When Olivier played the role of Hamlet, he was forty years old. The casting of both films poses questions about Hamlet and the representation of the characters. This is true when considering Ophelia, who is often seen in pastoral settings rather than within the uncomfortable setting of the castle. Particular areas are normally associated with certain characters. 7 This may involve a scene, which is picturised in either the interior or the exterior of the castle. He uses cinematic techniques such as colour tinting, which plays with the idea of emphasising one of two colours, so that a particular mood can be associated to the scene in question. The visual language in Zeffirelli’s film version works to highlight dramatic themes and issues. These closed, claustrophobic spaces are emphasised as being inside the castle, portraying that there is more tragedy to the film than what meets the eye.
“6 This indication enables the audience to assume that this film is not a comedy, but a tragedy.
Olivier’s Hamlet is able to convey a feeling of claustrophobia because of the set, which is “dominated by staircases and closed spaces. “5 Those who are familiar with Shakespeare are able to establish links between the setting of the film and that of the stage. Kliman argues that Olivier’s Hamlet intertwines aspects from film and theatre, and can be said to be functioning “against the inherent naturalism of film. The mise en scene provides the film with a setting, which works to evoke a certain atmosphere. These varying interpretations are offered through tools such as mise en scene, casting, lighting, and editing. Both films deal with the female characters in different ways, offering different interpretations of Shakespeare’s text. This is said to be the case when dealing with most of Shakespeare’s texts. Most academic works engage in discussion about Hamlet and it can be speculated that the roles of the women in Hamlet have been ignored. At this point, it is important to note that Ophelia is one of only two women in Hamlet, the other being Gertrude.
In the case of both Olivier and Zeffirelli, Ophelia’s death becomes a visual aspect, which gives the play an additional focus point. In the play Hamlet, the audience does not witness the death of Ophelia.
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