King Lear **** (1983, Laurence Olivier, Colin Blakely, Leo McKern, Robert Lindsay) – Classic Movie Review 10,164

Director Michael Elliott’s 1983 TV movie King Lear stars Laurence Olivier in his last great gasp as the Shakespearean royal father, more sinned against than sinning, a role he was so desperate to record that neither age (75) nor infirmity deterred him.

He is brilliantly direct, simple and heart-rending, often quiet but able to reach the high notes in the big scenes, sometimes hammy but mostly as economical and precise as an Olympic athlete in the way he uses his strength, power and gestures.

Olivier’s triumph is supported by superior work from (seemingly) the entire British Actors’ Equity members of the day, though Dorothy Tutin’s Goneril and Diana Rigg’s Regan are worth special mention, along with John Hurt’s Fool, Anna Calder-Marshall’s Cordelia, Robert Lindsay’s Edmund, and Leo McKern’s Gloucester.

This Granada TV movie isn’t much as cinema, but director Elliott gives Olivier every support and keeps zooming in on the performance, subjugating everything else to the film’s raison d’être.

Also in the cast are Colin Blakely, Anna Calder-Marshall, John Hurt, David Threlfall, Jeremy Kemp, Robert Lang, Robert Lindsay, Leo McKern, Brian Cox, Edward Petherbridge, Geoffrey Bateman, Esmond Knight, Paul Curran and John Cording.

Astoundingly, there were no BAFTA TV Awards, not even a single acting nomination, so it was left to the Americans to give Olivier a Primetime Emmy Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for playing King Lear.

Lois Richardson, Tanya Moiseiwitsch and Roger England were BAFTA TV Award nominees for Best Make Up, Best Costume Design and Best Video Cameraman.

King Lear is directed by Michael Elliott, runs 158 minutes, is made by Granada Television, is released by Channel 4 Television Corporation (1983) (UK) (TV) and Mobil Showcase Theatre (1984) (US) (TV), is written by Michael Elliott, based on the play by William Shakespeare, is shot by Roger England (camera operator: studio camera), is produced by David Plowright and Michael Elliott, is scored by Gordon Crosse, and is designed by Roy Stonehouse and Colin Lowrey.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,164

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