Franco Zeffirelli's 1990 film translation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet is a dramatic retelling of the classic story that is as well acted as it is entertaining. These points aside, Zeffirelli's (and co-writer Christopher Devore's) screenplay is an edited and re-mixed version of the original that has many lines cut, as well as the entire subplot concerning Fortenbras, completely removed. Franco Zefirelli's private interpretation of Hamlet, although divergent in some ways from Shakespeare's version, still remains a superior rendition, thanks to the continuity of the script. Zeffirelli's divergence from the original script begins immediately. Instead of opening with the traditional sequence involving the first sighting of the ghost of Hamlet's father, Zeffirelli instead opens with a funeral sequence of his own devising. In this scene the director establishes Hamlet's distrust of Claudius as well as Claudius' desire to act as a father figure to Hamlet. To demonstrate this fully, Zeffirelli plucks these lines from a later scene, "think of us as a father; for let the world realize that you are most immediate to our throne, and with no less nobility of love than our dear father gives birth to his son, I impart to you." (1.2.113-119). These lines show Caudius' attempt at good intentions, while Mel Gibson's (as Hamlet) response shows the distrust the character has towards him. This also sets up the relationship between young Hamlet and Claudius excellently for both familiar and unfamiliar Shakespeare audiences. The question still remains as to why Zeffirelli chose to eliminate Shakespeare's intended opening scene. In Shakespeare's version the opening scene establishes the existence... in the center of the sheet... a version of Hamlet that was not seen in Shakespeare's time. Primacy and current events would dictate that Shakespeare's audience, in some way, focus on Fortenbras, whose presence begins and concludes this play. Shakespeare's Hamlet is a man with friends who is much more secretive and conniving than one might think today. His Hamlet is tactful in his plans, but tactless interpersonally. Zeffirelli's audience is forced to focus on the plight and character of Hamlet, who is direct and hostile, but a tactful loner when the time is right. Zeffirelli achieves this diversity while remaining true to his source, maintaining a solid script with a seamless flow that supports his interpretation of the story. In short, Zeffirelli's Hamlet is both a free and faithful interpretation of its source, which is, for today's audiences, a Hamlet in its own right..