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Richard III

  • 19951995
  • RR
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Richard III (1995)
The classic Shakespearean play about the murderously scheming 15th-century king is reimagined in an alternative setting of 1930s England as clouds of fascism gather.
Play trailer3:00
1 Video
43 Photos
  • Drama
  • Sci-Fi
  • War

The classic Shakespearean play about the murderously scheming 15th-century king is reimagined in an alternative setting of 1930s England as clouds of fascism gather.The classic Shakespearean play about the murderously scheming 15th-century king is reimagined in an alternative setting of 1930s England as clouds of fascism gather.The classic Shakespearean play about the murderously scheming 15th-century king is reimagined in an alternative setting of 1930s England as clouds of fascism gather.

IMDb RATING
7.3/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Richard Loncraine
  • Writers
    • Ian McKellen(screenplay)
    • Richard Loncraine(screenplay)
    • Richard Eyre(1990 stage adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Ian McKellen
    • Annette Bening
    • Christopher Bowen
Top credits
  • Director
    • Richard Loncraine
  • Writers
    • Ian McKellen(screenplay)
    • Richard Loncraine(screenplay)
    • Richard Eyre(1990 stage adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Ian McKellen
    • Annette Bening
    • Christopher Bowen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 93User reviews
    • 57Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 7 wins & 12 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:00
    Trailer

    Photos43

    Annette Bening, Ian McKellen, Roger Hammond, Tim McInnerny, and John Wood in Richard III (1995)
    Annette Bening and Ian McKellen in Richard III (1995)
    Maggie Smith in Richard III (1995)
    Kristin Scott Thomas and Ian McKellen in Richard III (1995)
    Annette Bening in Richard III (1995)
    Annette Bening and Richard Loncraine in Richard III (1995)
    Jim Broadbent, Ian McKellen, Tim McInnerny, and Bill Paterson in Richard III (1995)
    Adrian Dunbar, Nigel Hawthorne, and Michael Elphick in Richard III (1995)
    Ian McKellen in Richard III (1995)
    Jim Broadbent in Richard III (1995)
    Roger Hammond, Edward Hardwicke, Donald Sumpter, and Dominic West in Richard III (1995)
    Ian McKellen in Richard III (1995)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ian McKellen
    Ian McKellen
    • Richard III - Duke of Gloucesteras Richard III - Duke of Gloucester
    Annette Bening
    Annette Bening
    • Queen Elizabethas Queen Elizabeth
    Christopher Bowen
    Christopher Bowen
    • Prince Edward of Lancasteras Prince Edward of Lancaster
    Edward Jewesbury
    Edward Jewesbury
    • King Henry VIas King Henry VI
    Bill Paterson
    Bill Paterson
    • Ratcliffeas Ratcliffe
    Matthew Groom
    • Young Prince Richard of Yorkas Young Prince Richard of York
    John Wood
    John Wood
    • King Edward IVas King Edward IV
    Nigel Hawthorne
    Nigel Hawthorne
    • Duke of Clarenceas Duke of Clarence
    Maggie Smith
    Maggie Smith
    • Duchess of Yorkas Duchess of York
    Kate Steavenson-Payne
    Kate Steavenson-Payne
    • Princess Elizabeth of Yorkas Princess Elizabeth of York
    Robert Downey Jr.
    Robert Downey Jr.
    • Lord Riversas Lord Rivers
    Tres Hanley
    Tres Hanley
    • Air Hostessas Air Hostess
    Tim McInnerny
    Tim McInnerny
    • Catesbyas Catesby
    Stacey Kent
    • Ballroom Singeras Ballroom Singer
    Jim Carter
    Jim Carter
    • Lord William Hastingsas Lord William Hastings
    Roger Hammond
    Roger Hammond
    • Archbishopas Archbishop
    Denis Lill
    Denis Lill
    • Lord Mayor of Londonas Lord Mayor of London
    • (as Dennis Lill)
    Jim Broadbent
    Jim Broadbent
    • Buckinghamas Buckingham
    • Director
      • Richard Loncraine
    • Writers
      • Ian McKellen(screenplay)
      • Richard Loncraine(screenplay)
      • Richard Eyre(1990 stage adaptation)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    William Shakespeare's classic play is brought into the present with the setting as Great Britian in the 1930s. Civil war has erupted with the House of Lancaster on one side, claiming the right to the British throne and hoping to bring freedom to the country. Opposing is the House of York, commanded by the infamous Richard III (Sir Ian McKellen), who rules over a fascist government and hopes to install himself as a dictator monarch. —Anthony Hughes <husnock31@hotmail.com>
    • fascist
    • dog
    • tank
    • battle
    • widow
    • 64 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • What Is Worth Dying For... Is Worth Killing For.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Sci-Fi
      • War
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for violence and sexuality
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Sir Ian McKellen enjoyed acting with Robert Downey Jr. in Restoration (1995), and asked him to play the part of Lord Rivers, expecting him to turn the role down as too small. To McKellen's surprise, Downey immediately cleared his diary, and took the part.
    • Goofs
      This is not a historical drama, nor a biopic. It is an allegory which mixes and unsolved murders from the 1480s with costumes and customs from the 1930s, to make an artistic statement about the similarities between these two eras. While the movie portrays several historical figures, they are not intended to perfectly resemble their real-life counterparts, and their words and actions are never claimed to be what the real people said and did.
    • Quotes

      Richard: Why, I can smile... And murder while I smile!

    • Alternate versions
      The UK (video) release has the cast credits in order of appearance.
    • Connections
      Featured in 53rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      Come Live With Me
      Paraphrased from "The Passionate Shepherd to his Love,(1599)" by Christopher Marlowe

      Performed by Stacey Kent and Vile Bodies

      Music composed by Trevor Jones

      Arranged by Colin Good

      Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd.

    User reviews93

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Original, Brilliant Richard
    This is one of the movies you remember for a long time - and for all the good reasons. Transplanting Shakespeare in a different time and giving his historical plots a modern political sense is not such a new idea. What is really strong and works well here is the perfect fit between the characters as Shakespeare intended them and the background which is so different from the original historical one. Each one of the characters is both shakespearian as intended, a perfect citizen of the fictional time created by the director - a fascist England in the 30s - and more than everything else a human being: sensual, hating and loving as only humans do.

    Perfectly acted, almost flawlessly directed, with very little overweight, this film is a feast for the intelligent spectator, a brutal, well-paced and expressive piece of art - and exactly as Shakespeare would have loved it, a mirror of his time, of our time, and of any time. 9/10 on my personal scale.
    helpful•25
    6
    • dromasca
    • Dec 8, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 29, 1995 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ricardo III
    • Filming locations
      • Battersea Power Station, Battersea, London, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Mayfair Entertainment International
      • British Screen Productions
      • Bayly/Paré Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • £6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,684,904
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $91,915
      • Jan 1, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,748,518
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 50 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby Stereo
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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