It's "Kate Winslet Day" Pass it on.Kate Winslet is a full fledged star whose name conjures up memories of great performances from one of the best lead actresses of her generation. But it really wasn't that long ago that she was still a "promising young British actress." It probably didn't take
Kenneth Branagh a long time to figure that she was a natural fit for the role of Ophelia when he was making his
Hamlet (my favorite Shakespeare adaptation ever). She already had
Heavenly Creatures and
Sense and Sensibility behind her, so perhaps "very promising" is the right set of adjectives to describe where she stood.
The role of Ophelia comes ready-made with a great scene (I'd say Oscar-clip but somehow The Academy didn't feel it necessary to recognize one of Kate's best performances). Act IV Scene 5 is iconic, and Kate plays crazy without ever seeming overcooked. But this isn't my favorite moment of her performance. Her best moment is in Act III Scene 1. When the most famous monologue in all of Shakespeare's plays has come to an end, the real fireworks between Hamlet and Ophelia begin. If, as the cliche states, "acting is re-acting" then Kate's reacting to Branagh's scenery chewing is nothing short of brilliant. What we're watching is a young woman's heart break right before our very eyes. In a career filled with great moments and in a movie filled with fine performances it stands out.
"Get thee to an awards stage!"
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