ROMEO AND JULIET

UK/Italy, 1968, 138 minutes, Colour.
Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey, Milo O'Shea, Michael York, John Mc Enery, Pat Heywood.
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli.

Shakespeare had a lot to say to the people of his own day - at all levels: those who wanted a story, those who wanted action and romance, those who wanted poetry, beauty and wisdom. It is a mistake, to give us a modern Shakespeare by looking at today's questions, reading them into him and producing a play or film accordingly. We need Shakespeare for the moderns, Shakespeare understood in the conventions of his times, then his beauty and wisdom presented in our equivalent conventions. Whatever his intentions, Zeffirelli did it with 'The Taming of the Shrew' and now, despite so much pruning of the text, he has done it with Romeo and Juliet.

It is a beautiful, most enjoyable film. We do not listen, perhaps aren't capable of listening, as well as the Elizabethans did; we rely much more on visual help. The visual beauty here is the same as that of 'The Shrew', the golden tones of Renaissance Italy, castles, markets, balls, ceremonies and Renaissance-type profiles of actors who are sumptuously costumed. Frequent use of close-ups and the choice of teenagers, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, involve us more in the well-known story. By their fresh, less-polished acting, the couple convey the adolescent nature of their love as well as its passion. This impulsiveness comes through in the balcony scene. Shakespeare's heroines are generally vigorous and take the initiative; Juliet is no exception. Romeo does not pale beside her, however.

The brawls and the duel scenes, especially that between Romeo and Tybalt (Michael York) are some of the most realistically and skilfully filmed. John McEnery's Mercutio is an interesting interpretation - a poser, who is sensitive to taunts but whose nature strives for some kind of heights. The scene of his death, with his friends joking around him in disbelief, is excellent.

1. The impact of this version of Shakespeare? How well did it communicate the impact of Shakespeare’s original play? Critics were against the film because it eliminated too much of Shakespeare's dialogue. Is this a just critique? Did the film compensate for the elimination of the dialogue?

2. Basic response to Shakespeare's plot, the values in the exploration of medieval society, the encounter between Romeo and Juliet and the implications of love and hate, death? The insight into character, the insight into human nature? The theatrical impact of Romeo and Juliet, the reliance on the dialogue, the poetry?

3. How good a cinematic version of Shakespearian theatre was this? The visual impact and communication? The elimination of the words? The elimination of poetry? The importance of the opulence of the sets, the Veronese locations, the costumes? The colour photography and its golden hue? The resemblance to Renaissance paintings? The importance of the music, especially at the ball?

4. The aptness of the choice of the young leads? As being the right age for Romeo and Juliet? Their acting ability and ability to communicate the poetry and the intensity? The adult stars in support and their capturing the atmosphere?

5. The importance of Verona as an environment for the action? The presentation of both families, the visualising of the feud? The Prince and his ruling of the city, his attempts to reconcile the families, his coping with these situations? The intensity with the fighting in the dusty streets of Verona?

6. The portrait of the two families? The attention to detail in the houses, the rooms, the personalities, their dress, fashions, vanity, interaction? How were the Capulets similar to the Montagues? Dissimilar? The importance of knowing these backgrounds for the understanding of Romeo and Juliet?

7. The film's introduction to Romeo, to Juliet? Situated within Verona, their families,, their heritage? The strengths and weaknesses of their character? Their youthfulness? The expectations of how they would behave. grow up. marry? The focus of the ball and the Capulets' preparation for it? The importance for Romeo and his friends for being there, the daring of being in an enemy camp? The poetic presentation of Romeo's encounter with Juliet? Its taking place during a sonnet, the preparation of the music. the minstrels singing the theme? The awareness of falling in love, the implications of its self-giving. the intensity. the single-minded and single-heartedness of it? A credible falling in love?

8. The presentation of the love scene, the fact that their poetry is well known. the way they were visualised, the Capulet house. Romeo's climbing the balcony? The implications for each? The celebration of youthful and adolescent love, without awareness of the consequences?

9. The contribution of Mercutio? His role with the group. his relationship with Romeo, the sexual overtones of this? His madness and exuberance? The importance of the Queen Mab, speech and the way it was presented? The contrast with Tybalt and his arrogance? The background of youth, action, vengeance, a cavalier attitude towards life and death? Their fights, their likeness to modern gangs? The vigour and hatred in their fights? The death of Tybalt? The death of Mercutio?

10. The comic role of the Nurse, her relationship to Juliet, her character, her fussiness? Her moodiness and change of attitude? Her support of Juliet? What did she contribute to the love, to the destruction?

11. The character of Friar Lawrence, as a man, as a religious, the background of superstitions, his influence in the Renaissance household? His advice, the legitimacy of his performing of the wedding? His joy for Romeo and Juliet? The importance of his plan for Juliet's feigning death? His contribution to their love, to their destruction?

12. The change of atmosphere with Romeo and the death of Tybalt, the atmosphere of vengeance, the necessity of his fleeing? The irony of the messenger not meeting Romeo?

13. The heightened dramatics of Juliet's plight? The plan? The importance of our having seen the fact that they had consummated their love? The poignancy that this gave to the destruction?

14. Comment on the ironies of the resolution, The mistakes, the mistiming, passion, love unto death?

15. The aftermath for the two families? Reconciliation through sadness and death? The ultimate realisation of destructiveness? The importance of the Prince and his comments to the family? The prologue and the epilogue about the star-crossed lovers?

16. The value of the poetry and the literary response to Romeo and Juliet? The structure of the play, the five acts. the set of speeches, the conventions of Elizabethan drama and response to this?

17. Insight into the themes of love and sexuality, death? How is the Romeo and Juliet story an archetype for all stories of youthful love?