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Shakespeare in Love
Young William Shakespeare is forced to stage his latest comedy, 'Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter', before it's even written. When lovely noblewoman Viola de Lesseps auditions for a role, they fall into forbidden love — and Shakespeare's play finds a new life (and title). As their relationship intensifies, the comedy soon transforms into tragedy.
1998 · Directed by John Madden · 124 min · Romance · History · Comedy · Drama · Screenplay in the scene database · 14 frames
Tagline
Love is the only inspiration.
Plot
In 1593 London, William Shakespeare is a sometime player in the Lord Chamberlain's Men actor company and playwright for The Rose theatre owner Philip Henslowe. Suffering from writer's block with a new comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter, Shakespeare attempts to seduce Rosaline, mistress of Richard Burbage, owner of the rival Curtain Theatre, and to convince Burbage to buy the play from Henslowe. Shakespeare receives advice from friend and rival playwright Christopher Marlowe, but is despondent to learn Rosaline is sleeping with Master of the Revels Edmund Tilney. The desperate Henslowe, in debt to ruthless moneylender Fennyman, begins auditions anyway.
Viola de Lesseps, daughter of a wealthy merchant, who has seen Shakespeare's plays at court, disguises herself as a man named Thomas Kent to audition. Kent gains Shakespeare's interest with a speech from The Two Gentlemen of Verona, but runs away when Shakespeare questions her. He pursues Kent to Viola's house and leaves a note with her nurse, asking Kent to begin rehearsals at the Rose. Shakespeare sneaks into a ball at the house, where Viola's parents arrange her betrothal to Lord Wessex, an aristocrat in need of money. Dancing with Viola, Shakespeare is struck speechless. Confronted by Wessex, Shakespeare introduces himself as Christopher Marlowe. Wessex ejects "Marlowe" and threatens to kill him. Shakespeare finds Viola on her balcony, where they confess their mutual attraction before he is discovered by her nurse and flees.
Inspired by Viola, Shakespeare quickly transforms the play into what will become Romeo and Juliet. Rehearsals begin, with Thomas Kent as Romeo, the leading tragedian Ned Alleyn as Mercutio, and the stagestruck Fennyman in a small role. After Shakespeare discovers Viola's true identity, they begin a secret affair.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Written by: Marc Norman, Tom Stoppard
- Cinematography: Richard Greatrex
- Edited by: David Gamble
- Music: Stephen Warbeck
- Production design: Martin Childs
- Produced by: Harvey Weinstein, Edward Zwick, Donna Gigliotti, Marc Norman
Cast
- Joseph Fiennes as Will Shakespeare
- Gwyneth Paltrow as Viola De Lesseps
- Geoffrey Rush as Philip Henslowe
- Tom Wilkinson as Hugh Fennyman
- Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth
- Imelda Staunton as Nurse
- Colin Firth as Lord Wessex
- Ben Affleck as Ned Alleyn
- Simon Callow as Tilney
- Steven Beard as Makepeace
Production
- Country: United States of America
- Language: English
- Studios: Miramax, Universal Pictures, Bedford Falls Productions
- Budget: $25,000,000
- Box office: $289,317,794
- Themes: london, england, theater play, queen elizabeth i, playwright, cross dressing, false history, francis bacon, 16th century, acting, elizabethan england
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