Hamlet feigns madness and subtly insults Polonius all the while. Polonius tells Claudius and Gertrude his theory regarding Hamlet's behaviour and speaks to Hamlet in a hall of the castle to try to uncover more information. The forces that Fortinbras had conscripted to march against Denmark will instead be sent against Poland, though they will pass through Danish territory to get there. Additional news requires that Polonius wait to be heard: messengers from Norway inform Claudius that the King of Norway has rebuked Prince Fortinbras for attempting to re-fight his father's battles.

The royal couple has requested that the students investigate the cause of Hamlet's mood and behaviour. As he enters to do so, the King and Queen finish welcoming Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two student acquaintances of Hamlet, to Elsinore. Polonius blames love for Hamlet's madness and resolves to inform Claudius and Gertrude. Soon thereafter, Ophelia rushes to her father, telling him that Hamlet arrived at her door the prior night half-undressed and behaving erratically. The prince confides to Horatio and the sentries that from now on he plans to 'put an antic disposition on', or act as though he has gone mad, and forces them to swear to keep his plans for revenge secret however, he remains uncertain of the ghost's reliability. That night on the rampart, the ghost appears to Hamlet, telling the prince that he was murdered by Claudius and demanding that Hamlet avenge him. Learning of the ghost from Horatio, Hamlet resolves to see it himself.ДЄs Polonius's son Laertes prepares to depart for a visit to France, Polonius offers him advice that culminates in the maxim 'to thine own self be true.' Polonius's daughter, Ophelia, admits her interest in Hamlet, but Laertes warns her against seeking the prince's attention, and Polonius orders her to reject his advances. After the court exits, Hamlet despairs of his father's death and his mother's hasty remarriage. Claudius also scolds Hamlet for continuing to grieve over his father and forbids him to return to his schooling in Wittenberg. During the court, Claudius grants permission for Polonius's son Laertes to return to school in France and sends envoys to inform the King of Norway about Fortinbras. After the ghost appears again, the three vow to tell Prince Hamlet what they have witnessed.ДЄs the court gathers the next day, while King Claudius and Queen Gertrude discuss affairs of state with their elderly adviser Polonius, Hamlet looks on glumly. On a cold night on the ramparts of Elsinore, the Danish royal castle, the sentries Bernardo and Marcellus discuss a ghost resembling the late King Hamlet which they have recently seen, and bring Prince Hamlet's friend Horatio as a witness. Although Denmark defeated Norway and the Norwegian throne fell to King Fortinbras's infirm brother, Denmark fears that an invasion led by the dead Norwegian king's son, Prince Fortinbras, is imminent. Denmark has a long-standing feud with neighbouring Norway, in which King Hamlet slew King Fortinbras of Norway in a battle some years ago. Claudius hastily married King Hamlet's widow, Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, and took the throne for himself. The protagonist of Hamlet is Prince Hamlet of Denmark, son of the recently deceased King Hamlet, and nephew of King Claudius, his father's brother and successor. The film received four Oscar nominations for the 69th Academy Awards for Best Art Direction ( Tim Harvey), Best Costume Design ( Alexandra Byrne), Best Original Score ( Patrick Doyle), and Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) (Kenneth Branagh). However, it was not a box office success, mostly due to its limited release, grossing just under $5 million on a budget of $18 million.

Hamlet has been regarded as one of the best Shakespeare film adaptations ever made. Hamlet was also the last major dramatic motion picture to be filmed entirely on 70 mm film until 2011, with the release of the documentary Samsara. Blenheim Palace is the setting used for the exterior grounds of Elsinore Castle and interiors were all photographed at Shepperton Studios, blended with the footage shot at Blenheim. The setting is updated to the 19th century, but its Elizabethan English text remains the same. The film is the first unabridged theatrical film version of Hamlet, running just over four hours.

Other cast members include Robin Williams, GГ©rard Depardieu, Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal, Rufus Sewell, Charlton Heston, Richard Attenborough, Judi Dench, John Gielgud and Ken Dodd. The film also features Derek Jacobi as King Claudius, Julie Christie as Queen Gertrude, Kate Winslet as Ophelia, Michael Maloney as Laertes, Richard Briers as Polonius, and Nicholas Farrell as Horatio. Hamlet is a 1996 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, adapted and directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also stars as Prince Hamlet.

Hamlet movie