Romeo and Juliet

I had to watch this movie in class along with reading the play. I've got nothing against William Shakespeare, but this story doesn't really hold up. Yes, it is beautifully written, but the title characters are shallow and overdramatic. This story is really a waste of his (William's) talent. As of watching this movie/reading the play/writing this review I haven't read anything else of his, but I've got to say that the writing itself is good. The story is not. If my classmates hadn't been raving about this movie in front of me, I'd assume all the high ratings for this movie came from trolls. Basically the reason for this long intro is that I want anyone who might be a fan of this movie to read what I have to say before immediately voting it as being unhelpful just because you like the movie and saw that I gave it a low score. I'm not rating it low because I was forced to watch it, I'm not rating it low just because its an old movie, and I'm not rating it low because I don't like Shakespeare. I'm rating it low because it is a bad movie, and here is why. Actors - The only person who is really into their role in this movie is the guy playing Mercurio. Everyone else just looks bored. If you watch the people who are about to speak, they are clearly just waiting for their cue to talk. None of the conversations seem natural, and not just because everyone is speaking in poem. None of these actors have good chemistry. The actors playing Romeo and Juliet are both clearly uncomfortable with each other. Most of their kissing is implied. Its actually kinda funny. The problem is that the only reason these two are in love is because they find the other attractive but in the movie the actors clearly don't like each other. Overall the acting in this movie is very poor and unconvincing. Cinematography - I feel bad for whoever was working the camera. They were clearly trying to make this movie as visually interesting as possible. There are lots of creative angles and semi-interesting shots. Too bad its accompanied by terrible audio cuts, a lack of a continuity department, and everything else being horrible. There are also a lot of random shots that are slightly sped up for some reason, which was a bit odd. Its not even full shots - just parts of the shots. Sound Design - I have problems hearing, so I usually pay more attention to the audio more than the average person so I can understand what is being said. The audio in this movie is terrible. The music changes are very abrupt. The audio quality changes slightly between every change in camera angle. It is next to impossible to understand what is being said because the audio quality is so bad. There is also a lot of random dubbing. I know this is an old movie, but that excuse doesn't somehow make it better. Costumes/Sets - Most of the costumes are laughably bad. The sets look ok, but I think that this movie may have been filmed on location somewhere. This movie is very cheap. Yes its old and movies used to have much lower budgets, but that doesn't somehow make it good, and I don't know why people use this excuse when talking about old movies so often. "Its an old movie" doesn't somehow magically make the movie higher quality. "Its made for kids" doesn't somehow make the movie higher quality. Action - There are a few poorly choreographed sword fights in this movie. Plot - Let's be honest, you probably already know the plot. If you don't, you can just look at the synopsis. Or Google it. The story is shallow and dumb. I don't understand why it receives so much praise. Overall I did not like this movie. There are some bits that are marginally enjoyable, and there are a few people who put in some effort, but I would not recommend this movie to anyone. Its very bad and I don't know why its receiving so much praise.

What can I say? I liked most of the actor's performances in this movie (Leonard Whiting, Michael York, Milo O'Shea, and even Keith Skinner, however minor his role was as Balthasar). However, Olivia Hussey drove me insane with her inability to act (her crying sounds SO fake, for a start) and when she and Pat Heywood (the Nurse) laughed it sounded more like two witches cackling horribly, and I found the Prince (Robert Stevens) obnoxious. Also, I felt that some scenes were rushed a little too much. Watch it if you must, but bring ear plugs for scenes involving Juliet or the Nurse. 4/10.

"Romeo and Juliet: Dear Lord have they killed themselves yet?" ☼☼☼☼☼ 1 star In "Romeo and Juliet," two very young lovers find each other in the middle of a big mess. Even though they are destined for doom, they decide to take their chances with fate. You should probably just watch the last ten minutes; it explains that whole point of the story. To start, you don't even see Juliet for the first half hour of the movie... isn't this called Romeo AND Juliet? They finally introduce Juliet to Romeo at a party one night. Okay, it's going good so far. Immediately after the party, Romeo is already sneaking onto Juliet's property and spying on her. He decides to call her name even though it was dark outside and it probably made her scared for her life. They start talking, and five minutes later... BAM... they're in love. On the plus side of this story, they meet two whole times before getting engaged, not to mention the fact that he proposed to her through her nurse. Not even a phone call? Ouch! At least he didn't drag the engagement out for a whole 24 hours. Meet one day, and married three days later is totally normal. Weird? Only a little. Hold up, now Juliet's engaged again? Wait, but I thought... never mind. So wait her parents don't know that she's married? I mean the least she could've done is let them know, maybe invited them to her wedding? What's next? She's dead. There's a plot twist. SIKE, she's only pretending to be dead to get out of her new engagement. To be honest, it makes sense. Someone should tell Romeo that plan. Too late, He's already killed himself. Seriously, did nobody see that coming? Hey look, Juliet's awake! That's coincidentally timed. Oops, I blinked and now she's dead too. Funny how that stuff happens. Wait that was the whole movie? It took you two-and-a-half hours just to tell me that? Overall, this movie is not worth your time or money to see, as I just explained the whole movie. (Sorry if there are spoilers, but let's be real, you already knew they died.) I didn't like this movie because on top of the fact that it made no sense at all, it wasn't even in English. Wait that was English? Please excuse my mistake. However, you may need a 16th century translator in order to understand it, if those are even around anymore. Although I'm pretty sure they went out of business in 1601. Anyways, overall, it is not worth the effort to go and see "Romeo and Juliet."

This movie is one of the WORST movies I've ever seen!!!! The acting is horrible!!!!! The actress who played Juliet did the worst acting job...for the last half hour of the movie all she did cry and whine...how annoying!!!! I was actually embarrassed to watch this movie!

Can I give it a zero? I mean I understand the cultural importance of this movie, but my God! Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey both were horrible. I actually could not look at the screen while they were on. Their deliverance of Shakespeare was so bad that I (a hopeless romantic, mind you) was happy when they died, just so that they wouldn't talk anymore. And let's not go into the other performances, like the Nurse? All in all I hated it. But I will say that it was beautifully shot and scored so bravo to the composer and the cinematographer, your talents were wasted on second, no third!, rate acting.

This is a pretty dumb movie. Really. Romeo and Juliet are lusty teenagers. The music is incredibly annoying. Juliet looks like she's 11 and needs to learn to cover her boobage properly. I mean really, the story is stupid, the act like they love each other, but if Juliet gained a few pounds, Romeo would be gone, since he obviously thinks through his dick. I'm sorry, but girls now a days really need some self respect. All these kids wanted to do was...each other. So now I have to go on for ten lines about how much this sucked. It's lame. It goes on forever. The scenery is amazingly boring. It's cheesy. I wish they would have just killed each other when they met, so I didn't have to watch a whole movie about it. People are pretty dumb. I find it amazing.

I've loved it since I saw it first time - I was 16 and for me, Romeo and Juliet were not the Shakespeare's characters, they were just a girl and a boy who loved each other and died together because they could not live without each other. I did not know the names behind the production but I remember that the costumes were gorgeous (I still remember the red and gold dress Juliet wore in her first scene), the score and song were sweet and tender, and the cinematography brought to life a very real Verona, colorful and violent. Only much later I learned that Nino Rota was the composer, Danilo Donati a costume designer, and Pasqualino De Santis a cinematographer. Both Donati and De Santis won very well deserved Oscars.) I was absolutely charmed by Olivia Hussey - she could be the most beautiful (and sensual and youngest) Juliet ever on screen. The only other film I've seen her was "Death on the Nile" - and she was not lost among very famous costars (Peter Ustinov, Bette Davis, and Angela Lansbury among others). I also remember that even though I was in love with Leonard Whiting's Romeo, I realized that as an actor he was much less interesting than John McEnry (whimsical Mercucio), Milo O'Shea (Friar Laurence) and Pat Heywood (the Nurse). Zeffirelli came from a successful career as an international opera designer and director in London, New York, and Milan with a reputation for opulent spectacle. It may explain his ability to handle crowds on the screen so effortlessly and skillfully. He also at one point of his career worked as Luchino Visconti's assistant - perhaps he learned a lot from him. In "Romeo and Juliet" he was able to make a very dynamic film that did not feel at all as an adapted play and also was a great romance which made me feel incredibly close to its characters. Four hundreds years seemed to disappear and Shakespeare became my contemporary. I've seen "Romeo and Juliet" many times and I believe Zeffirelli's is the best adaptation of the play. Well, there is of course, the ballet with the Sergey Prokofiev's music - but it is a different story altogether. 9.5/10

This movie holds that same magic as it did when the movie first opened in 1968. The musical score is timeless. The moment Romeo and Juliet's eyes first meet; it begins. Their yearning for each other and their desire for each other is at a cost that they cannot know. It is an instant instinctual longing and their lives are about to be changed forever. Both of them experience an intensity that is bigger than both of them and they must see each other again. Juliet's nurse, who knows everything takes a bold step to see that her Juliet gets to see her Romeo. The events unfold and sadly, sides are strongly divided even by Juliet's beloved nursemaid. Juliet feels betrayed by her Nurse as she openly describes her disapproval of Romeo. Juliet now knows she no longer can confide in her. The innocence in Juliet striking out on her own to find a way to stay with her Romeo forever is filled with an emotional aching. Nothing will stop her. Experience this movie for yourself.

I know that precious images are going to be an essential part of a Franco Zeffirelli film. And Romeo and Juliet is no exception but, there is something else here and I don't mean Shakespeare. There is a real palpitating heart at the center of this perennial romantic tragedy and I believe that the heart belongs to Zeffirelli. Leonard Whiting is breathtakingly beautiful and young, so young as young as the Romeo in Shakespeare's play and Olivia Hussey's Juliet is not only impossibly gorgeous but I could believe that she is prepared to risk it all for the love of her Romeo. Verona with her dusty streets is a character in itself. Danilo Donati's costumes and the score by Nino Rota complete this exquisite Shakespearean film by one of the great aestheticians of the 20th Century.

If you're a fan of the Bard's timeless tale of forbidden young love, and even if you're not, then you're in for a treat. Franco Zefferelli's spectacular cinematic version of Romeo and Juliet eclipses all others. Don't even bother with Leonardo DiCaprio or any of the other renditions that pale by comparison. This is the real Romeo and Juliet as Shakespeare himself, lived he in our era,would have orchestrated its filming. From the opening scenes at Capulet's ball, you'll be transported from this time and place to Renaissance Verona. It's a real period piece and worth watching for the sets and costumes alone. Stunning cinematography with sweeping colorful panoramas...the period ball, the dueling and crowd scenes, the morbid tomb... The young actors, Leonard Whiting at 17 and Olivia Hussey at 15, are the age Shakespeare intended and magnificently portray the "star crossed lovers" with very believable chemistry. Olivia's Juliet has the right mix of youthful innocence and passionate intensity. With her masses of long black tresses, no wonder Romeo declares "she doth teach the torches to burn bright". The balcony scene, brilliantly filmed, rings true and the wedding night (actually morning after) is touchingly and tastefully done, even with its hint of nudity for the teenage stars. The movie has a superb supporting cast, including John McEnry as Romeo's hot tempered and humorous friend, Mercutio, and Michael York as Juliet's rather despicable cousin, Tybalt. Personally, I find Mercutio's death the most moving in all Shakespeare. Although the feuding Montague and Capulet parents are supposed to be the villains of the piece, Lord Capulet actually seems quite sympathetic in his moving portrayal of grief in the loss of his daughter. No spoiler warning here. This quintessential tale of doomed love is familiar to everyone. However, these stars give such compelling performances that you'll be longing for a different ending, riveted to your seat praying the messages will get through properly this time. Whiting and Hussey deliver such grief and passion in the final tomb scene, you'll experience this tragedy as never before. Apart from omitting Romeo's killing of Paris (my sole complaint), the movie is true to the major events of the play. And it's hard to fault the dialogue. Despite occasional omissions and minor alterations, it was written by the English language's foremost expert. My son, normally an enthusiast of Shakespeare's tragedies, claims with some justification, that this particular play is a silly, unbelievable tale, though told with absolute brilliance. Even if you're not normally a Shakespeare buff, don't miss this amazing movie. Seeing his timeless "tale of woe" brought to life so compellingly and in such a magnificent manner might just turn you into one.