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Box set featuring six Shakespeare adaptations starring legendary
actor Laurence Olivier. In 'King Lear' (1983), the ageing King Lear
(Olivier) decides to split his kingdom between three daughters -
Regan, Cordelia and Goneril - with each receiving a share
appropriate to the amount of love they feel for him. However, when
the faithful Cordelia refuses to protest her devotion, an enraged
Lear foolishly cedes complete control to the devious remaining
siblings - with terrible results. In 'Henry V' (1944), the young
king (Olivier) puts his rakish past behind him and rallies his men
to invade France, winning against the enemy's superior numbers. The
film was shot in Ireland to avoid the constant bombardment of the
Blitz and Olivier was discharged from the Navy to make the film. In
'Hamlet' (1948), Hamlet (Olivier), Prince of Denmark, is still
mourning over the death of his father and his mother Gertrude's
(Eileen Herlie) subsequent remarriage to Hamlet's despised uncle,
Claudius (Basil Sydney), who is now King. When his father's ghost
appears to Hamlet and reveals that it was Claudius who murdered
him, the young prince vows revenge. However, a fatal flaw in his
character - hesitation - mars his efforts, resulting in murder,
madness and treachery. In 'The Merchant of Venice' (1974), Jewish
moneylender Shylock (Olivier) provides young Antonio (Anthony
Nichols) with a loan, stating that if it is not repaid he will
claim a pound of flesh. When Antonio's bond defaults, Shylock
attempts to claim his grisly compensation in a court of law, but
Portia (Joan Plowright) pleads Antonio's case. In 'Richard III'
(1955), Olivier stars as the cold and calculating king, a
treacherous and untrustworthy fellow who makes plans to kill anyone
who threatens his position. Henry Stafford (Ralph Richardson), the
Duke of Clarence (John Gielgud) and Lady Anne Neville (Claire
Bloom) are just some of those moving in his orbit. 'As You Like It'
(1936) was filmed in England in 1936 when Olivier was still
considered a promising young actor rather than one of the finest
thespians ever, as he would later become, this is his first filmed
Shakespeare performance and thus a milestone in film history.
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