Shakespeare
in Love - 1998
|
|
©Miramax
|
Review by DB
This movie features Shakespeare as the central
character using his plays and characters in the creation of an Elizabethan
period piece. Obvioulsy many years before the invention of the phonograph
so no phonograph scenes to influence my selection process for favorite
movies. Nevertheless, this movie is in my top five.
Gwenyth Paltrow was cast extremely well and she
was rewarded for her performance with an Academy Award for Best
Actress.
Great story (Academy Award for Best Picture), very
clever use of historical Shakespeare and writer's block device (Academy
Award for Best Original Screenplay) and the right mix of comedy
and romance, all culminating in the performance of one of my Shakespeare
favorite plays, Romeo and Juliet.
I like
Roger Ebert's review of this movie who gave the film four stars
out of four, and especially agree with this portion of his review
when he wrote:
"The contemporary
feel of the humor (like Shakespeare's coffee mug, inscribed "Souvenir
of Stratford-Upon-Avon") makes the movie play like a contest between
"Masterpiece Theatre" and Mel Brooks. Then the movie stirs in
a sweet love story, juicy court intrigue, backstage politics and
some lovely moments from Romeo and Juliet... Is this a movie or
an anthology? I didn't care. I was carried along by the wit, the
energy and a surprising sweetness."
For
me the music is also very haunting and when I listen to the soundtrack
certain scenes still vividly return.
HENSLOWE:
"The natural condition is one of unsurmountable obstacles on
the road to imminent disaster."
FENNYMAN:
"So, what do we do?"
HENSLOWE: "Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well."
FENNYMAN:
"How?"
HENSLOWE:
" I don't know. It's a mystery."