Shakespeare in Love Review
by Murali Krishnan (murali24 AT my-dejanews DOT com)February 25th, 1999
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Shakespeare in Love
[3.0/4.0]
We know William Shakespeare as the giant of English literature, but who was he before he was established? This is the question addressed by this film. As the story opens, Will Shakespeare is starting work on his latest play, the adventure/comedy, "Romeo and Ethel the Sea Pirate's Daughter". During this time period, the theater is of questionable repute and is always under threat of being shut down if the common mores are offended. The owner of the Rose Theater, Philip Henslowe, is pressuring Shakespeare to quickly finish and put on the play so he can ease his heavy debt burden. Viola De Lesseps is a young woman from a rich family who is in love with the theater, and fancies the works of Shakespeare in particular. She would love to be an actor, but in those days women are barred from the stage. She furtively dresses as a man, and lands the role of Romeo. Shakespeare falls in love with Viola shortly before discovering that she is in his play. They pursue a secret romance, even though her marriage to Lord Wessex has been arranged by her family and approved by the queen.
It is not necessary to be deeply familiar with the works of Shakespeare to enjoy this film, but it helps to have a good knowledge of "Romeo and Juliet". Since it is a work in progress as the story unfolds, we see how many of Shakespeare's experiences influence the actions and dialogue of the play, often in comic ways. Cleverly, we see that the experiences of Will and Viola parallel those of Romeo and Juliet. This technique was previously done in the 1989 French-Canadian film Jesus of Montreal. (I would recommend for anyone who enjoyed this film to also see that one.) Great effort was made with the cinematography, set, and costume to accurately reflect the time period, and at no point does it feel that what is presented is anything other than the end of the 16th century.
The film is not without flaws. The Lord Wessex character is too convenient a villain, and there is a partly deus ex machina resolution. However, to the film's credit, it avoids crowd-pleasing sentiment and stays with its intended direction. The dialog is consistently clever and witty. The acting is superb, particularly Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow as the two leads.
Recommended. Admirers of Shakespeare will love it, but non-afficionados will also find it an enjoyable comedy.
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(c) 1999 Murali Krishnan
The Art House Squatter
http://pages.hotbot.com/movies/murali24/
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