It is hard to criticise such a wonderful cast and it is true that the theatrical delivery of the "greats" (Richardson, Olivier and Guilgud) is a joy. Their speach alone is to the ear what great wine is to the tongue.
But, ultimately this is unsatisfying other than anything else than for historical interest. The problem for me is that Lord Olivier's Richard is just too one dimensional. Sure, he gets the evil Richard down to "a tee" but Shakespeare's Richard is so much more than this. Shakespeare's Richard is at his most dangerous when he smiles. He is able to woo not one, but two women (with varying success) and he is able to get people "on-side" despite his self-evident evil - not least because he is able to disguse it, at least in the first half of the text. For Shakespeare, only the audience truly sees his evil for much of the play - from the opening "winter of discontent" speach through to other asides. Olivier's Richard is evil to anyone who cares to glance at him. This makes it almost impossible to understand HOW he could have done what he did.
It is certainly worth watching this but it is misguided to take it as a definitive version, despite the cast.
But, ultimately this is unsatisfying other than anything else than for historical interest. The problem for me is that Lord Olivier's Richard is just too one dimensional. Sure, he gets the evil Richard down to "a tee" but Shakespeare's Richard is so much more than this. Shakespeare's Richard is at his most dangerous when he smiles. He is able to woo not one, but two women (with varying success) and he is able to get people "on-side" despite his self-evident evil - not least because he is able to disguse it, at least in the first half of the text. For Shakespeare, only the audience truly sees his evil for much of the play - from the opening "winter of discontent" speach through to other asides. Olivier's Richard is evil to anyone who cares to glance at him. This makes it almost impossible to understand HOW he could have done what he did.
It is certainly worth watching this but it is misguided to take it as a definitive version, despite the cast.