Jean Simmons as Ophelia and Laurence Olivier as Hamlet in the adaptation that became a box office and critical success, with THR calling the film "dramatic, exciting and compelling; a superb show." Courtesy Everett Collection Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment More than seven decades before Chloé Zhao's Hamnet landed eight Academy Award noms, Oscar voters were similarly spellbound by Laurence Olivier's Hamlet. Olivier directed and starred in what was the first sound film in English to adapt William Shakespeare's classic tragedy about the titular Prince of Denmark, who suspects that his uncle killed his father. Olivier first played Hamlet onstage at London's Old Vic in 1937. After making his feature directorial debut with the 1944 adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry V, for which his lead performance earned an honorary Oscar, Olivier set out to "make a film of Hamlet as Shakespeare himself, were he living now, might make it," as the star wrote in a 1948 New York Times essay. Hamlet debuted in September 1948 and collected $3.3 million domestically ($43 million today) and scored seven Oscar noms and four wins, marking the first British production to nab best picture, while Olivier became the first filmmaker to direct himself to a best actor win. Hamlet costume designer Roger K. Furse won the inaugural best costume trophy, in the black and white category (Joan of Arc prevailed for color). Furse also won for art direction (now known as production design), alongside set decorator Carmen Dillon. Related Stories Lifestyle Chloé Zhao, Bowen Yang and Daniel Dae Kim Set as Unforgettable Awards Honorees Movies Directing Oscar Nominees Weigh In on Awards Season and Navigating Reviews (Plus Chloé Zhao's Love of Letterboxd) at Santa Barbara Tribute This year, Hamnet is similarly up for best picture, costumes and production design. Zhao's movie stars Paul Mescal as Shakespeare and Jessie Buckley as wife Agnes in an examination of the couple's life while the famed playwright wrote Hamlet. This story first appeared in a February stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up Neil Patrick Harris 'Sunny Dancer' Review: Bella Ramsey Stars as a Teen Cancer Survivor in a Sentimental but Sporadically Bracing Coming-of-Ager Tig Notaro Tig Notaro, Oscar Nominee, Is Finally Taking Herself "More Seriously" Wuthering Heights Box Office: 'Wuthering Heights' Delivers Early Valentine's Day Gift With $3M in Previews, 'GOAT' Munches Down $1M Pablo Larrain Director Pablo Larraín Launches Pijama, Affordable Movie Rental Service to Help Fix the Distribution Business (Exclusive) The Secret Agent 'The Secret Agent' Casting Director Reveals the Role That Was Hardest to Cast Heat Vision Inside Marvel's Meta 'Wonder Man' Campaign Neil Patrick Harris 'Sunny Dancer' Review: Bella Ramsey Stars as a Teen Cancer Survivor in a Sentimental but Sporadically Bracing Coming-of-Ager Tig Notaro Tig Notaro, Oscar Nominee, Is Finally Taking Herself "More Seriously" Wuthering Heights Box Office: 'Wuthering Heights' Delivers Early Valentine's Day Gift With $3M in Previews, 'GOAT' Munches Down $1M Pablo Larrain Director Pablo Larraín Launches Pijama, Affordable Movie Rental Service to Help Fix the Distribution Business (Exclusive) The Secret Agent 'The Secret Agent' Casting Director Reveals the Role That Was Hardest to Cast Heat Vision Inside Marvel's Meta 'Wonder Man' Campaign