Laurence Olivier's performance is without blemish. If there is a character more complex in all of literature, I don't know who it is (Hamlet might do for some). Richard is the deformed Duke of Gloucester who connives and murders his way to the throne. He is indeed a ruthless serpent, but he has become this way due to the types of assaults on his physical presence that he has endured. He is a child murderer and a manipulator. He works his will on women and somehow gets them to not abhor him. When he gets what he wants, he tosses people aside. Of course, there are prices to pay for this. The whole thing, however, is that we can't take our eyes off Olivier as he plays the tyrant to perfection. The scene at the end as he fights on Bosworth Field is striking. Of course, it takes more than one person to bring this off. An all-star cast and wonderful settings and, of course, the language is masterful.
Review of Richard III
