Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1964: Hume Cronyn in Hamlet

Hume Cronyn won a Tony for portraying Polonius in Hamlet. 

 

The third Hamlet that was distributed in 1964, was the filmed version of the stage production featuring Richard Burton in the titular role. Although the stage production itself was of some note, the film representation is of poor quality, and kind of an example of how not to film a stage production in a way. 

 

Anyway, still here to to talk about it for the sake of Hume Cronyn a versatile actor who made his name both in film and on stage throughout his very long career. Just looking at this from the outside everything seems to not quite fit. Cronyn isn't the first actor you'd probably think of for a Shakespearean role, if only because he has a very distinctly American quality to him, and while Polonius isn't a bad role, it is unlikely to be the one you'd ever guess would receive the most acclaim in a given production of Hamlet. Well, I'm glad the production was filmed at least for posterity, for the sake of getting to see what exactly Cronyn did with the role to earn him his Tony award. Again Polonius is kind of a functional role, in two ways. One is he needs to get stabbed accidentally by Hamlet to propel us towards the tragic climax of the piece, but the other is while alive, he seemingly is there to set up so many of the better lines of other characters particularly Hamlet himself. Well it seems like Cronyn looked at the part and took it as a challenge to make the most out of it. Let's begin with the element I always seem to cover first with any Shakespearean turn that is the command of the language itself. This in itself is some genius work by Cronyn as he speaks Shakespeare so eloquently, yet wholly in a way that feels apart from anyone else who recites it. This as his work finds this wholly brilliant balance between this modern shading about while making every word be as fluid as the most traditionally dignified rendition. Cronyn doesn't speak every line with reverence for the word, rather he speaks the words as though Cronyn himself is coming up with the words as though you were just speaking to him in any context. 

Cronyn then is so unique to watch and really so captivating even beyond that already brilliant bit. This as in a way Cronyn chooses not to treat Polonius as functional and in fact means to make him as essential part of the play as Hamlet himself. Take his first major scene with his two children, Ophelia and Laertes. A scene that usually is fine if functional to establish essentially that the three are related, however Cronyn dives deeper, while being quite entertaining, but in a way in making the play for a brief moment as though its an entirely about this tight nit family with the dad offering some pivotal advice before his son goes out to the world. Cronyn is exuding warmth with his attempts at wisdom, a real sense of care for his son, and the warmest of regards in every interaction. Cronyn making you, more than any other version of Polonius that I've seen, understand that he genuinely cares for his son and is attempting, in his own way, to do what he feels is best for his children. This is in contrast in the same scene, which Cronyn naturally realizes within a similar manner his more curt though still in a way caring manner as he quizzes and cautions his daughter's relationship to Hamlet. Cronyn making the most sense within this speech through his manner of attempting to advise against thinking too much of Hamlet's claims of love, with this sense of knowing as much as a man himself, than as a father. Cronyn creates a true depth within the speech itself, and I love his final moment at the end of it, though where he changes his expression to a warmer manner to reaffirm the father's love, even as his words in the moment were rather harsh beforehand. 

Cronyn's work here is so within the moment of the scene that again it is amazing that he is reciting pre-written work as it has the looseness of improvisation at times, by how naturally he grasps every line. When he pauses and accentuates certain words it is just incredible in creating meaning and understanding for the viewer in a truly remarkable fashion. This which extends incredibly in the majority of his performance, as he tries to decipher Hamlet, which is as a hilarious comic performance. Polonius is comic relief in nature, but it has to say Cronyn takes it to the next level here by that delivery of his. Take his news of Hamlet's madness to the King. His rhythm is comic timing perfection as he rambles before noting that brevity is the sole of wit, before stopping extending longer, before finally hitting the punchline that "your noble son is mad". A speech where the humor is very much in the delivery and Cronyn knocks it out in a way that makes one wonder how you could possibly play Polonius in any way but as this way. Cronyn is an amazing entertaining one man show at times, and it also goes to his physical manner, that as much as this is a theatrical performance, the genius in his understanding of space and interactions with others is incredible here. This in a little bit of fuddy duddy business with his glasses, or a glance here to the King or the Queen mother, Cronyn emphasizes a comedic bit all the more, while still bringing forth the technical dramatic intention of the scene. The crowning achievement of this approach being Polonius in the library with Hamlet, which is usually a time for the Hamlet actor shine in making a fool of Polonius, well that isn't quite the case here. Everything Cronyn does is pure comic gold in his confusion towards Hamlet, then his over confidence in his own diagnosis of the prince. In this scene he and Burton are a fantastic comic duo, with Cronyn nailing every aside of Polonius's with pitch perfect incisive commentary on the peculiarity of the situation. His physical interest then revulsion towards the Prince, Cronyn doesn't waste a second. Even his final words as he exits the scene "There he is" is marvelous as he in he says basically "good luck because I've had enough of his crazy". It is important to note as entertaining as Cronyn is that dramatic purpose that is in there within the character, that of the somewhat foolish advisor of the king, Cronyn wholly realizes, he just realizes that with the utmost style and entertainment value. I will admit Cronyn is so good here, I almost forgot of the fate of Polonius, so when that time came I was dreading when I finally realized it was coming. Cronyn more than anything lives up to the old axiom "there are no small parts" as he steals the show. He never treats Polonius as just a plot point, rather he makes him his own man, and also the greatest source of entertainment this production has to offer. That I don't even when to treat as less than it should be, because an actor deserves kudos for making Polonius interesting, but making him the best part, that is extraordinary. And I'll grant while this isn't the greatest Hamlet production I've seen, however Cronyn's work would be in contention for stealing the show in any given production.