Film Scouts Reviews: Looking for Richard

"Looking for Richard"

by Leslie Rigoulot

Books from Amazon.com:
Buy The Play (Richard III).

Music from Amazon.com:
Buy The Soundtrack.

Maybe it is because I would really like to understand Shakespeare, or because I love showbiz, but I loved Al Pacino's "Looking for Richard". Pacino assembles Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, Kevin Spacey, Aidan Quinn, and tons of character actors to try to explain Richard III to America. Not an easy task, but worth the effort. Having seen Richard III two or three times, I was delighted to have someone explain all the inter-relationships of the royal family and the background of the War of the Roses. As a student of theater, I was equally pleased to see the actors working through the rehearsals. I don't know if it will find an audience outside of English teachers, film buffs and critics, but it certain deserves the attention that Pacino's name will give it. And if you are wondering why he has a beard in some scenes, graying hair in others, it took Pacino four years and a lot of his own money to finish this labor of love. The best scene isn't written by Shakespeare, though. It is the cameraman talking with the director about Pacino: "Don't tell him I have ten more rolls of film. He'll want to shoot that too." Rated R for language.

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