Review: Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Shakespeare in Love

Rating

Director

John Madden

Screenplay

Marc Norman, Tom Stoppard

Length

123 min.

Starring

Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Tom Wilkinson, Martin Clunes, Jim Carter, Judi Dench, Mark Williams, Simon Callow, Steve O’Donnell, Tim McMullen, Steven Beard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Imelda Staunton, Colin Firth, Sandra Reinton, Nicholas Boulton, Jill Baker, Nicholas Le Prevost, Ben Affleck

MPAA Rating

R (For sexuality)

Buy/Rent Movie

Soundtrack

Poster

Review

William Shakespeare wrote dozens of plays that have become celebrated cornerstones of modern theater. In Shakespeare in Love, we’re given a fictional look at the type of creative process that might have gone on in the Bard’s time.

Having run out of ideas and attempting to bankroll his latest romantic play “Romeo and Ethel the Pirate’s Daughter”, Will Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) finds inspiration in a young woman who is so desperate to act on stage that she pretends to be a boy. Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) plays that would-be actress pursuing her passion secretly while her fiancé Lord Wessex (Colin Firth) remains unaware.

Her secret is uncovered by Will who gleefully unwraps Viola’s bossom whenever he gets the opportunity but both face serious repercussions if they are caught. At the time Shakespeare wrote, it was forbidden by law for a woman to act on stage. Female roles were given to young boys or effeminate men in order to appease this ruling. Both are aware of the restriction but both keep up the charade out of love for each other and love of the art. After all, Will has the inspiration he seriously needed and Viola gets to do what she’s always wanted.

Shakespeare in Love is an intriguing romantic comedy that gives us a rare look at how artists worked centuries ago. Although we understand going in that very little was known about Shakespeare the man, we can easily believe that these events could likely have taken place. The praise for that can be heaped on Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard whose screenplay is not only literate, borrowing from Shakespeare’s own works to fill the film with interesting characters and molds, but also entertaining.

Fiennes, brother of Oscar-nominated thesp Ralph Fiennes, was a perfect fit for the part of Shakespeare. His vigor and passion for the role is unmistakable and it helps convey to the audience his and his characters profound abilities. Gwyneth Paltrow alongside Fiennes is well above the level I’ve generally expected of her. She has a great deal of talent and she does play the part with frivolous abandon but there is little revelatory or inspirational about her performance.

Director John Madden keeps the various elements of the production together well enough to engage the audience in his world. Though the images painted on his canvas are beautiful, well written and well acted, the film seems a bit too pretty. We know from other films and historical texts that the streets of big cities were hardly ever as visually appealing as they are in Shakespeare in Love. Sure the film depicts them as dirt-covered and filled with urchins but even the urchins seem well fed and happy. With a movie so devoted to capturing the essence of the actual writing of the Bard, it’s surprising that such details would be glossed over.

We learn a great deal about love and creativity from Shakespeare in Love. Its surprise win over Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture verifies that fact. Even though it is most certainly not the best film of 1998, it is nevertheless a movie to enjoy and by which you can be effectively entertained.

Review Written

January 3, 2007

Original Review

Note: This is a Resurfaced review written in 2002 or earlier. For more information, please visit this link: Resurfaced Reviews.

Basic Plot

William Shakespeare must write a new play and takes his inspiration from a woman he cannot marry.

Review

William Shakespeare is considered one of the finest playwrights in theatre history. Rumors have abounded for years that he stole most of his work from other playwrights of the day. Whether it is fact or fiction remains a mystery, but not according to the latest film from “Mrs. Brown” director John Madden.

“Shakespeare in Love” is about the Bard himself in his quest to finish his play “Romeo and Ethel, The Pirate’s Daughter.” Will’s (Joseph Fiennes) new play isn’t coming along well, he seems to need a muse. One day while presenting one of his pieces before Queen Elizabeth (Judi Dench), he sees a young woman who he instantly falls in love with.

Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) is that young girl and she has a love of her own, Shakespeare. Only it isn’t him that she’s in love with, it’s his plays. She longs to be an actress, but because of the societal regulations, women aren’t allowed to act. It is only after her first encounter with Will that she realizes it’s more than just his plays that she’s in love with.

She decides to dress as a man to infiltrate the Globe theatre and become the actor she’s always dreamed of. After giving a successful try out, she retreats back to her palace to change back. Will, so taken by the performance, chases after her. He doesn’t catch her, but leaves a message for the young actor with her nursemaid.

“Shakespeare in Love” is one Shakespearean pun after another. There are so many in-jokes and elements from other plays laden throughout that you won’t catch them all the first time. It is truly intelligent writing that puts these elements into play. The sets and costumes are definitely beautiful and the directing is tight.

Joseph Fiennes gives the best performance in the film and deserves recognition. This is by far his better performance of the year (he also starred in the excellent “Elizabeth” as the Queen-to-be’s lover). Geoffrey Rush is a bit over-the-top as the in-debt theatre owner Philip Henslowe. Rupert Everett gives a great cameo as Shakespeare’s rival Christopher Marlowe. Ben Affleck is also charming and somewhat surprising after his major misstep in “Armageddon.”

As for the women, Judi Dench is perfection as her second Queen in so many years. She played Queen Victoria in Madden’s last film “Mrs. Brown” and was nominated for and robbed of an Academy Award. Gwyneth Paltrow, however, is slightly disappointing. While she fits into the film fine, she fails to really capture the imagination of the audience and never manages to achieve greatness, but with such a talented cast around her, how can she not seem great?

“Shakespeare in Love” is a magical film that doesn’t let us down in the writing department. One of the best original screenplays of the year, “SIL” is a creative and entertaining film. It is the second-best Elizabethan romance of the year behind “Elizabeth.”