The Story Archive

Richard III

Laurence Olivier · 1955 CE · Film · English · Contemporary

A hunchbacked duke turns to the lens to explain how he means to murder his way to the English throne, and then does it, disposing of brothers, nephews and allies in turn. Olivier shot in wide Technicolor on stylised sets, pitching every confidence straight at the audience until it becomes his accomplice. Its American television premiere carried Shakespeare to tens of millions in a single night.

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Lineage

Attributes

Genre
HistoricalTragedyPolitical
Theme
Ambition & HubrisPower & CorruptionBetrayalGuilt & Conscience
Archetype (Jung / Campbell)
Villain / TyrantTricksterRuler / King
Plot structure
Rise and FallTragic Reversal
Symbol / motif
The CrownBloodThe GhostThe Tower
Conflict
vs Personvs Selfvs Society
Mode / tone
TragicIronic
Culture / tradition
English

Closest analogues