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Good Evening and welcome to Out and About's movie review of Shakespeare In Love. I'm Robin McFetridge, Out and About's movie chick. "Season your admiration for a while with an attent ear, till I may deliver upon the witness of these gentlemen, This marvel to you." Shakespeare in Love is directed by John Madden and stars Joseph Fiennes (Elizabeth) as the young Will Shakespeare and Gweneth Paltrow (A Perfect Murder) as his muse, Viola Delesseps, in probably her most compelling role yet. Oh yes, Ben Affleck of Good Will Hunting and Armageddon fame holds a role, albeit a small role of the player, Ned Alleyn. The film starts out with a humorous attempt to show the precarious nature of the theater of London and its eventual annex, across the river to a newly developed theater, out of the jurisdiction of the Queen. This movie shows a brief glimpse of the famous players of the time, Richard Burbage, Tilney, and Shakespearean rival, playwright Christopher Marlowe. We then move on to Shakespeare, he has developed a writer's block and is consulting an alchemist to advice him. This part of the plot is hard to swallow, based on the quantity of plays churned out by Shakespeare in a brief period of time. Shakespeare is given a charm by the alchemist, to find his muse and get his "gift' back. This film beautifully ties together many of the illusions associated with the history of Shakespeare, even if it is Hollywood's version of it. One being the marriage to the older Anne Hathaway, the birth of his twins and the 20 year separation from Anne in Stratford, as he becomes a writer in London. "All the worlds a stage and all the men and women are merrily players." The development of Shakespeare's newest comedy, Romeo and Ethel, with a pirate theme; demonstrates how he becomes inspired, the makings of how his talent works and ties into the theory of how he drew from situations in his real life and portrayed them in characters of his prose and plays. This is depicted in Shakespeare in Love, as the movie unfolds, when his relationship with Viola comes to life and is paralleled in his writing. This part of the comedy is also Hollywood's answer to the alleged accusation of pedastry. Whatever movies you are into, you don't have to be an expert on Shakespearean literature to understand and appreciate this movie. You don't even have to care about the development of the theater in the late 16th century to understand the plot. "Alas Dear Yorik, all you need is to be a movie goer that enjoys Romantic Comedy. Because this is exactly what it is. "Good wine needs no bush." In other words, the movie alone offers romance, comedy, action and yes nudity. Then for those lovers of Shakespearean prose, you get a taste of his talent along with the illusions of more masterpieces yet to come. Now for the minor role of Ben Affleck, ironically he portrays Ned Allyn, one the finest players in London's theater, who typically stars in the plays produced, he accepts what turns out to be a minor role in Master Wills news play, Romeo and Juliet. He accepts this without much resistance. Another hard to swallow part of the plot, when an arrogant actor accepts a back burner role, Ned would have not stood for that. "Chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancy." Lets moved on to our Out and About rating of Shakespeare in Love. Unlike the movie dudes criteria for his ratings, MUST HAVE NUDITY. I give it eight couches out of 10, not for the nudity but for the appeal and performances of Fiennes and Paltrow. Now for the last of Shakespeare immortal words, "Lets make an honorable retreat." That's it for me, I've been Robin McFetridge for Out and About.
Last updated: Thursday, March 20, 2008 02:45:07 AM |
