Hamlet         WS 32,245 words         SOL 22,079 words                       69.4%         103 pages
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The SOL Hamlet is pretty close to most stage productions I have seen over the years. The Fortinbras story is most heavily vacuumed, with Act 4, scene 4 (How all occasion do inform...) cut completely. Cutting almost the entire Reynaldo scene diminishes how devious and controlling Polonius can be, but it has little to do with Hamlet's journey.  As is usual, the Player scenes are abridged, obscure punning from R&G is pruned, as is some of the long-windedness of Polonius. In general, the play is cut evenly, with the role of Hamlet, proportionally, losing the least text.  Purchase    

Branagh's film of Hamlet is highly intelligent. Ophelia's mad scene is the best I have ever seen.