5 Best William Shakespeare Film & TV Adaptations

William Shakespeare is probably the greatest playwright ever. Seriously. From the heartbreak of his tragedies to the hilarity of his comedies, that man did it all. He broke your heart in Macbeth, and then made you cackle in Much Ado About Nothing. He was serious, and filthy, and sometimes both in the same scene. He was truly, and I admit that I’m writing this from the perspective of a fangirl here, a revelation.

And part of the reason why he’s such a revelation? How adaptable he is. A lot of Shakespeare’s plays are set in his time, but they examine human nature in a way that fascinates even 400 or so years later. Shakespeare understands the human condition, and it is his understanding of such that leads him to being adapted over and over again. There are more film adaptations than you can shake a stick at, and the number seems to grow by the day.

But what are the best of these film adaptations? What ones truly capture Shakespeare in all his glory, get down the pure beauty of his words without losing everything else that makes him so great?

In this article I mean to list the top five Shakespeare adaptations on film. And, believe me – they were far from easy decisions.

5. Macbeth 2010

Starting with possibly the most obscure production, but most definitely one of my favourites. The 2010 Macbeth with Patrick Stewart in the main role was astounding all around, and truly deserves all the appreciation in the world.

Macbeth is my favourite Shakespeare tragedy. It is a story of ambition, murder and the eventual collapse of all things. It was written around 1606, just after the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, and examines such issues as the divine right of kings and the insanity that ensures when it’s flouted. It’s one of Shakespeare’s most powerful plays, and certainly amongst his darkest.

This production captured that darkness perfectly. Evoking Soviet Russia, it casts Stewart’s Macbeth in an almost Stalin-like role. The other character concepts are also brilliant. Lady Macbeth was cast as the younger woman, an almost trophy wife who drives Macbeth to his deeds and pays the price. Several other figures bear strong resemblance to prominent people in World War II and beyond. The true triumph in character concept are the witches, though – cast as deathly grim nurses, their sinister presence hovers throughout the film and makes the darkness ever present.

The setting for these characters is also brilliant, and definitely brings to mind Soviet Russia and other such brutal regimes. All of the film was filmed at the setting of Welbeck Abbey, and this gives an atmosphere of inescapable claustrophobia that fits the play so very well – my memory of the whole production is flavoured with dark stone and shadows, a certain Gothic creepiness that perfectly accommodates evil. It is modern, but is still just as creepy if not creepier than if it was set in its original time period.

This creepiness is aided by the amazing performances. The witches are chilling figures, ones that I remember even now. Their presence permeates the play, popping up at the most unexpected moments. They aren’t loud like most witches, but the restrained and quiet performances of the actresses fit the tone of the production completely.  Tim Treloar is great as the minor character of Ross, making me briefly suspect an evil interpretation of the character before breaking my heart and making me feel terribly sorry for the assumption. Kate Fleetwood is a brilliant Lady Macbeth, and probably challenges for one of my favourites – the beautiful trophy wife, who nonetheless loves her husband and ends up plunging unwillingly into her insanity. And as for Stewart… He truly is one of our greatest actors, and it shows here. He is wonderful as Macbeth – steadily more terrifying as the play goes on, and yet heartbreaking at exactly the right moments.

This version of Macbeth didn’t get a cinema release, to my knowledge, but it’s still one that deserves an awful lot of attention. The concepts are brilliant, from characters to settings, and the performances are absolutely wonderful. It was a brilliant adaptation to watch, and to this day remains my favourite adaptation of my favourite play.

4. The Hollow Crown: Richard II (2012)

The quality of The Hollow Crown series was sometimes variable, Henry IV parts 1& 2 annoyed me in ways that were profound and infuriating, but the first one was most certainly the high point. Directed by Rupert Goold, Richard II is the start of The Hollow Crown’s version of the Henriad (Shakespeare’s second historical tetralogy, a series of plays set from the reign of Richard II to Henry V) – and it is brilliant.

Richard II is another play that deals with the divine right of kings, but in a slightly different way. It’s one of Shakespeare’s historical plays, and was written around 1595 – a dangerous time, considering the amount of threats that Elizabeth I faced to her throne. It focuses on Richard II, a slightly despotic king who oversteps his boundaries and is challenged by his cousin, the future Henry IV. It’s a far more complex play than you’d think, and shows Shakespeare’s approach to history in a very interesting manner.

Goold is a director who most definitely “gets” Shakespeare, in a way that’s profound and unavoidable. He allows the play to be very natural, to flow on the screen without trying to limit it in any way. A few scenes are cut, but only a very few and those that are usually enable Goold’s vision of the play to manifest a little more clearly.

And what a vision that is. Goold’s Richard II is very dark, but also incredibly beautiful. The level of symbolism is brilliant. Richard II as Jesus isn’t a new thing, there have been plenty of stage productions with varying degrees of success, but it works here. There’s a slightly religious undertone to Richard II, and Goold captures that perfectly. Richard is painted as a martyr, but he’s still a character in his own right – the religious undertones are allowed to flavour the thing, but not take over the whole piece.

This lack of total domination may also be attributed to the fine performances of the actors, however. Goold’s version of Richard II is dotted with absolutely stunning performances, ones that make it even more of a pleasure to watch. Patrick Stewart pops up again as a thunderous John of Gaunt. Rory Kinnear has become the image of Henry Bolingbroke, later Henry IV, in my head – perfectly capturing my idea of the character, and probably warping my view of all other performances for years to come. And Ben Whishaw has done much the same – Ben Whishaw! The perfect Richard II, petulant and yet oddly knowing, fragile and yet incredibly brave. Whishaw is, undoubtedly, the shining star set in the centre of a galaxy of beautiful performances.

But that galaxy is only another part of a beautiful universe, to carry that metaphor a touch too far. Goold’s version of Richard II is stunning overall, with gorgeous cinematography that stays in my mind even now. The entire thing is shot beautifully, from the intimate castle shots to the visuals of Henry coming to take his revenge. Every frame of the film is shot through with loveliness, every single moment was obviously made as stunning as possible. It was truly lovely to watch.

The Hollow Crown: Richard II was absolutely wonderful to watch overall, though. It did some slightly silly things with the ending, but was brilliant otherwise – from deftly applied underlying themes to brilliant acting to beautiful cinematography, it was a definite success and an adaptation that I’m going to appreciate for a good while longer.

3. Henry V (1989)

I really like the Henriad, as you may be able to tell. They’re not the most popular set of plays to adapt, not when Romeo and Juliet is apparently the easiest thing in the universe, but when they are they tend to be pretty darn fantastic. A great example of this is the 1989 version of Henry V, starring the godlike Kenneth Branagh at his most glorious.

Henry V is the last play in the Henriad tetralogy and follows the son of Henry Bolingbroke/Henry IV, Henry V. It is a direct continuation of Henry IV Parts I & II and shows Henry developing from the young scamp he once was to a serious king with serious kingly problems. Like dealing with the spectre of his old friends, and keeping the loyalty of his troops, and invading France because it’s there and it’s FRANCE.

There have been a few versions of Henry V, it certainly has more adaptations than any other play in the Henriad, but this is by far the best one. It’s a version set, albeit vaguely, in the time period that Shakespeare probably intended. It’s fairly traditional, and shows the versatility of Shakespeare. It’s also quite innovative, though, the appearances of the great Derek Jacobi as the Chorus and a modern element that really makes you think.

Derek Jacobi has only a small role, but his performance is as wonderful as ever – the man may have slightly silly views on Shakespeare, but that doesn’t stop him from being an absolutely brilliant actor. Brian Blessed has a small role, but he’s most definitely there and most definitely glorious. Emma Thompson is lovely as Katharine, and her sweet and innocent portrayal has always made me regard the character with some respect. But the main laurels, of course, have to go to Kenneth Branagh. Branagh is my favourite actor of Shakespeare, and I doubt that’ll ever change. He’s wonderful as Henry, most definitely a king but still carrying a mischievous aspect. He’s a brilliant actor who gets Shakespeare completely, and Henry V is quite possibly the best role that he’s done.

Branagh is also a wonderful director, all of his decisions really do seem to work. The whole thing seems to have the “Branagh touch” upon it, and this is the film that it probably works the best in. You get the big muddy battles, you get the touches of charming humour, you get an impression of sheer enjoyment that makes Henry V a joyous film even when it goes terribly dark. Branagh obviously loves Shakespeare, and he’s definitely one of the best at carrying that love to the screen.

Henry V is probably my favourite history play, and this film shows why. It has stunning acting and stunning directing, and also manages to convey a perfect impression of adoration. It can get dark at times, but it’s still a film that truly shows what happens when everybody in a Shakespeare adaptation adores Shakespeare – and that’s something that really should be appreciated.

2. Chimes at Midnight (1966)

Perhaps my favourite adaptation of the history plays, though, is Orson Welles’ Chimes at Midnight. A stunning smooshing together of the Henriad, with little bits and pieces from The Merry Wives of Windsor. Originally fairly unpopular, it has now become acknowledged as one of the best adaptations of Shakespeare ever produced, and rightfully so.

Chimes at Midnight is mainly based upon the two ‘middle’ plays of the Henriad, Henry IV Parts I & II – which tell the sad tale of the embattled reign of Henry IV, but also tell the slightly lighter tale of the future Henry V and his surrogate father Falstaff. Falstaff is the main character that Chimes at Midnight focuses on, turning him from an incredibly important backing character to the undeniable driving force of the entire production.

This is a very sensible decision. Falstaff is one of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters, and also his best. By putting the focus of the film onto him Welles is highlighting just how wonderful he is, and creating a masterpiece besides. The middle two plays of the Henriad can, through little fault of their own, often be a little boring when adapted – but by changing the focus and combining the two Welles does a very clever trick, and makes them captivating.

This captivation owes a great deal to Welles’ direction. Welles is yet another person that understands and adores Shakespeare, and this is perfectly obvious. Combining this knowledgeable adoration with Welles’ noted directing talents creates something beautiful, a near perfect piece of work. Chimes at Midnight just has the sense of a classic, the indefinable bit of magic that makes for something absolutely brilliant. It is dark but charming, muddy and violent but somehow hopeful. Everybody knows what Welles’ aims are, and so everybody knows how to direct their performances. It’s this level of control that allows Falstaff to be front and centre, changing the plays quite a bit, while still making a viable film adaptation.

Welles’ performance is also partially responsible for just how captivating it is, though. He plays the man that he’s made a main character, Falstaff, and produces a brilliant performance that provides the cornerstone of the whole adaptation. He’s hilarious, getting the gruff humour of Falstaff down absolutely perfectly. He also isn’t afraid to go for the touching moments, though, exposing what makes Falstaff so much more than a one note comic character. His scenes with Doll, his technical love interest, strike right at the heart. And as for the scene at the end of the film where Henry, the boy who was basically his son, ascends to king… He provides possibly the best performance of that scene that I’ve ever seen, and it’s practically a privilege to watch.

A perfect film comes along rarely, and a perfect adaptation of Shakespeare even rarer, but Chimes at Midnight manages to be both. It’s become the base version of a lot of adaptations of the Henriad, and the base version for a lot of Shakespeare plays overall. It’s brilliantly directed and acted by Welles, and manages to be both hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure. It shows how deeply unconventional Shakespeare can be, and how that adaptability can lead to some of the best films ever made.

1. Much Ado about Nothing (2013)

This film adaptation contains a combination of Joss Whedon and Shakespeare

Joss Whedon.

And Shakespeare.

Much Ado About Nothing is my favourite Shakespeare comedy, by far. It’s hilariously funny, deeply touching and contains a female character that I vowed to be from the age of thirteen. It tells the tale of Beatrice and Benedick, two rather thorny individuals who are secretly in love but damned if they’re going to admit it. Much Ado About Nothing shows how they get together, while also showing how their respective cousin and best friend get together, and showing just how filthy Shakespeare can be, and showing why you really shouldn’t trust your brother who just betrayed you.

I know that I’ve listed a lot of people who get Shakespeare on this list, but that’s because they do and it’s glorious. Joss Whedon is the last one in the line, yet another person who understands the writings of the bard perfectly. He gets the humour, he gets the underlying darkness, he even gets the filthy jokes and the sheer amount of dirty humour that Shakespeare crams into every line. It seems like a match made in heaven, and I would love to see him direct as many other Shakespeare plays as possible.

Because Whedon doesn’t only get Shakespeare, he also adores Shakespeare without fear. A lot of adaptations suffer from the cardinal sin of being overawed by the words, but not this one. It sticks to the base text, but also isn’t afraid to be original and experiment. It takes the setting to the modern day, a daring update that works wonderfully. It also dares to be in black and white, creating a sultry gangster-movie sort of feel that suits Much Ado About Nothing more perfectly than I would’ve imagined. It was daring and original and I loved it, most of all because it showed what could be done with a little bit of imagination.

And an absolutely fantastic cast. As all of you probably know, this is a cast entirely populated by Whedon’s old favourites. Amy Acker is great as Beatrice, having wonderful comic timing in most of her scenes. Clark Gregg is the perfect Leonato, the first actor that I’ve ever allowed to make me care about the role. Nathan Fillion is hilarious as the hapless Dogberry, a man who couldn’t be stupider if he tried. And Alexis Denisof as Benedick is a work of true brilliance, an amazing performance that actually challenges for my top Benedick ever.

Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays, and this film is my favourite adaptation of it. It contains everything that makes up an absolutely beautiful adaptation – the great directing, the brilliant acting and the sheer spark of magic that makes it a pleasure to watch. It’s all of those things that make Joss Whedon’s version of Much Ado About Nothing my favourite adaptation of Shakespeare overall – and, really, it had some very serious challengers along the way.