam Crosse = Ronald Herdman
• Jack Heminge = Roger Llyod-Pack
• Queen Elizabeth I = Patience Collier