by Jeremy Rothman
? takes very little skepticism to find major problems with the film
?? A skeptic novice could crack this one pretty quickly
??? A seasoned skeptic will find only a few faults with this film
???? Not even the king skeptic, myself, can find many problems with this
superior brand of cinema.
Shakespeare in Love
???
Shakespeare in Love is Amadeus for English majors. This beautifully captured film brings new (and interesting) light to the life and genius of William Shakespeare. The screenplay cleverly builds the film around many of his most renowned works. The overly-romantic plot and slow pace does justice to Shakespeare's reputation.
If you are like me, and only read Shakespeare in high school looking down the short end of a pointed stick, have no fear. It takes only an elementary knowledge of the Elizabethan playwright to navigate this two-hour tale. But the ones chuckling snottily in the "theatre" are those who did their homework.
The historical perspectives are extremely keen. The costuming is remarkable. The sets "smell" like 16th century England. And a beautiful score, flavored with period style instrumentation blends with exacting detail.
This film's predictability and sluggish pace are just a few of faults the screenplay possesses. Historians and English teachers can probably find fault with many of the historical concepts portrayed in this film. But director John Madden (who seems to accomplish a lot during the football season alone) does a masterful job of walking the tightrope between fiction and reality.
Shakespeare was never stingy with the romanticism, and neither is this film. If you enjoy the sensation of stuffing your mouth full of heart-shaped candy until you gag, then this film is definitely for you. I guess that makes it a pretty good date movie.
P.S. Shakespeare in Love was co-written by Thomas Stoppard. I was disappointed that while the screenplay was insightful, it lacked the humor of his more famous work "Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are Dead", which was also based on Shakespeare.
Check out my website!
http://uhura.cc.rochester.edu/~jr010e
(c) Copyright 1999