Shakespeare in Love

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Starring: Geoffrey Rush
Rated: R (Restricted)
Type: DVD
Directed By: John Madden
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Release Date: 1999-08-10
Running Time: 122 minutes
One of the most winning and intelligent romantic comedies of the '90s, Shakespeare in Love is filled with such good will, sunny romance, snappy one-liners, and devilish cleverness that it's absolutely irresistible. At the 1999 Academy Awards, this dark-horse costume comedy sneaked off with seven Oscars, besting the highly favored Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture. With tongue placed firmly in cheek, at its outset the film tracks young Will Shakespeare's overwrought battle with writer's block and the efforts of theater owner Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush, in rare form) to stage Will's latest comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter. Most of the jokes in the first one-third of the film are along these lines: Will's anachronistic therapist session, a mug inscribed "A Souvenir from Stratford-Upon-Avon," Henslowe's battles to pay off his debts, and the backstage high jinks of pre-production. However, once Will sets his eyes on the beautiful Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow), joking takes a backseat to ravishing romance. Well, almost--turns out Viola wants to break into the world of male-only theater, and disguises herself as a young man to wangle herself an audition. She wins the part of Romeo and, after much misunderstanding, the playwright's heart. Soon enough, Will's pirate comedy becomes a beautiful, tragic romance, and Ethel is shoved aside for a woman named Juliet. Will and Viola's romance, however, is equal parts comedy and tragedy--he's married, and she's betrothed to the slimy Lord Wessex (Colin Firth), and it doesn't take an English major to figure out that it's not all's well that ends well.

Like Shakespeare's work itself, the film is instantly accessible to everyone, from the raucous groundlings looking for low comedy to the aesthetes hankering for some intellectual bite behind their entertainment. The way that Oscar-winning screenwriters Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard enfold their story within the parameters of Romeo and Juliet (and even Twelfth Night) is nothing short of brilliant--it would take a Shakespearean scholar to dissect the innumerable parallels, oft-quoted lines, plot developments, and thematic borrowings. And most amazingly, Norman and Stoppard haven't forgotten to entertain their audience in addition to riding a Shakespearean roller coaster. Director John Madden (Mrs. Brown) reigns in his huge ensemble with a rollicking energy that keeps the film's momentum going at top speed for its entire two hours. Along the way there are small gems to be found: Ben Affleck's riotous egotistical actor, Imelda Staunton's nimble nurse, and of course Judi Dench's eight-minute, Oscar-winning turn as a truly regal Queen Elizabeth. However, the key element of Shakespeare in Love's success rests on the milky-white shoulders of its two stars. Fiennes, inexplicably overlooked at Oscar time, is a dashing Will as we might expect him at the early stage of his career, bundled full of comedy and tragedy but unsure of how to harness his talent. And as for Best Actress winner Paltrow... well, nothing she'd done before could have prepared viewers for how amazing she is here. Breathtakingly beautiful, fiercely intelligent, strong-willed, and lovestruck--it's a performance worthy of Shakespeare in more ways than one. By the film's end, you'll be thoroughly won over--and brushing up your Shakespeare with newfound ardor. --Mark Englehart

Improbable plot: Shakespeare was high born
What is interesting about this portrayal of William Shakespeare is that the historical figure was actually descended from the Saxon Earls of Wessex (and potentially from the Saxon Kings). Shakespeare's mother was a de Arden, after all, and the heiress of the hereditary family estate called Kingsbury in Wessex. Hence, it is surely at least ironic that the movie has him competing with the now Norman "Lord Wessex", pitting his Saxon pedigree against a Norman rival of similar rank. I wonder if the writers of the screenplay comprehended the irony (and implausibility) in this fictional rendition?

Awesome Movie!!!
Love this movie. Typical chick flick, but my husband enjoy watching it just a much. Very funny!

Shakespeare In Love
This is one of the most romantic stories I have ever seen. I have watched it on cable many, many times and finally had to have my own. It is truly a bitter sweet love story. This is what real love stories should be like. Even the bedroom scenes were well done.

A Primer for a New Generation.
Although highly popular for its time (labelled the Best Film of the 90's), in those days anything even hinting at post modernism, (one aspect, mixing genres); a speculative tale about the Master experiencing "writer's block", falling in love and the beloved becoming his Muse for the greatest love story of all time, seemed, in my arrogance, too main- stream, even somewhat stupid. Well, what a fool, what a young fool. Seeing the DVD for the first time the other night exploded all my pre-conceived ideas - what a well-produced, directed and believable story.

This is a Romantic Comedy like no other.

Gweneth Paltrow as Viola De Lesseps was well deserving for Best Actress in a Leading Role as her understanding and feeling for all the roles she played (both Romeo & Juliet) and Viola, exceeded my expectations.

Joseph Fiennes, however, though an intense performance, was maybe too over acted, but done with passion, revealing the true passion of an artist and a true genius.

In fact, all the performances are first rate.

Personally, films done in a "theatrical format", have alway been intriguing, (Hitchcock's "Rope" for example) giving the audience (perhaps unconsciously), the perception that they're actually seeing a live perfomance.

The final scene in the actual play, performed in the film, (the death scene) was done very well and quite moving.

Shakespeare, as time moves forward, is becoming harder to teach, enabling that 'penny to drop' with students, understanding Old English. This film would be a good "primer" for the i-pod & cell phone generation to catch a glimpse of the English language read and spoken in its original beauty.

A wonderful and fun picture enabling a new generation to find, and perhaps continue, to appreciate the Master.

Excellent.

much ado about nothing
simply put , romeo and juliet was written before their were plantations in va. thus an underlying plot melodramatic pt was invalid, date of authorship is 1591 or 1596: our undying fascination with the british royalty amidst amazing poverty , with a relishing of the tudors brutality and sadism is far to prevalent in the media these days ie the other boleyn