ROMEO AND JULIET

US, 1936, 125 minutes, Black and white.
Norma Shearer, Leslie Howard, John Barrymore, Edna May Oliver, Basil Rathbone, C. Aubrey Smith, Andy Devine, Reginald Denny, Violet Kemble Cooper.
Directed by George Cukor.

In the International Movie Database there are thirty-two entries for Romeo and Juliet in various languages – and in silent films. This does not include such derivatives of Romeo and Juliet as West Side Story. It does include a ballet version of 1966 with Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev.

The ever-popular Shakespeare story was filmed in sound first by George Cukor in 1936. However, Leslie Howard was forty-one at the time and Norma Shearer was thirty-four. This age discrepancy has been remedied in more recent versions, especially with Claire Danes and Leonardo di Caprio in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet.

Norma Shearer had already won an Oscar and was a popular star at the time. British Leslie Howard had also emerged as a strong presence in both British and Hollywood films and was soon to appear in Gone With The Wind as well as Pygmalion. Veteran John Barrymore is Mercutio, Basil Rathbone received and Oscar nomination for his performance as Tybalt. Edna May Oliver is the nurse.

George Cukor was at the beginning of his long career. He had already directed such films as Little Women with Katharine Hepburn and was to direct Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in Sylvia Scarlett at this time. He was to direct a number of actors and actresses to Oscars including James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story, Ronald Colman in A Double Life, Ingrid Bergman in Gaslight, Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday as well as Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady – for which Cukor won an Oscar for best director.

This version of Romeo and Juliet has all the MGM production values of the period and was produced by the boy wonder of MGM, Norma Shearer’s husband, Irving Thalberg.

1. Audience anticipation of a Shakespearian play, its adaptation to the screen: the amount of poetry able to be retained, scenes cut? Shakespearian language, Shakespearian period settings, the world of Shakespeare? How well did this film fulfil expectations?

2. The status of Romeo and Juliet, as a tragedy, as a romance, Shakespearian poetry, Shakespearian characters, themes of love and hatred? The play as a vehicle for the two stars?

3. Consideration of this film as an early talkie: the style of filmmaking in the thirties, George Cukor and his literary style, respect for the text and for Shakespearian conventions? Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer as Romeo and Juliet? their ago, maturity, qualities? Their rendition of the poetry, of the love between the couple? The supporting cast especially John Barrymore and Basil Rathbone and their contribution?

4. The quality of the black and white photography, sound, sets and costumes? Skills in portraying Shakespeare on the screen without many precedents?

5. The quality of Shakespeare's poetry as presented? Audience response? The set speeches, for example Mercutio's Queen Mab speech? The romantic poetry of the sonnet at the meeting of Romeo and Juliet at the ball, the love poetry?

6. The setting of Verona and the visual presentation symbolically at the start? The use of sets and the re-creation of a medieval city? Italianate background? The presentation of the family feuds and the symbols of this? The Prince and his attitude towards the two families and his harsh penalties? The world of duels, hatred, dances, rivalries? How well did this permeate the whole film?

7. The men of Verona and their hostilities, family loyalties? Tybalt and his arrogance and his wanting a fight, Mercutio and his melancholic humour? Romeo as belonging to these groups? Benvolio? The clashes, the duels, the hatreds, deaths? The adolescent attitudes of these young men? Their idleness and availability for fighting and hostility?

8. The context for the presentation of Romeo and Juliet as star-crossed lovers? The prologue and the setting of the theme? Leslie Howard's style and personality as Romeo, as a Montague, his lament ever Rosalyne, his friendship with Mercutio and the others, their gate-crashing of the Capulet ball? The falling in love with Juliet, the encounter with her during the dance and within the space of a romantic sonnet? Juliet as situated within the Capulet family, the preparations for her marriage and her parental concern for her marriage? The prospect of Paris? Her enjoyment of the ball? Her falling in love with Romeo? The irony of their realization of family loyalties?

9. How moving were the balcony and garden scenes? The romance, the passion, the quality of the poetry? How convincing their love, the preparations for Juliet to go to Confession, the build-up to their marriage and its tenderness? The consummation of their marriage? Insight into love and romance?

10. The contrast with Tybalt and his vengeance, his hostility at the ball, his challenging of Mercutio, and Mercutio's death? Tybalt's death at the hand of Romeo? Mercutio and the irony of his melancholy, the Queen Mab speech, the ironic speeches as he fought and died? The pathos of his death? The atmosphere of revenge and Romeo's involvement? His exile?

11. The contribution of the nurse as part of the Capulet household, her garrulousness, her memories, funniness? Loyalty to Juliet? Arranging for the marriage but turning against Romeo when the difficulties arose? Juliet's hostility towards her? The Friar and his background of religion, experimentation with herbs, decision as regards the marriage, sending the messenger to Romeo, his plan and the breaking of the plan? What did these two characters contribute to the plot?

12. Juliet's sorrow, family loyalties, reaction to Romeo's killing Tybalt, her believing her husband?

13. The exile and Romeo's leaving the town? His presence in exile and yearning for Juliet? The irony of Friar Lawrence sending the messenger and the detailed trapping of the messenger by the plague and seeing the horsemen go past? Highlighting the irony and the ultimate tragedy?

14. The sequences in the vault: Romeo and his sorrow at Juliet's death, the fight with Paris and his death, his own death and final speeches? Juliet and her sorrow, her death? The reaction of Capulets and Montagues and Friar Lawrence? The futility of hatred?

15. The significance of order being re-established at the end? The Prince and the uniting of the two families? The final verses highlighting the significance of love and death and the resolution of hatred? Shakespearian themes of order in society, heroes and heroines, tragedies?