Trama

The classic Shakespearean play about the murderously scheming 15th-century king is reimagined in an alternative setting of 1930s England as clouds of fascism gather.

William Shakespeare's classic play is brought into the present with the setting as Great Britian in the 1930s. Civil war has erupted with the House of Lancaster on one side, claiming the right to the British throne and hoping to bring freedom to the country. Opposing is the House of York, commanded by the infamous Richard III (Sir Ian McKellen), who rules over a fascist government and hopes to install himself as a dictator monarch.—Anthony Hughes <husnock31@hotmail.com>

The House of York is at war with the House of Lancaster. King Edward IV rules the House of York. However, his younger brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, has ambitions to be king and is willing to kill both his brothers, King Edward and the Duke of Clarence, in order to see these fulfilled.—grantss

Based upon the famous National Theatre production Shakespeare's story of Richard III (Sir Ian McKellen) is set in a mythical fascist London of the 1930s. Richard seeks to gain the throne from his elder brother, Edward (Christopher Bowen), by any means within his grasp including murder, marriage, and fratricide. But aside from Edward, his other brother, Clarence (Sir Nigel Hawthorne), and Edward's two young sons also stand between Richard and the crown of England.—Kathy Li

This movie adaptation of Shakespeare's famous play is set into a hypothetical 1930s Europe. As sneering, leering Richard of Gloucester's (Sir Ian McKellen's) ruthless machinations bring him ever nearer the throne of England, royal blood is mercilessly spilt. Finally, only one foe remains to challenge his grasping claim, valiant Richmond. Will he prevail? Heavy Nazi-like pageantry and iconography color this modern adaptation of a classic Shakespearean History.—Tad Dibbern <DIBBERN_D@a1.mscf.upenn.edu>