User Reviews

Hamlet (1921) is a German silent film directed by Svend Gade and Heinz Schall. It stars the famous Danish actress Asta Nielsen as Hamlet. The movie is available on YouTube in 14 segments, each roughly ten minutes long.

This film was assigned as part of an honors Shakespeare on Film course that I'm auditing at SUNY Geneseo. When we discussed the movie in class, the most common adjective used about it was "interesting." It's true that the plot of Hamlet is inherently interesting. However, in this context, "interesting" was applied to the movie because, in this case, "Prince" Hamlet is actually a woman, who has been raised since birth as a man.

Many women actors--both before and after Asta Nielsen--have played Hamlet. However, I've never seen a version of the play starring a woman who is, in fact, a woman in the plot.

This makes for some complications which are, indeed, "interesting." Hamlet, who is heterosexual, is in love with Horatio. She abuses Ophelia because she perceives Ophelia as her rival for Horatio's love. In the same way, almost every relationship in this Hamlet differs from the same relationship in Shakespeare's Hamlet. This movie is often called "Asta Nielsen's Hamlet," which is fair enough. It's definitely not Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Having said that, I still think that Asta Nielsen's Hamlet is worth watching. Nielsen herself was a great star in her day. Today, more than 90 years later, we perceive her acting style as melodramatic. However, the professor pointed out that, in her time, Nielsen was praised for bringing a more naturalistic acting style to the screen. The professor also pointed out that this Hamlet reflects the fact that it was made in the era of German Expressionism. If you look at single frames from the film, this point becomes clear, although I hadn't noticed it when I watched the movie.

This isn't a movie for everyone. However, if you're interested in Shakespeare and in Hamlet, and if you want to see a great silent actress at work, seek out this version, watch it, and draw your own conclusions.

While some of the scenes of this adaptation follow Shakespeare's text, it is largely based on the 1881 book "The Mystery of Hamlet" by Edward P. Vining, who argues that a Norwegian legend from the 12th century was the inspiration for Shakespeare's play. According to this legend, Hamlet was actually a woman disguised as a man in order to become King.

This film is therefore mostly interesting for the original description of Hamlet's behaviour towards her mother, Ophelia and Horatio. The sets both indoor and outdoor are quite impressive and the acting, notably by Asta Nielsen is very natural for the period.

http://www.acinemahistory.com/2015/05/ten-best-films-of-1921.html

Even the most dangerous longhaired youngsters know the story of the heir to the throne of Denmark ( that European country in which kings measure their kingdoms by the number of horses ) who lived some centuries ago and was called Herr Hamlet. His was a tale full of crime, vengeance, pain and suffering ( standard for aristocratic families ) The story of this tormented soul was written by Herr William Shakespeare and this very free film adaptation, is entitled "Hamlet", natürlich!. The film was directed by Herr Sven Gade und Herr Heinz Schall and starred the great, obviously… Danish actress, Dame Asta Nielsen.

Ja, mein liebers, you've read it correctly and you're not just suffering a hangover from last night; this German film version of "Hamlet" stars Dame Nielsen, a fräulein , so that in order to amaze the audience, this time Herr Hamlet became Dame Hamlet.

The film was inspired by the British scientist Herr Edward P. Vining's theory that the Danish prince was an adrogyne princess so this explains the reason for his/her's torment; as if it wasn't enough for him/her t to know that your uncle killed your father, married your mother and seized the Danish throne that belonged to you… The film is an outstanding production ( it was one of the most successful German films of that era ) ,shot with superb scenery in Goslar, a medieval German Gothic village that had, besides lots of Germans, a spectacular imperial ball room that was used in the film. The movie was produced by "Art-Film" a film company created for the occasion by Dame Nielsen.

The Danish actress shines especially in his film; her Hamlet is superb, with memorable moments in which her presence dominates powerfully the screen, as when "Hamlet" returns to the court to see that her mother is celebrating her wedding at the same as her father's funeral . Particularly strong is Hamlet's death scene ( in spite the novelties included in the story, mein liebers, "Herr "Hamlet dies at the end of the film ) which is beautifully filmed. Dame Nielsen shows admirably the terrible sufferings of her character ( unrequited and forbidden loves, not to mention her family problems that lead her to pretend insanity in order to unmask her uncle ) in a restrained way, a very modern performance that outshines the "classical" performances of the other actors.

The film was recently restored by the "Deutsches Filminstitut-DIF" ( a complete and tinted nitrate that was shown in the early silent times in German theatres ) and broadcast by the German-French TV. channel "ARTE", a delightful present for all the silent film fans around the world; one that shows them why Dame Nielsen was one of the most important actress of the silent era and the significance of the German film industry in those times.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must decide whether to be or not to be.

In the Asta Nielsen version of "Hamlet" from 1921 we do not have a prince Hamlet but a princess Hamlet. On first sight one expects this to have enormous consequences. Apart from the tension between ratio and madness there also is the tension between the sexes. Especially the relationships of Hamlet to the (male) Horatio and the (female) Ophelia are no longer the same as in the original Shakespeare play. In reality the "Hamlet" movie of 1921 is more conventional then one is inclined to think at first.

The part of Hamlet neatly fits in the image of Asta Nielsen, who often played strong-willed women that are not dominated by men. Everybody knows that Louise Brooks plays the Lulu character in the Pabst adaptation (1929) of Frank Wedekinds "Die Buchse der Pandora". Far fewer people know that Asta Nielsen plays the Lulu character in Leopold Jessners adaptation (1923) of "Erdgeist".

Asta Nielsen is also known for her more naturalistic way of acting. During the age of the silent cinema overly theatrical acting was still very much in vogue. In this "Hamlet" movie we only have to compare the acting of Asta Nielsen with that of Eduard von Winterstein, playing uncle Claudius.

"I am not a man and I'm not allowed to be a woman! - I am a toy that is not supposed to have a heart." - Hamlet (Asta Nielsen) (1881-1972).

It is good to know a little German as the titles in the free domain version I watched were not translated. Luckily the were slow enough not to have to use the pause button. The intertitles also stay up long enough to read. Soundtrack by Ambroise Thomas.

Wait, I found there is an HD restoration with the correct color tint, and it has English subtitles. The English pretty much reflects the German so if you are lazy like me you will not lose anything significant in the translation. Much better. Soundtrack by Michael Riessler. Only one hour and 51 minutes. The story moves quite fast.

There is a lot of arm flaying and other silent movie gesticulations. Also, not everything is intertitles as Laertes (Anton de Verdier) does some cussing. Hamler (Asta Nielsen) wears an overabundance of eye shadow. Maybe everyone wears too much eye shadow.

The film "Hamlet: The Drama of Vengeance" was shot at The Johannisthal Studios in Berlin.

The story varies so do not try to match this with other Hamlet versions. No ghost. No Rosencrantz or Guildenstern? At least not by name.

Old Hamlet (Paul Conradi) is bit by a venomous snake for the Castle Dungeon! Uncle Claudius (E. Von Winterstein) still suspect. Nosy Polonius (Hans Junkermann) checks out Hamlet's insanity and ends up with a nose job.

There have been women as Sarah Bernhardt who played or wanted to play Hamlet. However, in this version, the Danish queen disguises her daughter as a boy, Hamlet. Hamlet uses "his" friend Horatio, whom Hamlet secretly loves to help with the revenge plot. Shocker, when Hamlet is killed in the end Horatio finally finds out that the prince was a woman.

Continuing on this theme read the book that inspired this film "The Mystery of Hamlet: An Attempt to Solve an Old Problem" by Edward Payson Vining.