Hamlet

Hamlet (1948) — Laurence Olivier's landmark British adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy — is available to watch online on iFILM. Shot in deep-focus black and white, with Olivier both directing and playing the Prince of Denmark across a 155-minute runtime, it remains one of the most studied Shakespeare films ever made.

The Danish king is dead. His widow has already married his brother Claudius, who now sits on the throne. A ghost gives Hamlet the name of the murderer. From there the prince spirals — faking madness, alienating Ophelia (Jean Simmons, who received an Oscar nomination for the role), and delaying the revenge he cannot quite commit to. The castle at Elsinore, filmed entirely at Denham Studios with expressionist shadows, becomes a trap for everyone inside it.

The film took four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and the Best Actor prize — making Olivier the first performer to claim that Oscar for a Shakespearean role. What stays with you is not the verse-speaking but the hesitation: this Hamlet is a study in a man who understands everything and can act on none of it. Stream Hamlet (1948) online on iFILM.