Looking For Richard (1996)
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 7.5 Alternative Scale: *** out of ****
United States, 1996 U.S. Release Date: 10/11/96 (limited) Running Length: 1:52 MPAA Classification: R (Violence, profanity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, Aidan Quinn, Penelope Allen, Harris Yulin Featuring: Frederick Kimball, Vanessa Redgrave, Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, John Gielgud, Derek Jacobi, James Earl Jones Director: Al Pacino Producers: Michael Hadge and Al Pacino Screenplay: Al Pacino and Frederick Kimball based on the play by William Shakespeare Cinematography: Robert Leacock Music: Howard Shore U.S. Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Any traditional version of Shakespeare's "Richard III" will open with "Now's the winter of our discontent made summer by this son of York", the first line of one of the Bard's best-known soliloquies. It's a telling point, therefore, that LOOKING FOR RICHARD starts with a stentorian voice declaring: "Our revels now are ended." This movie, a labor of love for Al Pacino, who makes his directorial debut, does not intend to present a complete, unabridged version of the text. Like all film makers who take on Shakespeare, Pacino's goal is to give life to his own passion for the plays. His methods are decidedly unconventional. LOOKING FOR RICHARD is a condensed version of "Richard III" wrapped in a stream-of-consciousness documentary.
Since this is the second version of the play (following Ian McKellan's RICHARD III) to hit screens within a year, there's a legitimate question about overexposure. I don't think it's a serious concern, however. Even with an actor of Pacino's stature involved, the general public is unlikely to turn out in droves to see LOOKING FOR RICHARD. The primary audience will be Shakespeare buffs, and, even if they have seen McKellan's adaptation, they won't mind. Besides, the films, despite telling essentially the same story, have vastly different approaches. RICHARD III translates the play to a 20th Century, pseudo- Nazi England while LOOKING FOR RICHARD keeps the original historical context intact but adds a great deal of work-in-progress footage.
Pacino begins the film as a documentary investigating what modern day audiences think of Shakespeare's works. The answers he gets during person-on-the-street interviews are predictable: "it sucks", "it's boring", "huh?" The director's motivation for making the movie is stated up front: "It has always been a dream of mine to communicate how I feel about Shakespeare to others." To do this, Pacino interviews numerous actors and scholars. Sound bytes from his talks with the likes of Kenneth Branagh, Vanessa Redgrave, John Gielgud, Kevin Kline, and James Earl Jones are sprinkled throughout LOOKING FOR RICHARD. He also takes his camera to the supposed birthplace of Shakespeare and the site of the Globe Theater.
After this lengthy introduction, Pacino moves on to the play. We glimpse the casting process and are given an impromptu history lesson about the War of the Roses (which functions as background material). Someone in the crew worries that no one knows "Richard III", but the assertion is made that it's the most often-performed of all of the Bard's plays. And, although the documentary portion of LOOKING FOR RICHARD is largely over at this point, occasional interludes throughout the remainder of the film return to this format.
The second half of LOOKING FOR RICHARD concentrates on performing select scenes from the play. Although perhaps only a third of the full text is used, even someone who has never seen "Richard III" should have no problem following what's happening (Pacino's narrative interruptions attempt to explain potentially-confusing issues). The unconventional method of filming, which becomes a little wearisome through repetitiveness, must have required extensive time in the editing room. There are lots of quick shots that switch between a full, costumed version of a play and a simple read-through. At times, LOOKING FOR RICHARD recalls VANYA ON 42ND STREET, although this movie makes the behind-the-scenes sequences a more important part of the whole.
A number of familiar faces fill roles here. Pacino, of course, is Richard, complete with faux hunchback and limp. Alec Baldwin (HEAVEN'S PRISONERS) plays Clarence, and Harris Yulin (MULTIPLICITY) is King Edward. Penelope Allen (DOG DAY AFTERNOON) is Queen Elizabeth, Kevin Spacey (THE USUAL SUSPECTS) is Buckingham, Aidan Quinn (LEGENDS OF THE FALL) is Richmond, and Winona Ryder (LITTLE WOMEN) is Lady Anne. It's worth noting that, while the play sequences appear to have been produced over a relatively short period of time, the entire film has taken years to piece together, as is evident from Pacino's constantly changing appearance (short hair and a beard in one scene, clean-shaven with long, flowing locks in the next).
Although Pacino is attempting to make "Richard III" accessible to the "average" movie-goer, he probably doesn't succeed. LOOKING FOR RICHARD is a fascinating piece of film making, but I don't think it does anything so revolutionary that non-believers will be suddenly converted. Pacino's passion is obvious, but it's not universally contagious. However, those who enjoy Shakespeare, or are at least open-minded, will find much to appreciate here. LOOKING FOR RICHARD is unlike any previous adaptation of the Bard's work, and that's reason enough to give it a shot.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
"We go away from our parents in youth and then we gradually come back to them; and in that moment, we have grown up." -- Ingmar Bergman
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