SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE (M).
Director:John Madden
Stars: Joseph Fiennes,
Gwyneth Platrow, Geoffrey Rush,
Colin Firth, Imelda Staunton, Tom
Wilkinson, Ben Affleck, Martin Clunes,
Judi Dench, Simon Callow, Jim Carter,
Joe Roberts, Rupert Everett, Antony
Sher, Mark Williams
Running Time:123 minutes.
This bawdy, slightly irreverent but delightfully
entertaining romantic comedy offers us a fictional
interpretation of the creation of Romeo And Juliet,
one of literature's greatest tragic love stories.
The film is set in the Elizabethan London of 1593. Up
and coming young playwright Will Shakespeare
(Joseph Fiennes, recently seen in Elizabeth) has
been commissioned to write a play by sycophantic but
debt ridden theatre owner Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush,
in a wonderful comic turn). It is hoped that this new
play will put him on a par with arch rival, the famous
playwright Christopher Marlowe (an uncredited
Rupert Everett). But, even before he has put pen to
paper for his farce Romeo And Ethel, The Pirate's
Daughter, he is unfortunately struck by writer's
block.
Enter Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow, in a role originally
intended for Julia Roberts), the headstrong daughter
of a noble family, who desperately wants to become
an actress at a time when women were forbidden to
pursue a career in the theatre. Although she is
betrothed to the slimy Wessex (Colin Firth) in an
arranged marriage, Shakespeare falls heavily in love
with Viola. She becomes his muse, and soon the
words are flowing from his quill. Their illicit romance
provides the inspiration for the struggling playwright,
and the drama of their affair is reflected in the
developing play.
Some of the characters and incidental details may
already be familiar to audiences who saw the lavish
BBC tv mini-series starring Tim Curry as
Shakespeare. Playwright Tom Stoppard
(Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead, etc) and
co-writer Marc Norman suffuse their script with an
air of irreverence, playfully mixing fact with fiction.
The result is a briskly paced and enjoyable comedy
about love, mistaken identities, duels, passion and
death - the very stuff that became the essence of
Shakespeare's famous plays.
This wonderfully written film offers plenty of insights
into the world of Elizabethan theatre without
becoming didactic. British director John Madden
(Mrs Brown) also gives it a slightly contemporary
flavour with his treatment of the off stage dramas, the
bruised egos, the rivalry between writers, and the
scrambling for patronage and favour. His direction is
crisp, and he makes the most of the sharp script and
the poetic beauty of the dialogue.
The ensemble cast are all uniformly good, and their
solid performances lift this delicious comedy. Golden
Globe winner Paltrow is luminescent as Viola, and
she delivers a wonderful performance in a quite
challenging dual role. Fiennes only stepped into the
role of Shakespeare after Daniel Day-Lewis passed,
but it's hard to imagine anyone else bringing such
passion, wit and smouldering intensity to the part. He
is superb, and if he keeps getting good roles in quality
films like this, the younger Fiennes will possibly
eclipse his more famous but over rated brother
Ralph.
Tom Wilkinson brings his usual touch of class to his
role as Fennyman, the money lender who eventually
sponsors the creation of Romeo And Juliet. Judi
Dench lends her commanding presence to the role of
Queen Elizabeth. Imelda Staunton is marvellous as
Viola's sympathetic and understanding nurse.
This handsomely mounted production beautifully
brings to life the Elizabethan setting. The costumes
and the set design evoke the marked contrasts
between Viola's world of pomp and privilege and the
destitute, grimy world of London's growing theatre
community. Stephen Warbeck's gorgeous music
score and Richard Greatrex's luscious
cinematography further enhance the classy
production.