SHAKESPEARE

Synopsis

Feature Western film in which critics have seen the influence of the Gloucester sub-plot in King Lear. The patriach, Donald Crisp, is worried about his kingdom (cattle ranch) and, like Gloucester, he is going blind and incapabable of seeing the truth about his two sons. The natural son (Nichol) is a vicious psychopath and the adopted son (Kennedy) is sympathetic. The excessively violent scene where Alex Nicol shoots Stewart’s hand has been compared to the blinding of Gloucester.

Language

English

Country

United States

Medium

Film

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Year of release

1955

Duration

104 mins

Credits

Director

Anthony Mann

Producer

William Goetz

Cinematographer

Charles Lang

Screenplay

Frank Burt; Philip Yordan; Thomas Flynn

Music

George Duning; Lester Lee

Cast

Donald Crisp	Alec Waggoman (Earl of Gloucester)
Arthur Kennedy	Vic Hansbro (Edgar, later disguised as Tom o’Bedlam)
Alex Nicol	Dave Waggoman (Edmund)
James Stewart	Will Lockhart

Additional Details

Production type

Fiction Films

Plays

King Lear

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); westerns

Production Company

Name

Columbia Pictures

Distributor (Sale)

Name

Retail outlets