Imposters, The

Alternative title
Ship of Fools
Synopsis
Slapstick comedy feature film set in the Depression. Maurice (Platt) and Arthur (Tucci) are two struggling actors who insult a famous hammy and declamatory Shakespearean actor, Jeremy Burtom (Molina) who is playing Hamlet on Broadway. Chased by him they stow away on a liner sailing to France to find that Burtom is also on board. There are several references to Hamlet throughout including an ill-fated recitation of the ‘to be or not to be ' speech. Lanier (op cit) believes Burtom’s performance is a parody of John Barrymore in the final stages of his career.
Language
English
Country
United States
Medium
Television
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Year of release
1998
Duration
101 mins

Credits

Director
Stanley Tucci
Producer
Elizabeth W. Alexander; Stanley Tucci
Cinematographer
Ken Kelsch
Screenplay
Stanley Tucci
Music
Gary DeMichele
Costume
Andrei Belgrader
Art Direction
Chris Shriver
Cast
Alfred MolinaJeremy (Hamlet)
George GuidallClaudius in ‘Hamlet’ (Claudius)
E. Katherine KerrGertrude in ‘Hamlet’ (Gertrude)
Matt MalloyMike/Laertes in ‘Hamlet’ (Laertes)
Oliver PlattMaurice
Stanley TucciArthur
Ted BlumbergFrancisco in ‘Hamlet’ (Francisco)
William HillBarnardo in ‘Hamlet’ (Barnardo)

Additional Details

Production type
Fiction Films
Plays
Hamlet
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
Available from amazon.co.uk on DVD Region 1 only.
Reviews
Lanier, Douglas ‘Film Spin-Offs and Citations’ in Burt, Richard (ed). Shakespeares After Shakespeares: an Encyclopedia of the Bard in Mass Media and Popular Culture. 2 vols. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2006. (p. 174, entry 726).

Production Company

Name

20th Century Fox

Name

First Cold Press

Name

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Online Retailer

Name

amazon.co.uk

Web
http://www.amazon.co.uk External site opens in new window

How to cite this record

Shakespeare, "Imposters, The". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av67765 (Accessed 26 Nov 2024)