Audience-Friendlier ‘Hamlet’

NEW YORK —  Kenneth Branagh called from London, on his cell phone, to chat a bit about his upcoming Castle Rock spectacle, “Hamlet.”

Branagh’s “Hamlet,” aside from some unusual casting--Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Gerard Depardieu--is set in an entirely different period from any previous version of Shakespeare’s most famous work. “I wanted this film to be lush and glamorous, the women in fabulous ball gowns, the men in their tight dueling trousers. It’s designed to resemble the court of some 19th century Prussian royalty, but not in any distinct, completely accurate manner. I just think the usual Gothic interpretations are a harder period for audiences. They can’t relate. So this was more accessible, with a modern feel, but still ornate and distant enough so that it makes sense that these people are talking ‘Shakespeare.’

“I liked the idea that audiences will come and enjoy the glamour and the intrigue. I didn’t want the darkness associated with most productions. Despite the relentless tragedies, I think ‘Hamlet’ celebrates life, and I wanted to convey the vitality, humor and sex appeal of these characters.”

Branagh, the film’s producer-director, plays the revenge-obsessed Danish Prince; Kate Winslet essays the unfortunate Ophelia; and the fabled Julie Christie makes a rare appearance as Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. Branagh’s “Hamlet” runs a daunting two hours and 40 minutes. It opens on Christmas Day.