William Shakespeare

A contemporary retelling of Shakespeare's timeless tragedy Othello, exploring the intricacies of human emotions and the consequences of unchecked manipulation, all within a modern context.

Two struggling actors find solace from lockdown isolation by staging Hamlet in Grand Theft Auto Online (2013), battling griefers as they connect through William Shakespeare.

Set in the fictional present, an aging King invites disaster when he abdicates to his corrupt, toadying daughters and rejects his loving and honest one.

In the castle of Elsinore, Denmark, willful and free-spirited Ophelia is Queen Gertrude's favourite lady-in-waiting, and ridiculed by the others for her lack of nobility. Her father, Polonius, is chief councillor to King Hamlet. Upon his return from Wittenberg, Prince Hamlet soon begins courting Ophelia, but their romance is cut short when he returns to his studies. At the same time, Hamlet's uncle Claudius seduces Gertrude. Later, Gertrude sends Ophelia for her tonic from the healer Mechtild deep in the forest. That night, Ophelia witnesses the king and queen in a heated argument. She pursues the distraught Gertrude up to the castle parapets where she sees an apparent ghost. The next day the king is dead, presumably from a venomous snake bite. Claudius takes the throne as his successor and marries Gertrude. Hamlet returns to Elsinore enraged, suspecting foul play. He resumes his romance with Ophelia, which the court notices. Ophelia's brother Laertes cautions her to be careful, before leaving for France. Ophelia meets Hamlet at the parapets where he confides in her his suspicions about his mother's infidelity. Ophelia later learns Mechtild is not only Gertrude's twin sister but also Claudius' former lover. He ruined her by accusing her of witchcraft when she miscarried their son. She escaped persecution by faking her own death with a special poison. Later on, Hamlet meets Ophelia in the chapel and they secretly marry. Early the next morning, Ophelia discovers Claudius is the spectral figure, then finds Mechtild's poison in his cloak, and realises he poisoned King Hamlet. Upon discovering their secret marriage, Claudius tries to use her to spy on Hamlet. Ophelia warns him of the murder and he insists she hide in a convent to be safe from Claudius. Polonius deduces that Hamlet is mad, but unconvinced Claudius instructs him to marry off Ophelia. That night, Hamlet has an acting troupe depict his father's murder. Claudius bursts into a rage, confirming Hamlet's suspicions. Gertrude blames Ophelia, dismissing her. Polonius pleads Ophelia's case with Gertrude, but he is killed by Hamlet, who mistakes him for Claudius. Horatio devastates Ophelia further, telling her that Hamlet has been banished to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Laertes returns from France demanding justice for his father. During her wedding preparations, Ophelia learns that Claudius ordered Hamlet's murder. But Horatio lifts her hopes when he tells her he is still alive. Attempting to escape the castle, Ophelia is cornered by Claudius so she confronts him for mistreating Mechtild. He locks her up, but she escapes and feigns madness. During her act, Ophelia tells Horatio to take her body from the grave. Claudius orders her arrest but Gertrude shows her mercy, believing her show of insanity. The guards pursue her to the lake where she drinks Mechtild's poison and seemingly drowns. Horatio understood her request and digs her up as she wakes, but the poison has weakened her. Travelling through the forest, they find Norwegian soldiers heading to Elsinore. Horatio leaves to warn the court while Ophelia seeks out Mechtild for an antidote. When confronted about the king's murder, Mechtild explains that while she had no part in it she admits she could not deny Claudius as she still harboured feelings for him, but agrees that he should pay for his crimes. While Ophelia rests, Mechtild goes to help the invading Norwegians. Ophelia awakes to a stunned and remorseful Gertrude, who announces that Laertes has challenged Hamlet to a duel. Ophelia forgives her, and sneaks back into the castle unrecognised with Gertrude's help. Claudius meanwhile has anointed Laertes' sword with poison. Hamlet is overjoyed to see his beloved alive and well. Ophelia pleads with him to leave with her but he is still consumed by vengeance, but promises to follow her to the convent. Ophelia sadly bids him goodbye and leaves Elsinore for good. Both Hamlet and Laertes are killed, wounded by the poisoned sword. Enraged and grief-stricken, Gertrude grabs Hamlet's sword and kills Claudius, just as the Norwegians storm the castle, accompanied by Mechtild. She poisons herself with Claudius' venom and dies in her sister's arms. The film closes with Ophelia living peacefully in exile with her daughter, fathered by Hamlet.

Arshinagar is an imaginary neighborhood, which is terrorized by two rival gangs belonging to the Khans & the Mitras. Both families are in the real estate business and are sworn enemies. Both have their eyes on Arshinagar slum, which they dream of developing into luxury apartments or shopping malls. To this end, both Mitra and Khan consult a corrupt politician called Deendayal who accepts bribes from both parties and promises both that he will have the slum evacuated. While the Khan and Mitra goons continue to engage in violent battles over acquiring the slum by fair means or foul, Bishwananath Mitra`s son Ronojoy and Sabir Khan`s daughter Zulekha happen to meet and fall in love at first sight. Aware of the consequences if their families come to know of their relationship, Rono and Julie conduct their love affair in secret.

Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself. Based on Shakespeare's tragedy, the film follows Scottish nobleman Macbeth, who, spurred by prophecy and ambition, commits acts that set him on a path of power, guilt, and destruction. Political intrigue, supernatural forces, and moral consequences shape his rise and fall.

Haider is Vishal Bhardwaj`s adaptation of William Shakespeare`s Hamlet. It follows Haider, a young man who returns home to Kashmir on receiving news of his father`s disappearance. Not only does he learn that the security forces have detained his father for harboring militants, but that his mother is in a relationship with his very own uncle. Intense drama follows between mother and son, as both struggle to come to terms with the news of his father`s death. Soon, Haider learns that his uncle is responsible for the gruesome murder and he sets out to avenge his father`s death.

A surreal adaptation of Shakespeare's classic tragedy set in a fantasy world of constantly changing realities and dimensions.

Shakespeare's comedy of gender confusion, in which a girl disguises herself as a man to be near the count she adores, only to be pursued by the woman he loves. Brother and sister Viola and Sebastian, who are not only very close but look a great deal alike, are in a shipwreck, and both think the other dead. When she lands in a foreign country, Viola dresses as her brother and adopts the name Cesario, becoming a trusted friend and confidante to the Count Orsino. Orsino is madly in love with the lady Olivia, who is in mourning due to her brother's recent death, which she uses as an excuse to avoid seeing the count, whom she does not love. He sends Cesario to do his wooing, and Olivia falls in love with the disguised maiden. Things get more complicated in this bittersweet Shakespeare comedy when a moronic nobleman, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and a self-important servant, Malvolio, get caught up in the schemes of Olivia's uncle, the obese, alcoholic Sir Toby, who leads each to believe Olivia loves him. As well, Sebastian surfaces in the area, and of course there is Feste, the wise fool, around to keep everything in perspective and to marvel, like we the audience, at the amazing things happening all around. —Gary Dickerson <slug@mail.utexas.edu>

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father murdered and his mother remarrying the murderer, his uncle. Meanwhile, war is brewing. Hamlet (Sir Kenneth Branagh), son of the King of Denmark (Brian Blessed), is summoned home for his father's funeral and his mother Gertrude's (Julie Christie's) wedding to his uncle Claudius (Sir Derek Jacobi). In a supernatural episode, he discovers that his uncle, who he hates anyway, murdered his father. In an incredibly convoluted plot, the most complicated and most interesting in all literature, he manages to (impossible to put this in exact order) feign (or perhaps not to feign) madness, murder the "Prime Minister", love and then unlove an innocent who he drives to madness, plot and then unplot against the uncle, direct a play within a play, successfully conspire against the lives of two well-meaning friends, and finally take his revenge on the uncle, but only at the cost of almost every life on-stage, including his own and his mother's. —John Brosseau <brossj5683@aol.com>

The Moorish General Othello is manipulated into thinking that his new wife Desdemona has been carrying on an affair with his Lieutenant Michael Cassio, when in reality, it is all part of the scheme of a bitter Ensign named Iago. Iago convinces Othello, The Moor of Venice that his wife, Desdemona has been unfaithful. Iago is an evil, manipulative character with his own agenda. A plot of jealousy and rage transpires in this classic Shakespearean tale. —Jason Ihle <jrihl@conncoll.edu>

Don Pedro, prince of Medina (Denzel Washington), his resentful brother Don John (Keanu Reeves), and his noblemen Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) and Benedick (screenwriter/director Kenneth Branagh) return from war, ready for merriment and love. Claudio loves Hero (Kate Beckinsale), the young daughter of the nobleman Leonato (Richard Briers), but Benedick hates Beatrice (Emma Thompson), Leonato's beautiful, witty, but sharp-tongued niece, who hates him back. Claudio and Hero are soon engaged; as they prepare for their wedding, they decide, with the help of Don Pedro, to trick Benedick and Beatrice into confessing their true love for each other. The plan works without a hitch, but trouble comes in the form of Don John, who is jealous of his brother's power and of his affection for Claudio. Don John devises a scheme where one of his lieutenants will make love to Hero's maid Margaret (Imelda Staunton) at Hero's window the night before the wedding--and call her Hero. Don John takes Don Pedro and Claudio to Leonato's house, where they see the encounter and are convinced the woman is Hero. The next day Claudio disgraces Hero publicly at the wedding and refuses to marry her. She faints and Leonato is persuaded to pretend that she is dead until the situation is sorted out. The foolish warden Dogberry (Michael Keaton) manages to arrest Don John's lieutenants and they confess to the plot. Claudio is crushed when he learns that he killed Hero with his false accusations. He begs Leonato to punish him and Leonato tells him his punishment is to marry his (other) niece, who closely resembles Hero. Claudio agrees but first spends a night mourning for Hero and proclaiming her innocence. Don John escapes Medina. The next morning Claudio marries the supposed niece, who removes her veil to reveal that she is Hero. They are very happy but Benedick and Beatrice almost break up when they discover they were tricked into admitting their love. In the end, Don John is arrested and brought back to face punishment, Benedick and Beatrice marry, and all dance around Leonato's garden singing "Noddy noddy."

A pair of identical twins get separated as children during a sea voyage. Years later, their lives intertwine which leads to confusion and misunderstanding.

A ruthlessly ambitious Scottish lord seizes the throne with the help of his scheming wife and a trio of witches. Roman Polanski's version of Shakespeare's tragedy about a Scottish lord who murders the king and ascends the throne. His wife then begins hallucinating as a result of her guilt complex and the dead king's son conspires to attack Macbeth and expose him for the murderer he is. —Jason Ihle <jrihl@conncoll.edu> A leader in the victorious army of the King of Scotland, Macbeth, has his ambition piqued when three witches prophesy that he will Thane of Cawdor and king. When the former comes true he believes it is his destiny to be king and sets out to achieve this. —grantss

Academy Award-winning director Tony Richardson brings Shakespeare's tragedy to the screen - with searing performances from Nicol Williamson as the melancholy Dane and future Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins as the deceitful Claudius. Nicol Williamson takes the lead role in this star-studded 1969 version of William Shakespeare's tragedy. Prince Hamlet (Williamson) mourns his father's death and his mother's (Judy Parfitt's) marriage to Claudius (Sir Anthony Hopkins). When the ghost of Hamlet's father appears to him and tells him that Claudius has poisoned him, Hamlet swears revenge.

When two young members of feuding families meet, forbidden love ensues. A venomous blood feud divides the powerful clans of the Montagues and the Capulets in the medieval city of Verona, unfolding William Shakespeare's eternal story of teenage love. And as youth's insolence arms charming young Romeo Montague with dauntless courage to come uninvited to the Capulets' scintillating masked ball, a brief but thrilling encounter with delicate dark-haired Juliet Capulet paves the way for ardent passions and cruel romantic tragedy. Once, the star-crossed lovers exchanged vows of everlasting devotion despite their perilous plight. But now, before the grim machinations of fate, man stands powerless. Are Romeo and Juliet destined to be together? —Nick Riganas An ancient adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic play about two young people from opposite families falling in love in secret. Their actions lead to a chain of events that affects their friends and families to the limit that they do not know what to do. —RECB3 Shakespeare's classic tale of romance and tragedy. Two families of Verona, the Montagues and the Capulets, have been feuding with each other for years. Young Romeo Montague goes out with his friends to make trouble at a party the Capulets are hosting, but while there he spies the Capulet's daughter Juliet, and falls hopelessly in love with her. She returns his affections, but they both know that their families will never allow them to follow their hearts. —Jean-Marc Rocher <rocher@fiberbit.net>

Set in the late 1590s, the film opens when Lucentio (Michael York), a young nobleman, arrives in Padua, Italy to attend the local university with his servant and best friend Tranio (Alfred Lynch). After attending a graduate ceremony with outbound students graduating, Lucentio catches sight of the young and beautiful teenage Bianca (Natasha Pyne) the daughter of a wealthy merchant named Baptista (Michael Hordern). Bianca is eyed and courted by a number of good-looking and well-to-do young men who follow her to her home. However, Baptista announces that Bianca cannot be courted or marry until her elder sister, and his older daughter, Katharine (Elizabeth Taylor) is wed. As Katharine is out-spoken and far from demure, none of the men in the town want to marry her, so Bianca remains unwed even though many suitors hover to woo her. Lucentio sees the competition and devises a plan in which he disguises himself as a Latin tutor, named Cambio, in order to woo Bianca behind Baptista's back and at the same time has Tranio pretend to be him. Meanwhile, two noblemen named Hortensio (Victor Spinetti) and Gremio (Alan Webb), plot to try to woo Katharine hoping to either marry her or find someone to marry her off too. Their debate changes when Petruchio (Richard Burton), a rough-and-ready land owner, arrives in Pauda, accompanied by his personal servant Grumio (Cyril Cusack), having left Verona (the same city which 'Romeo and Juliet' takes place). Petruchio explains to Hortensio, an old friend of his, that since his father's death he has set out to enjoy life and wed. Hearing this, Hortensio recruits Petruchio as a suitor for Katherina. He also has Petruchio present him (Hortensio) to Baptista disguised as a music tutor named Litio (complete with a fake beard and eyeglasses). Thus, Lucentio and Hortensio attempt to woo Bianca while pretending to be the tutors Cambio and Litio respectively. The next day, Petruchio and his entourage, whom are Grumio, Hortensio, Gremio, Lucentio and Tranio, arrive at the Baptista household where he meets Katherine for the first time and falls in love with the fiery femme. After a furious, aggressive, and combative courtship he proposes to her. Katherina agrees to marry Petruchio after seeing that he is the only man willing to counter her quick remarks. However at the wedding the following week, Petruchio makes an embarrassing scene when he strikes the priest and drinks the communion wine. After the wedding, Petruchio takes Katherina to his home outside Verona against her will and through pouring rain where she gets soaking wet. Petruchio and Katherina move into his rustic mansion where their combative relationship continues challenging Katharine's sense of honor. Back in Padua, Lucentio confesses to Bianca that he is not a student, but the son of one of the most respected men in town, and the couple decides to marry with Baptista's blessing. In Verona, Petruchio begins the "taming" of his new wife. She is refused food and clothing because nothing - according to Petruchio - is good enough for her; he claims that perfectly cooked meat is overcooked, a beautiful dress doesn't fit right, and a stylish hat is not fashionable. He also disagrees with everything that she says, forcing her to agree with everything that he says, no matter how absurd; on their way back to Padua to attend Bianca's wedding, she agrees with Petruchio that the sun is the moon, and proclaims "if you please to call it a rush-candle. Henceforth, I vow it shall be so for me." Meanwhile, Hortensio has married a rich widow. In the final scene, there are three newly married couples; Bianca and Lucentio at their wedding party; the nameless widow and Hortensio, and Katherina and Petruchio. Because of the general opinion that Petruchio is married to a shrew, a good-natured quarrel breaks out amongst the three men about whose wife is the most obedient. Petruchio proposes a wager whereby each will send a servant to call for their wives, and whichever comes most obediently will have won the wager for her husband. Katherina is the only one of the three who comes, winning the wager for Petruchio. She then hauls the other two wives, including Bianca, into the room, giving a speech on why wives should always obey their husbands. The film ends with Baptista, Hortensio and Lucentio marveling at how successfully Petruchio has "tamed the shrew".

The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but they have both sorely underestimated Mark Antony. Brutus, Cassius, and other high-ranking Romans murder Caesar, because they believe his ambition will lead to tyranny. The people of Rome are on their side until Antony, Caesar's right-hand man, makes a moving speech. The conspirators are driven from Rome, and two armies are formed: one side following the conspirators; the other, Antony. Antony has the superior force, and surrounds Brutus and Cassius, but they kill themselves to avoid capture. —John Oswalt <jao@jao.com> Brutus is convinced by a scheming band of Roman senators, led by Caius Cassius, that his dear friend Julius Caesar intends to dissolve the republic and install himself as monarch, and he joins a conspiracy to assassinate him. Brutus stirringly defends his actions, but when Mark Antony responds with a speech that plays upon the crowd's love for their fallen leader, a battle between the two factions is assured. —Jwelch5742