Directed
by Franco
Zeffirelli
Written by Franco
Brusati and Maestro D'Amico
Starring Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey,
John
McEnery, Milo
O'Shea, Pat
Heywood, Robert
Stephens, Michael
York, Bruce
Robinson as Benvolio, Paul Hardwick,
Natasha
Parry, Antonio
Pierfederici, Esmeralda
Ruspoli, Roberto
Bisacco, Roy
Holder, Keith
Skinner
Classic
Shakespearean tale of two lovers from warring families.
Each convinced that their love in unrequited,and sure
that their families would forbid their union, neither
dares to approach the other.
Genre:
Drama / Romance
Also
Known As:
Giulietta e Romeo (1968) (Italy)
Runtime: USA:138
Country: UK / Italy
Language: English
Certification: USA:PG / Finland:K-12 /
Sweden:11
Marietta,
GA - 10 April 1999
Summary:
The greatest film I've ever seen.
To my
way of thinking, this film should be considered when
people discuss the greatest movies of all
time.
Every scene, practically every frame of this movie is
brilliant. Director Zeffirelli went against the
ancient
practice of using older actors in the title roles, and
the performances he elicits from teenagers
Whiting
and Hussey is amazing. Although he trims the dialog
heavily in places (Romeo says, "But soft,
what light
through yonder window breaks?"- and leaves it at that)
his version captures all the passion of
Shakespeare's
play magnificently.
The
scenes at the Capulet's ball at which the two young
lovers meet are about the greatest I've ever seen
on screen.
The famous balcony scene avoids cliches altogether and
makes others pale by comparison.
The
Queen Mab speech, the fight, and the scene in the tomb
are all exquisite highlights of this film. Even
the
dubbing for the Italian actor's voices and of the crowd
noise is superior. It is amazing to me that an
Italian
could be so sensitively in tune with one of the English
language's most sublime works.
Zeffirelli
wanted to make a movie that spoke to youth and he
succeeded, to put it very mildly. If school
systems
were smart, they'd pack up their freshmen and sophomores
on buses every year, drive them to
a local
theatre and show them this movie. I can't think of a
better investment in young people's education
that could
be made. It worked for me.
