Anyone who saw Sir Ian McKellen's viperish turn as Richard III in director Richard Eyre's widely toured Royal National Theatre production (which played the Kennedy Center in 1992) isn't likely to forget it.

Lucky for them. The new film of "Richard III," based on Mr. Eyre's production and starring Mr. McKellen, is not a stodgy rehash of the stage version. It is a wholly different animal.

"Did they seem related to you?" Mr. McKellen asks, genuinely curious. Passing through Washington, he is ensconced at the Four Seasons Hotel.

On stage, Mr. ...

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