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King Lear

King Lear

1971137 minPG-13Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Director
Peter Brook
Starring
Paul Scofield, Irene Worth, Susan Engel, Alan Webb

King Lear is a proud man who solicits praise from his three daughters in return for inheritance of the kingdom. Daughters Goneril and Regan profess their affection vehemently. Cordelia, who does not respect the process her father has chosen, does not humor him. Lear's perceived rejection from Cordelia leads to her banishment, thus splitting the kingdom between the other two. This hasty decision becomes his fatal error.

Where to watch

Where can I watch King Lear?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list King Lear on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about King Lear?

King Lear earns 5 badges, led by One of a kind and Atmospheric.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is King Lear worth watching?

King Lear's Midcredits score is the 80th percentile of all films, from 1.9K ratings across 4 sources. 70% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

80th percentile

Better received than 80% of films

82nd percentile among Drama81st percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)78th
Approval (how many liked it)79th

69 /100

78th percentile of all films

81st percentile among Drama79th percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

70% liked it

79th percentile of all films

80th percentile among Drama79th percentile among 1970s
70% rated it 7–1030% rated it 1–6

Critics 67% · Audience 72%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

65th percentile

1.9K ratings across platforms

67th percentile among Drama68th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 55% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree Brook's 'King Lear' is a deliberately bleak, avant-garde adaptation that prioritizes a stark cinematic style over traditional Shakespearean grandeur.

Fans praised

  • Scofield's restrained, quietly imposing Lear is a performance for the ages
  • Brook's bleak, Beckettian vision captured the play's nihilistic core
  • Bare Danish winter landscape and stark black-and-white cinematography create an unforgettable atmosphere

Detractors panned

  • Scofield's monotone delivery drains the poetry of life and emotion
  • Heavy cutting of text leaves the story confusing and motivations unclear
  • Fidgety, amateurish camerawork and editing distract rather than illuminate

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive85

Unrelentingly bleak, medieval horror with barren winter landscape

Originality85

Boldly absurdist, Beckettian interpretation diverging from tradition

CinematographyDivisive75

Stark, bleak landscapes and expressive close-ups vs. shaky, disjointed camera

ActingDivisive70

Scofield's minimalist, reserved Lear vs. under-energized and remote

Emotional impactDivisive50

Catharsis limited by detached style; pity but not engagement for some

CharactersDivisive45

Strong male roles (Gloucester, Fool, Kent) but female roles underwritten and unclear motivations

DialogueDivisive40

Verses hacked to prose, mumbled delivery obscures Shakespeare's language

Plot and story35

Heavily cut text leads to jumpy structure and confusion for newcomers

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is King Lear like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Harrowing: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you are ready for a hard story that does not look away.

It is intense and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsSolemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents its tragic material with a restrained, unyielding bleakness, avoiding theatricality and embracing a cold, existential detachment.
The rideThe film maintains a relentlessly bleak and claustrophobic atmosphere from beginning to end, with no relief from its tragic weight.
StructureThe story follows a linear, chronological sequence of events from Lear's decision to divide his kingdom to its tragic conclusion.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's unrelenting bleakness and tragic conclusion linger long after viewing, leaving a deep sense of sorrow and existential weight.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).TragedyHubris
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% (this title) · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Hubris: Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeLear's pride and foolish division of his kingdom, combined with the ingratitude of his daughters, drive his tragic downfall.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsBetrayal · 5% of filmsPower · 2% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe tragedy revolves around Lear's familial relationships and the betrayal by his daughters, which strips him of power and sanity.
StanceThe film warns against the dangers of pride, flattery, and familial betrayal, showing how they can destroy a kingdom and a person.

The world

TimelessInstitutionalWildernessStylized realism
SettingA bleak, barren kingdom in legendary pre-Roman Britain
MusicThe film deliberately eschews musical score, using only diegetic sounds to enhance the bleak atmosphere.

Content guide

Is King Lear okay for kids?

PG-13

King Lear is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some violent content” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at minimal (0/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • UKU
  • FranceTP
  • Denmark7
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (5 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does King Lear have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in King Lear?

Cast

Paul Scofield
as King Lear
Irene Worth
as Goneril
Susan Engel
as Regan
Alan Webb
as Gloucester
Ian Hogg
as Edmund
Robert Langdon Lloyd
as Edgar
Tom Fleming
as Kent
Jack MacGowran
as Fool
Cyril Cusack
as Albany
Patrick Magee
as Cornwall

Crew

More like this

What are movies like King Lear?

Movies like King Lear include Ran (1985), Macbeth (1948) and Hamlet (1990). Of the 9 closest matches, several are stories about estranged parents and children, and most are films about royalty and aristocracy.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

William Shakespeare wrote 6 of these 9. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with King Lear?

1.7K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: parent and child estranged. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.