Hamlet

Top 10 Fun Facts

1. After seeing Mel Gibson's near-suicide scene in "Lethal Weapon," director Franco Zeffirelli purportedly wanted the Aussie actor for the title role in "Hamlet." Oh Mel, he hardly knew you.
2. Amazingly, the role of the Queen in "Hamlet" was the first Shakespearean role for acting great Glenn Close. Many of her previous dramatic roles certainly prepared her for the melodrama that is Shakespeare.
3. Before his role in "Hamlet," Mel Gibson's only previous Shakespearean experience was playing Juliet in an all-male production of "Romeo and Juliet" in Australia. In other words, Mel performed on the D-U...the Down Under.
4. Both "Hamlet" cast members Alan Bates and Paul Scofield had prior experience playing the role of Hamlet on the British stage. In fact, Scofield is considered one of the greatest twentieth century interpreters of the role. Despite that, both lost out on the role to A-Lister Mel Gibson.
5. Although Glenn Close played Mel Gibson's mother in the film adaptation of the Shakespearean classic "Hamlet," this would be a biological impossibility in reality. Close is only nine years older than Gibson. Even by Hollywood standards, that's a stretch.
6. That's not a shadow of the famous Ghost seen on the floor during the confrontation scene between Hamlet and Ophelia in the Zeffirelli film adaptation of "Hamlet." It was more of a self-portrait. The camera actual captured its own shadow.
7. Either swords were awfully weak during Shakespeare's day or the Hamlet props department cheaped out. The King's sword can be seen bending when he places it on the grave in the opening scene.
8. Mel Gibson turned down the role of Robin Hood because he had just finished working on "Hamlet." Maybe he was just sick of wearing tights.
9. The character Polonius in the film "Hamlet" is shown getting stabbed in the stomach, but when he is seen lying on the floor, he shown bleeding from the back of the head with no apparent damage to his torso. Movie miracle or continuity problem?
10. While successful actors, like "Hamlet" star Mel Gibson in his prime, are revered by the general public today, actors during Shakespeare's time were considered to be among the least respected members of society - much like people feel about Mel Gibson today.

Cast

Crew