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A few brief love scenes between Hamlet and Ophelia. They roll around in bedsheets for a few frames.There are lines in the play to men lying between women's legs and to "making love" and at another time, Ophelia drops to the floor, spreads her legs and gyrates her hips and down (after she's gone crazy over her father's death).
Claudius is run through with a sword. An imagined scene between Hamlet and Claudius shows Hamlet thrusting his dagger into Claudius' ear and blood spurts out. The Queen dies by accidentally drinking poison meant for Hamlet. While the Ghost of Hamlet's Father is telling Hamlet how he, the Ghost, was murdered, we see the crime re-enacted as in Olivier's 1948 film version, but this time the scene is gory, while in the Olivier film it was not. At one point we see a closeup of a human ear with blood and pus spurting out. Rather gross, but it lasts for only a second.While the First Player (Charlton Heston) is reciting the poem of the death of Priam, we see the events happening. There is no real violence in this scene, just a lot of confusion, shots of the dead Priam (John Gielgud) and the grieving Hecuba (Judi Dench). Hamlet kills Polonius with a sword through a curtain. Unlike other Hamlets who stab him only once, Branagh's Hamlet stabs Polonius through the curtain several times, wildly and hysterically. Polonius falls out from behind the curtain in a pool of blood. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dragged to have their heads cut off. The beheading is not shown. Laertes kills Hamlet with a poisoned sword.Sentry guards throw their spears at the ghost but they end up flying through thin air.Hamlet knocks over furniture in anger.Polonius is a bit rough with Ophelia (dragging her along, banging her into walls) as he talks to her.Claudius slaps Hamlet on the face.Laertes threatens Claudius with his sword after Polonius' death.It's reported that Ophelia drowned (herself).Laertes attacks Hamlet at a funeral and has to be pulled off him.As an advancing army attacks the castle, many outside guards are killed and others inside are wounded or killed as the soldiers burst through the windows.There is a fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes where a little blood is drawn on both of their shoulders. The two smash into walls and Laertes ends up falling from a balcony, also with a poisoned foil wound.A man stabs himself in the stomach with his own knife.Hamlet sends a chandelier crashing into the trapped king.
2 "ass" words, 1 damn, and 4 uses of "Oh my God", and 1 use of "God" as exclamations.
Since the production design is updated to the 19th century, we see Polonius smoking in one scene.A Sentry guard drinks from a flask.Claudius quickly guzzles down drink after drink as he makes his way to Gertrude's bedroom.Claudius is a heavy drinker.Cladius and Laertes is drinking liquor.A grave digger smokes.
A few of the appearances by the ghost of Hamlet's father may be a little frightening to younger children.A some viewers may find the final fight sequence between Hamlet and Laertes to be somewhat tense.Hamlet must deal with his father's death and Laertes and Ophelia with their father's death. Ophelia then goes crazy and eventually kills herself.
