I could justify sitting through this movie, even buying it, if Bill Murray's performance lived up to the coolness factor of Bill Murray playing Polonius. It's hard to believe he could put out such a flat and awful performance that he's actually a detraction from an already terrible movie.
shareBill Murray is a great actor, but I totally agree that his performance in this movie was absolutely horrible. Mainly because the whole movie sucked anyway. The only part I enjoyed of Bill Murray's Polonius was the fact that it sounded as though he was reading his lines for the first time whenever he was talking, which was hilarious. Anyway, I hated this movie.
Also I think that the director wanted the whole cast to play their lines down a little to make it sound like real dialogue but it sucked big time.
Bill Murray=Horribly Acted Polonius==Bad Movie
"Everybody Lies"
You know, Bill Murray's performance in this was probably the only thing I didn't hate about the movie. Then again, that's not saying much. I've hated Julia Stiles in everything I've seen her in. Ethan Hawke is a moody Brando/James Dean born 60 years to late.
Conquer through strength AND submission.share
Well I never saw this movie so I can't judge but I will say that I think Leonardo Dicaprio might be the worst Romeo ever. I mean, his performance was so lifeless-his squinty eyes and forced voice got on my nerves! I've seen better performances in english class reenacments.
I call movies that are considered 'bad' hated movies.
I kept seeing Bill Murray instead of Polonius.
He's not playing Polonius, he's playing himself saying Polonius's lines.
Actually I agree with the posters that say that his Polonius wasone of the few performances that I liked in the film.
I thought it was a disaster throughout except for the whole Polonius family. I liked Bill Murray, thought that Julia Stiles was very good, and in all honesty I thought Liev Schrieber stole the show. He was excellent.
But overall, I thought that the production wasn't very good, the concept wasn't excecuted very well, and few of the performances worked.
It's amazing to me to hear this. I thought Murray was the best Polonius I've ever seen. He makes the dialogue sound like something that could really be said, and he's still somewhat a fool, but he brings a dignity to the role that I always thought Polonius deserved.
I like when he gives the advice to Laertes, and he's packing the bags.
*It's amazing to me to hear this. I thought Murray was the best Polonius I've ever seen. He makes the dialogue sound like something that could really be said, and he's still somewhat a fool, but he brings a dignity to the role that I always thought Polonius deserved.
I like when he gives the advice to Laertes, and he's packing the bags.*
I haven't seen enough Hamlets to compare Poloniuses, but I found nothing objectionable in Murray's performance either. I also loved the advice giving scene, particularly when Polonius sneaked a few extra bucks into Laertes' jacket before giving it to him -- that was such a "Dad" thing to do and really added to the scene.
I thought he was fine too. And he got a death scene!
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First, this thread is pointless, because by decree of the gods, Saint Murray can do no wrong.
Second, I liked his performance. I think Polonius showed three sides in the play, very caring father, brown noser to the king, and the object of Hamlet's ire. I think Murray did the first two very well, not so much the third. I think he could have come off a bit more emotional around Hamlet, as Polonius in the play was very disturbed/fascinated with Hamlet.
This is one of my favorate movies and by far the movie that has had the most impact on my life. Most people wont agree but just to let others know there are other opinions out there I thought ethan hawke was amazing in this film as hamlet along with claudius, the ghost, and laeritis. At first I didnt like bill murry but he grew on me after a few dozen screenings, and I think it just took me that long to realize how he was playing the character.
shareI actually liked the film overall! Although it is a very depressing version with its depressed, nihilistic and lackadaisical Hamlet. And clearly, being quite short there is much missing. But I liked how it was a version that I think could only be done on film - I don't think you could play Hamlet quite this way on stage as it would be too internal. But, in a logical sense, this kind of a Hamlet - like a teenage boy where a lot is going on and he's become damaged inside, yet to the outside world you don't see grief and it manifests as withdrawn disinterest... which would in turn make his Mother worry and send friends to check on him as does happen in the plot. I think it works. I think the monologues work as internal thoughts and sometimes films which the outside world doesn't see. I liked the interpretation.
I thought everyone was at least fine in it though... apart from Bill Murray who was so terrible he made me want to turn the film off when he was on screen. He read the lines out as though he was reading them from the back of someone's head!! I could barely believe it!!
Usually, in Hamlet, Polonius can be a very affecting, sympathetic character and part of where you see Hamlet's true madness and how consumed he is with revenge is when he kills Polonius and though you feel for Hamlet, also you feel for Polonius and his children. Here though, Bill Murray was so awful that when Hamlet kills him I was thinking "PRAISES BE!" because thank goodness, no more Polonius in the film!! haha. I don't think I should have been feeling that!!
Rating any modern actor portraying a Shakespearean character is tough because of how long the plays have been performed; having said that, I dislike most of the actors in this movie, but was much intrigued by Bill Murray's casting.In fact, that is probably the only reason I watched it.
I'm concerned that my expectations may have affected my viewing. I remember discussing the casting, literally during a college course "Acting in Shakespeare", and the entire class spinning ways Murray could make the part original by being Bill Murray. Polonius is truly a character made for an imaginative actor because it can be played so many ways. I thought Murray could make an already absurd character even more absurd, but still believable because Murray does that so well. I envisioned a learned Carl the groundskeeper.
I can't say he did poorly, but I can say he could have done so much better.