The famous British actor Sir Ian McKellen admitted that he does not intend to support one of the films nominated for the American Academy Award. The film "Hamnet" left him disappointed and puzzled.
The film in question is Hamnet, based on the novel of the same name by Maggie O'Farrell. The film offers a fictional interpretation of the events surrounding the death of William Shakespeare's 11-year-old son in the 16th century. According to the plot, the tragedy that occurs in the absence of the playwright inspires him to create "Hamlet," while his wife Anne Hathaway (played by Jessie Buckley) stays home and mourns in solitude.
"I don’t quite understand this film"
In his review, McKellen noted that he remained indifferent to what was happening on screen. He stated that the characters' motives seemed unconvincing to him and contradictory to what is known about Shakespeare's personality and life.
The actor said that he is not particularly interested in searching for specific sources of inspiration for the playwright, but he is confident that they were unlikely to be directly related to his family life. Furthermore, McKellen questioned the plausibility of the idea that Shakespeare's wife supposedly never saw his plays and hardly understood what her husband was doing.
A strict expert's view
The 86-year-old McKellen is a member of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and has voting rights. He was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Gods and Monsters and has been considered one of the leading performers of Shakespearean roles for decades. Over time, he has played Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and John Falstaff.
His criticism of "Hamnet" is not related to a personal attitude towards the creators of the film, but rather to a demanding approach to any artistic interpretations of the biography of the great playwright. As a recognized expert on Shakespeare's works, McKellen evaluates such projects particularly strictly.
