Summary
- Laurence Olivier’s iconic career spanned diverse genres, showcasing his talent as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century.
- Olivier’s portrayal of Othello, even controversial, remains a powerful depiction on screen, capturing the essence of the tragic character.
- The legendary actor’s performances in films like “Rebecca” and “Spartacus” exemplified his versatility and impact on Hollywood cinema.
The English actor and director Laurence Olivier was one of the most acclaimed actors of the 20th century who had countless incredible roles across many different genres. While much of Olivier’s most renowned work was as a Shakespearean actor in some of the greatest tragedies ever produced, he’s also excelled in murder mysteries, romances, and thrillers. From his knighthood to his endless awards, including 11 Academy Award nominations and two Oscar wins, Olivier’s career was one categorized by impressive accolades and intensely memorable performances.
Olivier has consistently been written about as among the greatest actors of all time, as his acclaimed film roles in beloved 1940s classics like Wuthering Heights and Rebecca brought depth, pathos, and a sense of theatricality to Hollywood. In his later years, Olivier continued to push the boundaries of his art form as he took up challenging roles with directors like Stanley Kubrick and in popular thrillers such as Marathon Man. With an unmatched legacy, Olivier was truly one of the all-time greats.
10 Othello (1965)
Laurence Olivier as Othello
Othello (1965) UnratedDrama
Othello (1965) is a film directed by Stuart Burge, based on William Shakespeare’s tragic play. Laurence Olivier stars as Othello, the Moor of Venice, while Maggie Smith portrays Desdemona and Frank Finlay plays Iago, the scheming ensign. The film focuses on themes of jealousy, betrayal, and racism, closely following the original text’s language and plot. Olivier delivers a powerful performance in this classic adaptation.
Director Stuart Burge Release Date December 15, 1965 Writers William Shakespeare Cast Laurence Olivier , Frank Finlay , Robert Lang , Anthony Nicholls , Roy Holder , Derek Jacobi , David Hargreaves , Malcolm Terris Character(s) Othello , Iago , Roderigo , Brabantio , Clown , Cassio , Senate Officer Runtime 165 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
Laurence Olivier was among the greatest Shakespearean actors cinema has ever seen, and his take on Othello was one of his crowning achievements, although it was not without controversy. As a tragedy of sexual jealousy about an African general in the Venetian army who is tricked into suspecting his wife of adultery, this was a unique Shakespearean story in its depiction of race. In the years since its release, Olivier’s portrayal of Othello has only become more contentious as the white English actor portrayed the African lead character in full blackface.
While the backlash against Olivier’s Othello has led to calls to try to censor the film (via Telegraph), it’s also an important time capsule regarding how perceptions of what’s acceptable on screen have changed over the past nearly 60 years. However, when viewed outside of the controversies surrounding it, what’s left was the most powerful onscreen depiction of Othello, which captured the essence of the stage production. As a testament to the exceptional performances, all the film’s main stars, including Olivier, Maggie Smith, Joyce Redman, and Frank Finlay, received Oscar nominations.
9 The Boys From Brazil (1978)
Laurence Olivier as Ezra Lieberman
The Boys from Brazil (1978) RDramaMysterySci-Fi
The Boys from Brazil is a 1978 thriller directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. Starring Gregory Peck and Laurence Olivier, the film follows a Nazi hunter who uncovers a sinister plot involving the cloning of Adolf Hitler. Adapted from Ira Levin’s novel, the story explores themes of identity and ethics amidst a backdrop of post-World War II tensions.
Director Franklin J. Schaffner Release Date October 6, 1978 Writers Ira Levin , Heywood Gould Cast gregory peck , Laurence Olivier , James Mason , Lilli Palmer , Uta Hagen , Steve Guttenberg , Denholm Elliott , Rosemary Harris Character(s) Dr. Josef Mengele , Ezra Lieberman , Eduard Seibert , Esther Lieberman , Frieda Maloney , Barry Kohler , Sidney Beynon , Mrs. Doring Runtime 125 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
The Boys from Brazil was an excellent 1970s thriller that saw Laurence Olivier play the famous, albeit cynical and penniless Nazi hunter Ezra Liberman, who must help stop a bizarre and sinister plot to revive the Third Reich. With Gregory Peck as the fugitive Nazi Dr. Josef Mengele, The Boys from Brazil boasted a high-caliber cast as it addressed fears around the rise of fascism. While Olivier gave a fantastic performance as Liberman, it must be admitted that he was vastly overshadowed by Peck’s astounding portrayal of Mengele, who was simultaneously cruel and wicked while remaining intensely charismatic.
Story elements included controlling genetics and plans to clone multiple versions of Adolf Hitler. Although The Boysfrom Brazil may look outlandish on paper, everything came together to form a cohesive whole. As an engaging mystery highlighted the ever-present fears around Nazi-like thought and the exploitation of politics for the purpose of evil, there was a lot of depth and intrigue in this unusual story. Olivier received his eleventh and final Oscar nomination for his role in The Boys from Brazil.
8 Carrie (1952)
Laurence Olivier as George Hurstwood
Carrie (1952) ApprovedDramaRomance
Carrie is a 1952 drama film directed by William Wyler, based on Theodore Dreiser’s novel Sister Carrie. The film stars Jennifer Jones as Carrie Meeber, a young woman who moves to Chicago in search of a better life. She becomes involved with a middle-aged restauranteur played by Laurence Olivier. The narrative explores themes of ambition, societal pressures, and the search for identity in turn-of-the-century America.
Director William Wyler Release Date August 14, 1952 Writers Theodore Dreiser , Ruth Goetz , Augustus Goetz Cast Laurence Olivier , Jennifer Jones , Miriam Hopkins , Eddie Albert , Basil Ruysdael , Ray Teal , Barry Kelley , Sara Berner Character(s) George Hurstwood , Carrie Meeber , Julie Hurstwood , Charles Drouet , Mr. Fitzgerald , Allen , Slawson , Mrs. Oransky Runtime 118 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
While Carrie was far different from the later Stephen King story it shared its name with, this 1950s romantic drama also featured a young girl whose life was turned on its head due to the deceit of those around her. As a highly melodramatic adaptation of the novel Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser, Laurence Olivier played a high-society man willing to risk everything for the love of a young woman named Carrie, played by Jennifer Jones. For Olivier’s George Hurstwood, courting the love of Carrie overtook the importance of everything else in his life, including his family, money, and social status.
Olivier’s portrayal of Hurstwood just might be the most tragic he ever put to the screen, as his character allowed his midlife crisis and pining for a young woman to disseminate his life as he’s left with nothing. It’s hard as a viewer not to relate Olivier’s performance here to his own crumbling marriage to Vivian Leigh, a relationship beset with affairs, controversies, and eventually divorce in 1960 (via Harper’s Bazaar.) As an intensely cruel romance, Carrie was made even more effective due to the presence of an actor of Olivier’s caliber.
7 The Entertainer (1960)
Laurence Olivier as Archie Rice
The Entertainer (1960) Not RatedDrama
The Entertainer is a 1960 film directed by Tony Richardson, starring Laurence Olivier as Archie Rice, a struggling, disillusioned music hall performer. The story, adapted from John Osborne’s play, follows Rice’s attempts to revive his fading career amid personal and familial turmoil. Set against the backdrop of post-war Britain, the film captures the decline of music hall entertainment and the complexities of Rice’s tumultuous life. Brenda De Banzie and Albert Finney also star.
Director Tony Richardson Release Date July 27, 1960 Writers John Osborne , Nigel Kneale Cast Laurence Olivier , Brenda de Banzie , Roger Livesey , Joan Plowright , Alan Bates , Daniel Massey , Albert Finney , Shirley Anne Field Character(s) Archie Rice , Phoebe Rice , Billy Rice , Jean Rice , Frank Rice , Graham , Mick Rice , Tina Lapford Runtime 96 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
Olivier was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor for his excellent portrayal of Archie Rice in the kitchen sink drama The Entertainer. Olivier played a down-and-out music hall performer who faced personal troubles as his professional career fell apart due to the dwindling popularity of the music hall tradition during the mid-1950s. Unusually for the time, Olivier maintained the role of Archie Rice from the original stage production by British playwright John Osborne, who he had first played to great acclaim in 1957.
The Entertainer was a devastatingly bitter film as Archie took out the frustrations of his professional failings on his wife Phoebe, played by the iconic British actress Brenda de Banzie. As a powerful character study about an angry middle-aged man, The Entertainer captured the tragedy at the heart of someone living for a dream that’s increasingly out of their reach. As a look at the post-WWII decline in Britain, The Entertainer had a lot to say about personal struggles as well as social and political circumstances during this era.
6 Marathon Man (1976)
Laurence Olivier as Dr. Christian Szell
Marathon Man RThriller Where to Watch
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After the murder of his older brother, a New York history student is hounded by shadowy government agents on the trail of a Nazi war criminal who is trying to retrieve smuggled diamonds.
Director John Schlesinger Release Date October 8, 1976 Writers William Goldman Cast Dustin Hoffman , Laurence Olivier , Roy Scheider , William Devane , Marthe Keller , Fritz Weaver Runtime 125 minutes Main Genre Thriller Expand
As one of the best Dustin Hoffman movies, it was great to see the actor playing opposite such an acclaimed legend of stage and screen as Laurence Olivier in Marathon Man. With a story about an avid runner who became entangled in a complex web of espionage, Olivier brought a menacing air to his psychotic role of Dr. Christian Szell, a sinister dentist and Nazi war criminal determined to extract a cache of smuggled conflict diamonds. As one of the best thrillers of the 1970s, Marathon Man saw two major actors of their generations coming together.
However, the juxtaposition between Hoffman’s method acting style and Olivier’s more traditional approach led to an often quoted exchange between the two performances where, after Hoffman had been awake for days, Olivier asked him: “My dear boy, why don’t you just try acting?” (via The Guardian.) With their opposing styles in mind, it was incredible to see how well Olivier and Hoffman’s man played off each other as the sinister nature of Szell contrasted with Hoffman’s intense paranoia.
5 Spartacus (1960)
Laurence Olivier as Crassus
Spartacus PG-13BiographyAdventureDrama Where to Watch
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Spartacus is a historical drama directed by Stanley Kubrick, starring Kirk Douglas as Spartacus, a slave-turned-rebel leading an uprising against the Roman Empire. Released in 1960, the film features Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, and Tony Curtis in supporting roles. It portrays Spartacus’s journey from enslavement to becoming a symbol of resistance.
Director Stanley Kubrick , Anthony Mann Release Date November 17, 1960 Writers Dalton Trumbo , Howard Fast , Peter Ustinov Cast Kirk Douglas , Laurence Olivier , Jean Simmons , Charles Laughton , Peter Ustinov , John Gavin , Nina Foch , John Ireland Runtime 197 Minutes Main Genre Biography Expand
As one of cinema’s most notable historical epics, the swords and sandals classic Spartacus saw Laurence Olivier working with directing legend Stanley Kubrick. Olivier played the wealthy Roman senator Marcus Licinius Crassus, who aimed to become the dictator of Rome, opposite Kirk Douglas as the escaped slave and gladiator Spartacus. As the highest-grossing film of 1960, Spartacus was a major success and one of the most impressive cinematic spectacles ever released up to this point.
Spartacus was a powerful epic story that not only pushed the boundaries of modern filmmaking but also powerfully dealt with political and religious themes. This made sense, considering Spartacus’ screenwriter was the later blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo, who would receive scrutiny in Hollywood for his alleged Communist associations. As an effective film with far more to say than its over-the-top battle sequences suggested, Spartacus was a highlight of Olivier’s Hollywood career.
4 Wuthering Heights (1939)
Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff
Wuthering Heights (1939) DramaRomance Where to Watch
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Wuthering Heights is a 1939 film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel directed by William Wyler. Starring Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff and Merle Oberon as Cathy, the film explores the tumultuous and passionate relationship between the characters, set against the bleak Yorkshire moors. The film delves into themes of love, revenge, and social class, bringing to life the timeless and tragic story with exceptional performances and atmospheric cinematography.
Director William Wyler Release Date April 7, 1939 Cast Merle Oberon , Laurence Olivier , David Niven , Flora Robson , Donald Crisp , Geraldine Fitzgerald , Hugh Williams , Leo G. Carroll
Laurence Olivier gained his first Academy Award nomination for his quintessential role of Heathcliffe in Wuthering Heights. This adaptation of the Emily Brontë story dismissed many essential chapters from the beloved 1847 novel, but Olivier still managed to capture the unique and allure essence of Heathcliff’s character. While it may have been an abridged version of the story, Wuthering Heights maintained the grim drama of the book and Heathcliff and Cathy’s doomed love story.
William Wyler’s version of Wuthering Heights showcased Olivier’s potential as a leading man capable of embodying some of literature’s most iconic characters. Through his charismatic portrayal of Heathcliff, Olivier transferred his innate skill as a stage actor to the screen and proved his ability to work in both mediums. While Wuthering Heights’ differences from its source material and omissions of important characters may have offended purists of the novel, it still remains one of the most acclaimed adaptations of this timeless novel.
3 Sleuth (1972)
Laurence Olivier as Andrew Wyke
Sleuth (1972) PGMysteryThrillerDrama
Sleuth is a 1972 mystery film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, based on Anthony Shaffer’s play. Laurence Olivier portrays Andrew Wyke, a wealthy mystery writer who entices his wife’s lover, Milo Tindle (Michael Caine), to his estate to propose an elaborate game. The tense interactions between the two men soon spiral into a battle of wits, leading to unexpected twists and turns.
Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz Release Date December 10, 1972 Studio(s) Palomar Pictures , Palomar Productions Distributor(s) 20th Century Fox Writers Anthony Shaffer Cast Laurence Olivier , Michael Caine Runtime 138 minutes Franchise(s) None Sequel(s) None Budget $3.5 million Main Genre Mystery Expand
As essentially a two-man show between Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, the murder mystery Sleuth has maintained the essence of the Tony Award-winning play it was based on. With Olivier as Andrew Wyke, a successful crime author, and Caine as Milo Tindle, his wife’s lover, Sleuth utilized games, theater, and a battle of the wits to portray the murderous potential of this twist-filled mystery. Both Olivier and Caine were nominated for Oscars for their incredible performances; however, they lost out to Marlon Brando’s Academy Award win for The Godfather.
Sleuth was a movie characterized by two strong performances and intensely impressive dialogue as its mystery slowly unveiled itself. Sleuth proved that a great screenplay, strong direction, and talented actors were all that was needed to create an effective film, as it was an intensely engaging watch without the need for over-the-top action sequences. As a truly thought-provoking thriller, Sleuth deserves much more widespread recognition than it has received among contemporary film audiences.
2 Rebecca (1940)
Laurence Olivier as Maxim de Winter
Rebecca (1940) ApprovedMysteryDramaRomance
Rebecca, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, centers on a young bride, played by Joan Fontaine, who feels overshadowed by her husband’s first wife, Rebecca. Laurence Olivier stars as the brooding Maxim de Winter. Set in the eerie Manderley estate, the film explores themes of jealousy and mystery, as the new Mrs. de Winter uncovers unsettling secrets about Rebecca’s life and death. Rebecca is based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier.
Director Alfred Hitchcock Release Date April 12, 1940 Writers Daphne Du Maurier , Robert E. Sherwood , Joan Harrison , Philip MacDonald , Michael Hogan Cast Laurence Olivier , Joan Fontaine , George Sanders , Judith Anderson , Nigel Bruce , Reginald Denny , C. Aubrey Smith , Gladys Cooper Character(s) Maxim de Winter , Mrs. de Winter , Jack Favell , Mrs. Danvers , Major Giles Lacy , Frank Crawley , Colonel Julyan , Beatrice Lacy Runtime 130 Minutes Main Genre Mystery Expand
Director Alfred Hitchcock made his Hollywood debut with the release of Rebecca in 1940, a truly spellbinding psychological thriller packed with romance and intrigue. Although he was only at the beginning of his feature film acting career, Laurence Olivier gave one of his defining performances as the brooding, aristocratic widower Maxim de Winter, who has recently married his second wife. As the mystery around Maxim’s first marriage to the mysteriously deceased Rebecca revealed itself, Hitchcock explored the very depths of human psychology.
Rebecca was a critical and commercial success that even took home the Oscar for Best Picture and signaled the embracement of Hitchcock as a brave new voice within Hollywood. Olivier’s sullen and mysterious performance as Maxim was an important part of the film’s success, as his leading man charisma paired perfectly with his enigmatic and inscrutable presence. Revisiting Rebecca over eight decades since it was first released, it’s incredible how well the film holds up today.
1 Hamlet (1948)
Laurence Olivier as Hamlet
Hamlet (1948) NRDrama Where to Watch
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Hamlet is a 1948 British adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy, directed by and starring Laurence Olivier as the titular Prince of Denmark. The film follows Hamlet as he seeks to avenge his father’s murder amid court intrigue and personal turmoil. Eileen Herlie and Basil Sydney co-star as Queen Gertrude and King Claudius, respectively. This adaptation garnered critical acclaim, earning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Olivier.
Director Laurence Olivier Release Date December 10, 1948 Studio(s) Two Cities Films , J. Arthur Rank Organisation Writers Laurence Olivier Cast Laurence Olivier , Jean Simmons , John Laurie , Esmond Knight , Anthony Quayle Runtime 153 Minutes Budget 750000 Main Genre Drama Expand
Laurence Olivier’s crowning achievement, not just as a leading man or Shakespearean actor but also as a director, was his 1948 adaptation of Hamlet. As one of the all-time great tragedies and among the most complex and interesting roles an actor can play, Olivier imbued his version of Hamlet with his own unique sensibilities as he made numerous alterations and cut over one and a half hours from the original four-hour production. While this may have upset Shakespeare purists, Olivier’s Hamlet has been remembered as one of the greatest cinematic adaptations of this tragedy.
From its impressive costumes to its darkly moody tone, Hamlet set new standards for theater adaptations and proved Olivier was a real contender for the greatest Shakespearean actor of all time. While the omission of important characters like Fortinbras, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern can be felt, this major cut allowed Olivier to focus entirely on the more psychological aspects of Hamlet’s struggles and less on the political side of things. Hamlet was a perfect encapsulation of the enduring appeal of Olivier and the definitive testament to his place as one of the most important performers of the 20th century.
Sources: Telegraph, Harper’s Bazaar, The Guardian