The Laurence Olivier Collection--Hamlet, Henry V, That Hamilton Woman, 21 Days, The Boys from Brazil [VHS]

Description

Five films of Laurence Olivier's ranging from the 1930s through to the late 1970s. In '21 Days' (1937) Keith Durrant, KC (Leslie Banks) is a brilliant young barrister on the verge of being promoted to the bench. His plans hit a snag when his younger brother Larry (Olivier) accidentally kills the ex-husband of his girlfriend (Vivien Leigh) and asks Durrant for help. Durrant realises that he cannot go to the police because he may run the risk of ruining his promotion, so he says nothing. When a tramp is arrested for the murder, Larry knows he must turn himself in before the man is sentenced for a crime he did not commit. Sentencing takes place in 21 days, so Larry and Wanda decide to enjoy those days in the best way they can. However, when the tramp dies in prison, Larry is torn between confessing or living with the guilty secret forever. In 'That Hamilton Woman' (1941) Emma, Lady Hamilton (Vivien Leigh) is thrown into prison for disturbing the peace. Now a drunk with faded looks, she tells her cellmates of her rise to notoriety as the mistress of the great Lord Nelson (Olivier), whilst still married to a British Ambassador. Leigh and Olivier were husband and wife in real life and the film is not noted for its historical accuracy - although it was said to be Winston Churchill's favourite. 'Henry V' (1944) begins in a miniature Globe Theatre and slowly expands beyond the stage to become a film. The young king puts his rakish past behind him and rallies his men to invade France, winning against the enemy's superior numbers. The film was shot in Ireland to avoid the constant bombardment of the Blitz and Olivier was discharged from the Navy to make the film. In 'Hamlet' (1948), the Prince of Denmark (Olivier) is still mourning over the death of his father and his mother Gertrude's (Eileen Herlie) subsequent remarriage to Hamlet's despised uncle, Claudius (Basil Sydney), who is now King. When his father's ghost appears to Hamlet and reveals that it was Claudius who murdered him, the young prince vows revenge. However, a fatal flaw in his character - hesitation - mars his efforts, resulting in murder, madness and treachery. The film won five Oscars, including Best Actor for Olivier (who was also nominated for Best Director) and Best Film. Finally in 'Boys From Brazil (1978) Nazi hunter Ezra Lieberman (Olivier) is aghast when he stumbles upon a plot by war criminal Josef Mengele (Gregory Peck) to produce clones of Adolf Hitler using cells taken from the late dictator's body. It is Mengele's intention to reproduce Hitler not only genetically but in terms of his upbringing, as the boys created from the cells are to grow up in environments as close as possible to the Fuhrer's.