The verdict:  There have been many film versions of 'King Lear', and many great actors have appeared in the title role
(Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud and Ian Holm are names that come to mind), and Ian McKellen's performance ranks as
one of the best. The rest of the cast are also excellent, and the film benefits from the fact that most of them had already
been working together for over a year when the film was produced. Sylvester McCoy seems to have been born to star as
the Fool, playing the role with pathos and humour (but be warned: he plays the spoons in one scene!), and the viewer
cannot help empathising with the Fool when he meets his untimely end. Indeed, the film departs from the original play
in this respect. The Fool's fate was never revealed in Shakespeare's play, but only hinted at, and the character does not
appear after scene six of Act III. But the Fool's death scene in the film version is well done.

The producers do a good job of capturing the feel of the stage version, and the viewer often feels that they are watching
a recording of a live stage performance rather than a film recorded in a studio. This sense is heightened by the minimal
sets that are used for many scenes, although the lack of lighting in some scenes is a major drawback. Some scenes
are so dark that you can barely see the actors and can only hear their voices. True fans of the Bard's work will love this
production, particularly those who missed out on seeing the stage version, but as is the case with much of his work,
those who are not already familiar with his plays may find 'King Lear' difficult to follow. Just forget about the plot and
focus on the marvellous performances!