[Picture of projector]

Laramie Movie Scope:
Looking for Richard

A filmed exposition on Richard III

[Strip of film rule]
by Robert Roten, Film Critic
[Strip of film rule]

August 4, 2001 -- "Looking for Richard" is an odd, but effective, montage of ideas about "Richard III," and Shakespeare in general, collected by master actor Al Pacino and friends.

The film shows us only a quarter or so of this play, said to be the most often performed of the bard's works, but it has some very good explanations of the historical background of the play. It shows some of the historical settings referred to in the play. At the beginning, Pacino holds up a copy of Cliff Notes, and this movie is, indeed, a kind of study guide for appreciating Richard III. In Shakespeare's day, people were familiar with the kings, queens and other nobles depicted in Richard III. They were the rock stars of that era. Today, most of us know them only because they were in this play.

In addition to the historical characters, the language of Shakespeare's day is examined, the poetry of Shakespeare, and the all-important psychology of the characters. There are also discussions about casting and staging. Pacino does man-on-the-street interviews with people to ask them what Shakespeare means to them. The answers are sometimes funny, sometimes insightful. While Pacino is at the heart of the film, Frederic Kimball is also a key player, frequently discussing key passages in the play. He and Pacino have sharp disagreements on how the film should proceed. Pacino has the last say, though.

There is an admission in the film that Richard III is a difficult play. There are a large number of characters. An attempt is made to explain Richard's motivation for romancing Lady Anne. Since Richard does not need Lady Anne to achieve power, none of the experts consulted in the film seems to be able to come up with a good explanation for the scene between Richard (Pacino) and Lady Anne (Winona Ryder). That's refreshing, most such films would probably have come up with some simple explanation. It is nice when somebody admits there is no easy answer.

The film depicts the divide between Americans and the British over how to play Shakespeare. It is clear that the British are closer to Shakespeare. He is one of their own. They have steeped themselves in Shakespeare's language and history. They feel they own the territory. Pacino and the American actors aren't about to roll over, however. They're view is that they are versatile actors and can adapt to the material, while giving it their own interpretation. Pacino certainly slips into the role of Richard nicely. As always, he is a powerful presence.

There is an all-star cast to back up Pacino, including Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, Aidan Quinn and F. Murray Abraham. Other famous actors make brief appearances on screen to give their insights into Shakespeare, including: Kenneth Branagh, Kevin Kline, James Earl Jones, Sir John Gielgud and Vanessa Redgrave. At times, the film seems like a documentary, and other times it is more staged, but it is playful and entertaining most of the time, and always instructive. It is an amusing, enlightening look behind the scenes in show business. The editing of this film, which must have been a nightmare, is ably accomplished by William A. Anderson, Ned Bastille, Pasquale Buba and Andre Ross Betz. This film rates a B.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

[Strip of film rule]
Copyright © 2001 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.
[Strip of film rule]
 
Back to the Laramie Movie Scope index.
 
[Rule made of Seventh Seal sillouettes]

Robert Roten can be reached via e-mail at my last name at lariat dot org. [Mailer button: image of letter and envelope]

(If you e-mail me with a question about this or any other movie or review, please mention the name of the movie you are asking the question about, otherwise I may have no way of knowing which film you are referring to)