John Laurie

  • Laurence Olivier – Hamlet (1948)

    Drama1941-1950ClassicsLaurence OlivierUnited KingdomWilliam Shakespeare

    Olivier’s Hamlet is the Shakespeare film that has received the most prestigious accolades, winning the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor. However, it was poorly received by Shakespearean purists, who felt that Olivier had made too many alterations and excisions to the four-hour play by cutting nearly two hours worth of content.Read More »

  • Michael Powell – Return to the Edge of the World (1978)

    1971-1980DocumentaryMichael PowellShort FilmUnited Kingdom

    Director Michael Powell, actor John Laurie and assistant Sydney Streeter return to the isle of Foula, on which they made the film The Edge of the World over forty years earlier.

    Michael Powell always considered The Edge of the World to be his first truly personal film, even to the extent of keeping the rights to it. However, after its initial trade screening in 1937, the film was cut by seven minutes for a general release length of 74 minutes. In 1940, when it was re-released, the film was cut by a further twelve minutes, and for decades this was the only version available.Read More »

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