| I suspected you would think as you do concerning Branagh’s film and performance, and though it’s been awhile since I have seen it, I think in some ways you are correct. But I accept Branagh’s film as a popularization of the play. His treatment of the Harfleur siege, again for example, was an interesting, dark and gritty departure from Olivier’s version. In fact I think the modern eye and ear can relate to it much better than to most renderings. The film is politically unfaithful, no doubt. One must work, far above the encouragements of the chorus, to observe its skeletal commentary on English imperialism and autocracy. But generally speaking, modern audiences do not bring to Shakespeare the background requisite to more fully understand and enjoy his plays. People are no more capable of understanding the nuances of this play than they can those contained in, say, Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring." Though Branagh seems naturally to overact his part, I think he understands this, and so I allow him license to use Shakespeare as he did. For similar reasons, I did the same with Bernstein’s overbearing treatment of just about everything he performed. |
