apparently shakespeare equal high brow which equal in turn a bunch of folk not see something for what it really be . at one point in this film and someone ( i believe pacino producer ) warn him that film be get off track and that it be once about how the mass think about shakespeare through the vehicle of richard iii . instead he decide to shoot a chop up play with random comment sprinkle throughout . some scene seem to be include a home movie for al ( be there really any reason for the quick visit to shakespeare birthplace and other than for a laugh about something unexpected which happen there . ) and and and before the film have really even begin and we be treat to see al prance around and act cute and funny for the camera . i think his silly act with kay near the end of godfather iii with the knife to his throat be an act but apparently it how al really behave in person . enough rambling . here a shotgun smattering of why i do not even make it 3/4 of the way through this represent 1 ) pretentious al always know when the camera be on him and whether he act a richard or in a real conversation with someone you can see it in the corner of his eye and also and some of the actor around the rehearsal table become untethered and wax hammy to the extreme . if anyone reading this have ever spend any time with an group of actor and have witness this kind of thing from the outside and it unbearable . look at me and chew all the scenery . 2 ) winona ryder . when she appear a lady anne and this film come to a screeching halt and which it never recover from . she have nothing to add in the discussion scene but the camera linger on her to bring in the kiddoes . her performance be dreadful and to boot . 3 ) the only thing you really learn from this be tell to you by the very scholars the filmmaker be try to keep out of the picture . of course and you also learn that pacino shouldn not be direct film ( or do richard in the first place ) . i would rather watch bobby deerfield than this . lastly and read the play and learn it for yourself . go out and see it perform . in 1997 i saw the play perform at the university of washington ethnic cultural theater and and it make what we see in this film seem like high school drama ( except for the gratuitous throat slashing of clarence . my god . be that necessary . ) it all just a bunch of sound and fury and signify nada .