#bbctelevisionshakespeare — Public Fediverse posts

Movie Review: As You Like It (1978)

Title: As You Like It
Release Date: December 17, 1978
Director: Basil Coleman
Production Company: Time-Life Television Productions | BBC
Main Cast:

• • Helen Mirren as Rosalind
  • Brian Stirner as Orlando
  • Richard Pasco as Jaques
  • Angharad Rees as Celia
  • James Bolam as Touchstone
  • Clive Francis as Oliver
  • Richard Easton as Duke Frederick
  • Tony Church as Banished Duke
  • John Quentin as Le Beau
  • Maynard Williams as Silvius
  • Victoria Plucknett as Phebe
  • Marilyn Le Conte as Audrey
  • Tom McDonnell as Amiens
  • David Lloyd Meredith as Corin
  • Arthur Hewlett as Adam
  • Jeffrey Holland as William
  • Timothy Bateson as Sir Oliver Martext
  • David Prowse as Charles
  • John Moulder-Brown as Hymen
  • Paul Bentall as Jacques de Boys
  • Peter Tullo as Palace Lord

• Mike Lewin as Palace Lord
• Carl Forgione as Banished Duke’s Lord
• Max Harvey as Banished Duke’s Lord
• Chris Sullivan as Dennis
• Paul Phoenix as Page
• Barry Holden as Page

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Orlando is forced to work like a servant for his brother Oliver, so he goes to win his fortune in a wrestling contest, where he meets a lady of the court, Rosalind. Rosalind (daughter of the deposed duke) is companion to Celia, niece of the deposed Duke, and when the current duke banishes Rosalind from the kingdom, she, Celia, the court jester (and incidentally Orlando) all end up in the forest or Arden, where the deposed Duke holds court. Romantic mixups, cross-dressing, love poems nailed to trees, and a lion await them all.

My Thoughts:

I’ve returned to BBC Television Shakespeare which is always a good option for Shakespeare’s plays that don’t get as many movie adaptations.  I was hoping to watch a 1961 Royal Shakespeare Company performance with Vanessa Redgrave as Rosalind, but couldn’t find the film anywhere (although the audio is on YouTube).  Of course, Helen Mirren is no slouch and she shines in her performance of Rosalind.  Unlike most of the BBC productions which are filmed on sound stages, As You Like It is filmed entirely on location with the better part of the movie set in the forest.  With that being said, it is a bit strange that all the characters just hang out in the woods with no tents or other structures.  The cast is talented but the script doesn’t allow anyone to stand out apart from Mirren.  Dave Prowse, famous for playing Darth Vader, makes an appearance as a wrestler.  As one of Shakespeare’s more musical plays, there are some delightful songs as well.  The problem though is that this production is just too much of a straight, by-the-book run-through of a play that really needs a more compelling dramatic approach.

Rating: ***

Movie Review: As You Like It (1978)

Title: As You Like It
Release Date: December 17, 1978
Director: Basil Coleman
Production Company: Time-Life Television Productions | BBC
Main Cast:

• • Helen Mirren as Rosalind
  • Brian Stirner as Orlando
  • Richard Pasco as Jaques
  • Angharad Rees as Celia
  • James Bolam as Touchstone
  • Clive Francis as Oliver
  • Richard Easton as Duke Frederick
  • Tony Church as Banished Duke
  • John Quentin as Le Beau
  • Maynard Williams as Silvius
  • Victoria Plucknett as Phebe
  • Marilyn Le Conte as Audrey
  • Tom McDonnell as Amiens
  • David Lloyd Meredith as Corin
  • Arthur Hewlett as Adam
  • Jeffrey Holland as William
  • Timothy Bateson as Sir Oliver Martext
  • David Prowse as Charles
  • John Moulder-Brown as Hymen
  • Paul Bentall as Jacques de Boys
  • Peter Tullo as Palace Lord

• Mike Lewin as Palace Lord
• Carl Forgione as Banished Duke’s Lord
• Max Harvey as Banished Duke’s Lord
• Chris Sullivan as Dennis
• Paul Phoenix as Page
• Barry Holden as Page

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Orlando is forced to work like a servant for his brother Oliver, so he goes to win his fortune in a wrestling contest, where he meets a lady of the court, Rosalind. Rosalind (daughter of the deposed duke) is companion to Celia, niece of the deposed Duke, and when the current duke banishes Rosalind from the kingdom, she, Celia, the court jester (and incidentally Orlando) all end up in the forest or Arden, where the deposed Duke holds court. Romantic mixups, cross-dressing, love poems nailed to trees, and a lion await them all.

My Thoughts:

I’ve returned to BBC Television Shakespeare which is always a good option for Shakespeare’s plays that don’t get as many movie adaptations.  I was hoping to watch a 1961 Royal Shakespeare Company performance with Vanessa Redgrave as Rosalind, but couldn’t find the film anywhere (although the audio is on YouTube).  Of course, Helen Mirren is no slouch and she shines in her performance of Rosalind.  Unlike most of the BBC productions which are filmed on sound stages, As You Like It is filmed entirely on location with the better part of the movie set in the forest.  With that being said, it is a bit strange that all the characters just hang out in the woods with no tents or other structures.  The cast is talented but the script doesn’t allow anyone to stand out apart from Mirren.  Dave Prowse, famous for playing Darth Vader, makes an appearance as a wrestler.  As one of Shakespeare’s more musical plays, there are some delightful songs as well.  The problem though is that this production is just too much of a straight, by-the-book run-through of a play that really needs a more compelling dramatic approach.

Rating: ***

Movie Review: As You Like It (1978)

Title: As You Like It
Release Date: December 17, 1978
Director: Basil Coleman
Production Company: Time-Life Television Productions | BBC
Main Cast:

• • Helen Mirren as Rosalind
  • Brian Stirner as Orlando
  • Richard Pasco as Jaques
  • Angharad Rees as Celia
  • James Bolam as Touchstone
  • Clive Francis as Oliver
  • Richard Easton as Duke Frederick
  • Tony Church as Banished Duke
  • John Quentin as Le Beau
  • Maynard Williams as Silvius
  • Victoria Plucknett as Phebe
  • Marilyn Le Conte as Audrey
  • Tom McDonnell as Amiens
  • David Lloyd Meredith as Corin
  • Arthur Hewlett as Adam
  • Jeffrey Holland as William
  • Timothy Bateson as Sir Oliver Martext
  • David Prowse as Charles
  • John Moulder-Brown as Hymen
  • Paul Bentall as Jacques de Boys
  • Peter Tullo as Palace Lord

• Mike Lewin as Palace Lord
• Carl Forgione as Banished Duke’s Lord
• Max Harvey as Banished Duke’s Lord
• Chris Sullivan as Dennis
• Paul Phoenix as Page
• Barry Holden as Page

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Orlando is forced to work like a servant for his brother Oliver, so he goes to win his fortune in a wrestling contest, where he meets a lady of the court, Rosalind. Rosalind (daughter of the deposed duke) is companion to Celia, niece of the deposed Duke, and when the current duke banishes Rosalind from the kingdom, she, Celia, the court jester (and incidentally Orlando) all end up in the forest or Arden, where the deposed Duke holds court. Romantic mixups, cross-dressing, love poems nailed to trees, and a lion await them all.

My Thoughts:

I’ve returned to BBC Television Shakespeare which is always a good option for Shakespeare’s plays that don’t get as many movie adaptations.  I was hoping to watch a 1961 Royal Shakespeare Company performance with Vanessa Redgrave as Rosalind, but couldn’t find the film anywhere (although the audio is on YouTube).  Of course, Helen Mirren is no slouch and she shines in her performance of Rosalind.  Unlike most of the BBC productions which are filmed on sound stages, As You Like It is filmed entirely on location with the better part of the movie set in the forest.  With that being said, it is a bit strange that all the characters just hang out in the woods with no tents or other structures.  The cast is talented but the script doesn’t allow anyone to stand out apart from Mirren.  Dave Prowse, famous for playing Darth Vader, makes an appearance as a wrestler.  As one of Shakespeare’s more musical plays, there are some delightful songs as well.  The problem though is that this production is just too much of a straight, by-the-book run-through of a play that really needs a more compelling dramatic approach.

Rating: ***

Movie Review: As You Like It (1978)

Title: As You Like It
Release Date: December 17, 1978
Director: Basil Coleman
Production Company: Time-Life Television Productions | BBC
Main Cast:

• • Helen Mirren as Rosalind
  • Brian Stirner as Orlando
  • Richard Pasco as Jaques
  • Angharad Rees as Celia
  • James Bolam as Touchstone
  • Clive Francis as Oliver
  • Richard Easton as Duke Frederick
  • Tony Church as Banished Duke
  • John Quentin as Le Beau
  • Maynard Williams as Silvius
  • Victoria Plucknett as Phebe
  • Marilyn Le Conte as Audrey
  • Tom McDonnell as Amiens
  • David Lloyd Meredith as Corin
  • Arthur Hewlett as Adam
  • Jeffrey Holland as William
  • Timothy Bateson as Sir Oliver Martext
  • David Prowse as Charles
  • John Moulder-Brown as Hymen
  • Paul Bentall as Jacques de Boys
  • Peter Tullo as Palace Lord

• Mike Lewin as Palace Lord
• Carl Forgione as Banished Duke’s Lord
• Max Harvey as Banished Duke’s Lord
• Chris Sullivan as Dennis
• Paul Phoenix as Page
• Barry Holden as Page

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Orlando is forced to work like a servant for his brother Oliver, so he goes to win his fortune in a wrestling contest, where he meets a lady of the court, Rosalind. Rosalind (daughter of the deposed duke) is companion to Celia, niece of the deposed Duke, and when the current duke banishes Rosalind from the kingdom, she, Celia, the court jester (and incidentally Orlando) all end up in the forest or Arden, where the deposed Duke holds court. Romantic mixups, cross-dressing, love poems nailed to trees, and a lion await them all.

My Thoughts:

I’ve returned to BBC Television Shakespeare which is always a good option for Shakespeare’s plays that don’t get as many movie adaptations.  I was hoping to watch a 1961 Royal Shakespeare Company performance with Vanessa Redgrave as Rosalind, but couldn’t find the film anywhere (although the audio is on YouTube).  Of course, Helen Mirren is no slouch and she shines in her performance of Rosalind.  Unlike most of the BBC productions which are filmed on sound stages, As You Like It is filmed entirely on location with the better part of the movie set in the forest.  With that being said, it is a bit strange that all the characters just hang out in the woods with no tents or other structures.  The cast is talented but the script doesn’t allow anyone to stand out apart from Mirren.  Dave Prowse, famous for playing Darth Vader, makes an appearance as a wrestler.  As one of Shakespeare’s more musical plays, there are some delightful songs as well.  The problem though is that this production is just too much of a straight, by-the-book run-through of a play that really needs a more compelling dramatic approach.

Rating: ***

Movie Review: As You Like It (1978)

Title: As You Like It
Release Date: December 17, 1978
Director: Basil Coleman
Production Company: Time-Life Television Productions | BBC
Main Cast:

• • Helen Mirren as Rosalind
  • Brian Stirner as Orlando
  • Richard Pasco as Jaques
  • Angharad Rees as Celia
  • James Bolam as Touchstone
  • Clive Francis as Oliver
  • Richard Easton as Duke Frederick
  • Tony Church as Banished Duke
  • John Quentin as Le Beau
  • Maynard Williams as Silvius
  • Victoria Plucknett as Phebe
  • Marilyn Le Conte as Audrey
  • Tom McDonnell as Amiens
  • David Lloyd Meredith as Corin
  • Arthur Hewlett as Adam
  • Jeffrey Holland as William
  • Timothy Bateson as Sir Oliver Martext
  • David Prowse as Charles
  • John Moulder-Brown as Hymen
  • Paul Bentall as Jacques de Boys
  • Peter Tullo as Palace Lord

• Mike Lewin as Palace Lord
• Carl Forgione as Banished Duke’s Lord
• Max Harvey as Banished Duke’s Lord
• Chris Sullivan as Dennis
• Paul Phoenix as Page
• Barry Holden as Page

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Orlando is forced to work like a servant for his brother Oliver, so he goes to win his fortune in a wrestling contest, where he meets a lady of the court, Rosalind. Rosalind (daughter of the deposed duke) is companion to Celia, niece of the deposed Duke, and when the current duke banishes Rosalind from the kingdom, she, Celia, the court jester (and incidentally Orlando) all end up in the forest or Arden, where the deposed Duke holds court. Romantic mixups, cross-dressing, love poems nailed to trees, and a lion await them all.

My Thoughts:

I’ve returned to BBC Television Shakespeare which is always a good option for Shakespeare’s plays that don’t get as many movie adaptations.  I was hoping to watch a 1961 Royal Shakespeare Company performance with Vanessa Redgrave as Rosalind, but couldn’t find the film anywhere (although the audio is on YouTube).  Of course, Helen Mirren is no slouch and she shines in her performance of Rosalind.  Unlike most of the BBC productions which are filmed on sound stages, As You Like It is filmed entirely on location with the better part of the movie set in the forest.  With that being said, it is a bit strange that all the characters just hang out in the woods with no tents or other structures.  The cast is talented but the script doesn’t allow anyone to stand out apart from Mirren.  Dave Prowse, famous for playing Darth Vader, makes an appearance as a wrestler.  As one of Shakespeare’s more musical plays, there are some delightful songs as well.  The problem though is that this production is just too much of a straight, by-the-book run-through of a play that really needs a more compelling dramatic approach.

Rating: ***