RICHARD III

RICHARD III (1980)

BBC Release

Details

• DVD Region: 2+4 PAL (UK & Europe)
• Certificate: U
• Running Time: Approx. 239 minutes
• Type: Fullscreen
• Originally Transmitted: 23rd January 1980
• DVD Release Date: 2005
• Released By: BBC Worldwide Ltd.
• Distributed By: DD Home Entertainment
• Format: Colour DVD PAL
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English SDH
• Audio: Mono
• Aspect Ratio: 4:3
• Type: Twin DVD Set

© BBC Television in association with Time-Life
All Rights Reserved

A HISTORICAL TRAGEDIE

In 1978, the BBC set itself the task of filming all of William Shakespeare’s plays for television. The resulting productions, renowned for their loyalty to the text, utilised the best theatrical and television directors and brought great performances from leading contemporary actors.

“And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover,
To entertain these fair well-spoken days,
I am determined to prove a villain
And hate the idle pleasures of these days”

Richard, the younger brother of the King of England, is hell-bent on seizing control of the crown and embarks on a murderous rampage, which once started, cannot easily be stopped.

This BBC production is the most faithful adaptation of Shakespeare’s study of evil, with only minor edits made to the full text. Ron Cook’s understated performance contrasts with many forthright movie interpretations of the Bard’s greatest villain.

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Enter Richard Duke of Gloucester

RICHARD GLOUCESTER:
"Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this son of York
and all the clouds that loured upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried . . . ."

Ron Cook, Paul Jesson, Zöe Wanamaker, Brian Protheroe and Annette Crosbie
Directed by Jane Howell
Produced by Shaun Sutton

William Shakespeare

His Most Excellent Tragedie
The Tragedy of King Richard the Third

Dramatis Personae

In Alphabetical Order:

• Peter Aldwyn ... Second Company
• Peter Benson ... King Henry VI
• Brian Binns ... Second Company
• Gerald Blackmore ... Second Company
• Stephen Brigden ... Second Company
• Anthony Brown ... Sir Richard Ratcliffe
• David Burke ... Sir William Catesby
• Michael Byrne ... Duke of Buckingham
• Anne Carroll ... Jane Shore
• Paul Chapman ... Earl Rivers
• Michael Cogan ... Second Company
• Ron Cook ... Richard III
• Rowena Cooper ... Queen Elizabeth
• Arthur Cox ... Lord Grey, Lord Mayor of London
• Stuart Cox ... Second Company
• Annette Crosbie ... Duchess of York
• David Daker ... Lord Hastings
• Brian Deacon ... Henry, Earl of Richmond
• Jeremy Dimmick ... Young Duke of York
• Jonathan Evans ... Second Company
• Tenniel Evans ... Lord Stanley
• Derek Farr ... Sir Robert Brakenbury, Earl of Surrey
• Mark Fletcher ... Second Company
• Dorian Ford ... Edward, Prince of Wales
• Julia Foster ... Queen Margaret
• Derek Fuke ... Sir Thomas Vaughan
• Michael Gardiner ... Second Company
• Nigel Gomm ... Trumpeter
• David Goodwin ... Second Company
• Barry Grantham ... Second Company
• Alex Guard ... Marquess of Dorset
• Nick Hall ... Second Company
• Bernard Hill ... Sir William Brandon
• Paul Jesson ... George, Duke of Clarence
• Angus Kennedy ... Second Company
• Patsy Kensit ... Lady Margaret Plantagenet
• Hamish Kerr ... Second Company
• Hus Levant ... Second Company
• Brian Little ... Drummer
• Rusty Livingstone ... Page to Richard
• David Ludwig ... Second Company
• Peter Macklin ... Second Company
• Oengus MacNamara ... Halberdier, Lord Lovell
• Stephen Paine ... Drummer
• Brian Protheroe ... King Edward IV
• John Rankin ... Second Company
• Nick Reding ... Ghost of the Prince of Wales
• Martin Rutledge ... Second Company
• Peter Searles ... Second Company
• Frank Walsh ... Trumpeter
• Zoë Wanamaker ... Lady Anne
• Mark Wing-Davey ... Sir James Tyrrel
• Peter Wyatt ... Duke of Norfolk

• Directed: Jane Howell
• Produced: Shaun Sutton
• Adapted: William Shakespeare’s original play