Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 film ) - wikipedia Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 film ) Romeo and Juliet theatrical release poster Directed by Franco Zeffirelli Produced by John Brabourne Anthony Havelock - Allan Screenplay by Franco Brusati Masolino D'Amico Franco Zeffirelli Based on Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Starring Leonard Whiting Olivia Hussey Milo O'Shea Michael York John McEnery Natasha Parry Pat Heywood Robert Stephens Narrated by Laurence Olivier Music by Nino Rota Cinematography Pasqualino De Santis Edited by Reginald Mills Production company BHE Films Verona Produzione Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica Distributed by Paramount Pictures Release date 8 October 1968 ( 1968 - 10 - 08TUS ) Running time 138 minutes Country United Kingdom Italy Language English Budget $850,000 Box office $38.9 million Romeo and Juliet is a 1968 British - Italian romantic drama film based on the play of the same name ( 1591 -- 1595 ) by William Shakespeare. The film was directed and co-written by Franco Zeffirelli, and stars Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey. It won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography ( Pasqualino De Santis ) and Best Costume Design ( Danilo Donati ) ; it was also nominated for Best Director and Best Picture, making it the last Shakespearean film to be nominated for Best Picture to date. Sir Laurence Olivier spoke the film 's prologue and epilogue and reportedly dubbed the voice of the Italian actor playing Lord Montague, but was not credited in the film. Being the most financially successful film adaptation of a Shakespeare play at the time of its release, it was popular among teenagers partly because it was the first film to use actors who were close to the age of the characters from the original play. Several critics also welcomed the film enthusiastically. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 3.1 Casting 3.2 Filming locations 4 Reception 4.1 Awards and nominations 5 Soundtrack 6 In popular culture 7 References 8 External links Plot One summer morning in Verona, Italy, a longstanding feud between the Montague and the Capulet clans breaks out in a street brawl. The brawl is broken up by the Prince, who warns both families that any future violence between them will result in harsh consequences. That night, two teenagers of the two families -- Romeo and Juliet -- meet at a Capulet masked ball and become deeply infatuated. Later, Romeo stumbles into the secluded garden under Juliet 's bedroom balcony and the two exchange impassioned pledges. They are secretly married the next day by Romeo 's confessor and father figure, Friar Laurence, with the assistance of Juliet 's nursemaid. That afternoon, Juliet 's first cousin Tybalt, enraged that Romeo had attended his family 's ball, insults him and challenges him to a brawl. Romeo regards Tybalt as family and he refuses to fight him, which leads Romeo 's best friend, Mercutio, to fight Tybalt instead. Despite Romeo 's efforts to stop the fight, Tybalt badly wounds Mercutio, who curses both the Montague and Capulet houses before dying. Enraged over his friend 's death, Romeo retaliates by fighting Tybalt and killing him. Romeo is subsequently punished by the Prince with banishment from Verona, with the threat of death if he ever returns. Romeo, however, sees his banishment as worse than the death penalty, as Verona is the only home he has known and he does not want to be separated from Juliet. Friar Laurence eventually convinces Romeo that he is very lucky and that he should be more thankful for what he has. Romeo then secretly spends his wedding night together with Juliet and the couple consummate their marriage before Romeo flees. Juliet 's father and mother, unaware of their daughter 's secret marriage, have arranged for Juliet to marry wealthy Count Paris. Juliet pleads with her parents to postpone the marriage, but they refuse and threaten to disown her. Juliet seeks out Friar Laurence for help, hoping to escape her arranged marriage to Paris and remain faithful to Romeo. At Friar Laurence 's behest, she reconciles with her parents and agrees to their wishes. On the night before the wedding, Juliet consumes a potion prepared by Friar Laurence intended to make her appear dead for forty - two hours. Friar Laurence plans to inform Romeo of the hoax so that Romeo can meet Juliet after her burial and escape with her when she recovers from her swoon, so he sends Friar John to give Romeo a letter describing the plan. However, when Balthasar, Romeo 's servant, sees Juliet being buried under the impression that she is dead, he goes to tell Romeo and reaches him before Friar John. In despair, Romeo goes to Juliet 's tomb and kills himself by drinking poison. Soon afterwards, Juliet awakens and discovers her husband dead. Juliet refuses to leave Romeo and kills herself by piercing her abdomen with his dagger. Later, the two families attend their joint funeral and are chastised by the Prince. Cast Leonard Whiting as Romeo Montague Olivia Hussey as Juliet Capulet John McEnery as Mercutio Milo O'Shea as Friar Laurence Pat Heywood as The Nurse Robert Stephens as The Prince Michael York as Tybalt Bruce Robinson as Benvolio Paul Hardwick as Lord Capulet Natasha Parry as Lady Capulet Antonio Pierfederici as Lord Montague Esmeralda Ruspoli as Lady Montague Keith Skinner as Balthasar Roberto Bisacco as Paris Bruno Filippini as Leonardo, the singer ( uncredited ) Laurence Olivier as Chorus and voice of Lord Montague ( uncredited ) Production Franco Zeffirelli and Olivia Hussey while filming Romeo and Juliet in 1967 Casting It is often rumored that Franco Zeffirelli considered Paul McCartney of The Beatles for the role of Romeo. Although Zeffirelli does not mention it in his autobiography, McCartney provided plenty of details on this account ( including meeting with Olivia Hussey and exchanging telegrams with her ) in his co-written autobiography The director engaged in a worldwide search for unknown teenage actors to play the parts of the two lovers. Leonard Whiting was 17 at the time, and Olivia Hussey was 16, and Zeffirelli adapted the play in such a way as to play to their strengths and hide their weaknesses : for instance, long speeches were trimmed, and he emphasized reaction shots. Laurence Olivier 's involvement in the production was by happenstance. He was in Rome to film The Shoes of the Fisherman and visited the studio where Romeo and Juliet was being shot. He asked Zeffirelli if there was anything he could do, and was given the Prologue to read, then ended up dubbing the voice of Lord Montague as well as other assorted roles. Filming locations Set in a 14th - century Renaissance Italy in varying locations : The balcony scene : At the Palazzo Borghese, built by Cardinal Scipione Borghese in the 16th century, in Artena, 40 km southeast of Rome. The interior church scenes : At a Romanesque church named St. Pietro Somaldi in, Lucca, Tuscania, 90 km northwest of Rome. The tomb scene : Also in Tuscania. The palace of the Capulets ' scenes : At Palazzo Piccolomini, built between 1459 -- 62 by Pope Pius II, in the city of Pienza, in Siena province. The dueling scenes with swords were set in the old Umbrian town of Gubbio. The film also has some scenes filmed in Montagnana. The street scenes : Also in Pienza, and on Cinecitta Studios back lot, Rome. Reception The film earned $14.5 million in domestic rentals at the North American box office during 1969. It was re-released in 1973 and earned $1.7 million in rentals. Film critic Roger Ebert has written : `` I believe Franco Zeffirelli 's Romeo and Juliet is the most exciting film of Shakespeare ever made ''. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a ' Fresh ' score of 97 % based on 34 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8 / 10 ; it is accompanied by the consensus : `` The solid leads and arresting visuals make a case for Zeffirelli 's Romeo and Juliet as the definitive cinematic adaptation of the play. ''. Awards and nominations Academy Awards Best Picture ( Anthony Havelock - Allan, John Brabourne ) -- Nominated Best Director ( Franco Zeffirelli ) -- Nominated Best Cinematography ( Pasqualino De Santis ) -- Won Best Costume Design ( Danilo Donati ) -- Won Golden Globe Awards English - Language Foreign Film -- Won Best Director ( Franco Zeffirelli ) -- Nominated New Star of the Year -- Actor ( Leonard Whiting ) -- Won New Star of the Year -- Actress ( Olivia Hussey ) -- Won Best Original Score ( Nino Rota ) -- Nominated BAFTA Awards Best Direction ( Franco Zeffirelli ) -- Nominated Best Actor in a Supporting Role ( John McEnery ) -- Nominated Best Actress in a Supporting Role ( Pat Heywood ) -- Nominated Best Film Music ( Nino Rota ) -- Nominated Best Production Design ( Renzo Mongiardino ) -- Nominated Best Costume Design ( Danilo Donati ) -- Won Best Editing ( Reginald Mills ) -- Nominated Other accolades for Romeo and Juliet included the David di Donatello and National Board of Review awards for Best Director for Zeffirelli, as well as appearing on the National Board of Review 's Top Ten Films list for 1968. Soundtrack Main article : Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 film soundtrack ) Two releases of the score of the film, composed by Nino Rota, have been made. `` Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet '' The film 's love theme was widely disseminated, notably in `` Our Tune '', a segment of BBC disc jockey Simon Bates 's radio show. In addition, various versions of the theme have been recorded and released, including a highly successful one by Henry Mancini, whose instrumental rendition was a Number One success in the United States during June 1969. There are two different sets of English lyrics to the song. The film 's version is called `` What Is a Youth ? '', featuring lyrics by Eugene Walter, and sung by Glen Weston. This version has been released on the complete score / soundtrack release. An alternate version, called `` A Time for Us '', featuring lyrics by Larry Kusik and Eddie Snyder. This version has been recorded by Johnny Mathis and Andy Williams, among others. Josh Groban performed `` Un Giorno Per Noi '', an Italian version of `` A Time for Us ''. Jonathan Antoine, classically trained tenor from Great Britain, performed `` Un Giorno Per Noi '' as one of the tracks on his second solo album, `` Believe '', which was released in August 2016. A third version is called `` Ai Giochi Addio '', featuring lyrics by Elsa Morante, and has been performed by opera singers such as Luciano Pavarotti and Natasha Marsh. In popular culture Thom Yorke cites the film as one of the inspirations for the Radiohead song `` Exit Music ( For a Film ) '', which was written specifically for the ending credits of the 1996 film William Shakespeare 's Romeo + Juliet. Said Yorke, `` I saw the Zeffirelli version when I was 13, and I cried my eyes out, because I could n't understand why the morning after they shagged, they did n't just run away. The song is written for two people who should run away before all the bad stuff starts. A personal song. '' Kevin and Paul go to see the film in the episode `` Wayne on Wheels '' in season three of The Wonder Years. Celine Dion referenced this film, in particular the `` hand dance '' scene, in the video for her 1992 single `` Nothing Broken but My Heart ''. Japanese manga artist Rumiko Takahashi referenced the Zeffirelli film in two of her manga and anime works. In one episode of Urusei Yatsura, devious troublemaker Ryoko Mendou invites the series ' male protagonist, Ataru Moroboshi, to have a `` Romeo and Juliet '' rendezvous with her, and wears a dress based on Hussey 's from the film. Later, Takahashi 's Ranma 1 / 2 featured a storyline in which the lead characters, Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo, are cast as Romeo and Juliet in a production of the play at their high school. Takahashi designed Ranma and Akane 's costumes for the play with Whiting and Hussey 's outfits in the Zeffirelli film in mind. References Notes Jump up ^ Alexander Walker, Hollywood, England, Stein and Day, 1974 p399 Jump up ^ `` Romeo and Juliet, Box Office Information ''. The Numbers. Retrieved 29 January 2012. Jump up ^ Adler, Renata ( 9 October 1968 ). `` Movie Review -- Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 ) ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 9 March 2012. Jump up ^ Ebert, Roger ( 15 October 1968 ). `` Romeo and Juliet ''. Chicago Sun Times. Archived from the original on 21 December 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2012. Jump up ^ Paul Du Noyer. Conversations with McCatney. New York : The Overlook Press. pg. : 138 - 139 ^ Jump up to : Landazuri, Margarita `` Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 ) '' TCM.com Jump up ^ Liner notes ( back cover ) from Romeo & Juliet : Original Soundtrack Recording, 1968, Capitol Records ST 2993 Jump up ^ `` Big Rental Films of 1969 '', Variety, 7 January 1970 p 15 Jump up ^ `` Big Rental Films of 1973 '', Variety, 9 January 1974 p 60 Jump up ^ Ebert, Roger ( 15 October 1968 ). `` Romeo and Juliet ''. RogerEbert.com. Roger Ebert. Retrieved 17 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 ) ''. RottenTomatoes.com. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Romeo & Juliet : Nino Rota : Music ''. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 07. Jump up ^ `` Nino Rota Romeo & Juliet Soundtrack HDtracks high resolution audiophile music downloads ''. HDtracks.com. 1999 - 12 - 04. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 07. Jump up ^ Bronson, Fred ( 1992 ). Billboard 's Book Of # 1 Hits ( 3rd ed. ). New York, New York : Billboard Publications, Inc. p. 255. ISBN 0 - 8230 - 8298 - 9. Jump up ^ The storyline spans chapters 74 through 77 of the manga and episode 39 of the anime titled Kissing Is Such Sweet Sorrow ! The Taking of Akane 's Lips. http://www.furinkan.com/ranma/misc/index.html Further reading `` Virtuoso in Verona '' -- 1968 review in Time ( magazine ) External links Comprehensive webpage on Romeo & Juliet at the Wayback Machine ( archive index ), featuring magazine articles and film reviews ( archived ). Romeo and Juliet on IMDb Romeo and Juliet at the TCM Movie Database Romeo and Juliet at AllMovie William Shakespeare 's Romeo and Juliet Characters Romeo Juliet Mercutio Tybalt Benvolio Friar Laurence Nurse Paris Rosaline Queen Mab Atomy Sources The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet Pyramus and Thisbe Palace of Pleasure Troilus and Criseyde Ballets Romeo and Juliet ( 1938, Prokofiev ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1962, Cranko ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1965, MacMillan ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1977, Nureyev ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1965, Lavery ) Radio and Juliet ( 2005 ) Romeo + Juliet ( 2007, Martins ) Romeo and Juliet ( 2008, Pastor ) Operas Romeo und Julie ( 1776, Benda ) Giulietta e Romeo ( 1796, Zingarelli ) Giulietta e Romeo ( 1825, Vaccai ) I Capuleti ei Montecchi ( 1830, Bellini ) Gloria ( 1874, Cilea ) Roméo et Juliette ( 1867, Gounod ) A Village Romeo and Juliet ( 1907, Delius ) Romeo und Julia ( 1940, Sutermeister ) Musicals The Belle of Mayfair ( 1906 ) West Side Story ( 1957 ) Once on This Island ( 1990 ) Roméo et Juliette, de la Haine à l'Amour ( 2001 ) Giulietta e Romeo ( 2007 ) Classical Beethoven 's String Quartet No. 1 ( c. 1800 ) Roméo et Juliette ( 1839, Berlioz ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1870, Tchaikovsky ) On screen 1900 1908 1916 Metro Pictures 1916 Fox 1936 1953 1954 1955 1964 1968 1978 ( TV ) 1992 ( TV ) 2006 2007 2013 Film adaptations English Beneath the 12 - Mile Reef ( 1953 ) Romanoff and Juliet ( 1961 ) West Side Story ( 1961 ) Gonks Go Beat ( 1965 ) Lonesome Cowboys ( 1968 ) Romie - 0 and Julie - 8 ( TV ; 1979 ) The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet ( 1982 ) Valley Girl ( 1983 ) Bullies ( 1986 ) China Girl ( 1987 ) Romeo. Juliet ( 1990 ) Tromeo and Juliet ( 1996 ) Love Is All There Is ( 1996 ) Rose by Any Other Name... ( 1997 ) The Lion King II : Simba 's Pride ( 1998 ) Shakespeare in Love ( 1998 ) The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns ( 1999 ) Romeo Must Die ( 2000 ) Brooklyn Babylon ( 2001 ) Pizza My Heart ( TV ; 2005 ) West Bank Story ( 2005 ) Life and Lyrics ( 2006 ) Romeo & Juliet : Sealed with a Kiss ( 2006 ) Rome & Jewel ( 2006 ) David & Fatima ( 2008 ) The Cross Road ( 2008 ) Vicious Circle ( 2008 ) Gnomeo & Juliet ( 2011 ) Private Romeo ( 2011 ) Warm Bodies ( 2013 ) Make Your Move ( 2013 ) Romeo & Juliet ( 2013 ) Hindi Ek Duuje Ke Liye ( 1981 ) Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak ( 1988 ) Saudagar ( 1991 ) Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahein ( 2002 ) Bollywood Queen ( 2002 ) Ishaqzaade ( 2012 ) Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram - Leela ( 2013 ) Issaq ( 2013 ) Telugu Maro Charitra ( 1978 ) Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi ( 1996 ) Kalisundam Raa ( 2000 ) Maro Charitra ( 2010 ) Spanish Romeo and Juliet ( 1940 ) Los Tarantos ( 1963 ) 30 : e november ( Swedish / Spanish 1995 ) Amar te duele ( 2002 ) Italian Fury of Johnny Kid ( 1967 ) Ma che musica maestro ( 1971 ) Portuguese Mônica e Cebolinha : No Mundo de Romeu e Julieta ( 1979 ) O Casamento de Romeu e Julieta ( 2005 ) Other Ambikapathy ( Tamil 1937 ) Les amants de Vérone ( French 1949 ) Romeo, Juliet and Darkness ( Czech 1960 ) The Phantom Lover ( Mandarin 1995 ) Chicken Rice War ( Cantonese / English 2000 ) Ondagona Baa ( Kannada 2003 ) Mamay ( Ukrainian 2003 ) The District ! ( Hungarian 2004 ) In Fair Palestine : A Story of Romeo and Juliet ( 2006 ) The Bubble ( Hebrew / Arabic 2006 ) Priyatama ( Marathi 2014 ) Arshinagar ( Bengali 2015 ) Eeda ( Malayalam 2017 ) The Sea Prince and the Fire Child ( Japanese 1981 ) TV series Sons and Daughters ( 1982 ) Family and Friends ( 1990 ) Villa Quintana ( 1995 ) Yo amo a Paquita Gallego ( 1998 ) Skin ( 2003 ) A Touch Away ( 2006 ) Dangerous ( 2007 ) Romeo × Juliet ( 2007 ) Romeo y Julieta ( 2007 ) Saints & Sinners ( 2007 ) Harina de otro costal ( 2010 ) Villa Quintana ( 2013 ) Westside ( 2013 pilot ) Star - Crossed ( 2014 ) Still Star - Crossed ( 2017 ) Plays Romanoff and Juliet ( 1956 ) Romeo and Juliet ( 2013 ) Songs Lan và Điệp ( 1930s ) `` Montagues and Capulets '' ( 1935 ) `` Fever '' ( 1956 ) Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 ) `` ( Do n't Fear ) The Reaper '' ( 1976 ) `` Angelo '' ( 1978 ) `` Romeo and Juliet '' ( 1978 ) `` Romeo and Juliet '' ( 1981 ) `` Cherish '' ( 1989 ) `` Amor Prohibido '' ( 1994 ) `` Kissing You '' ( 1996 ) `` Exit Music '' ( 1997 ) `` Starcrossed '' ( 2004 ) `` Peut - être toi '' ( 2006 ) `` Mademoiselle Juliette '' ( 2007 ) `` Love Story '' ( 2008 ) `` Love Me Again '' `` Laal Ishq '' `` Mor Bani Thanghat Kare '' `` Nagada Sang Dhol '' `` Ram Chahe Leela '' ( 2013 ) Albums Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 ) Romeo + Juliet ( 1996 ) Romeo & Julia ( 2006 ) Tragic Lovers ( 2008 ) Literature Les Chouans The Wandering Jew ( 1844 ) The Stolen Dormouse ( 1941 ) The Faraway Lurs ( 1963 ) Romiette and Julio ( 2001 ) New Moon ( 2006 ) Warm Bodies ( 2010 ) Art Romeo and Juliet : the Tomb Scene ( 1790 ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1978 ) Phrases `` Star - crossed '' `` A rose by any other name would smell as sweet '' Story within a story Nicholas Nickleby 1912 film 1947 film 1980 play 2001 film 2002 film The Picture of Dorian Gray 1910 film 1913 film 1915 film 1916 film 1917 film 1918 film 1945 film 1976 TV special 2009 film Harlequinade W Juliet `` Nothing Broken but My Heart '' Panic Button Bare : A Pop Opera `` '' Into the Light '' Bolji život The Sky Is Everywhere Pay as You Exit The White Mercedes She Died a Lady `` Moonshine River '' Rendez - vous Fame `` I Am Unicorn '' The Frog Prince Molly Smart Girls Get What They Want Tumbleweeds `` The Thief of Baghead '' The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke Prince Charming Km. 0 Phileine Says Sorry Hamateur Night `` Say You 'll Be Mine '' Into the Gauntlet Wandering Son K - On ! Foreign stories Adam Khan and Durkhanai Tum Teav Yusuf Khan and Sherbano Solomon & Gaenor Butterfly Lovers Hani and Sheh Mureed Lục Vân Tiên film Teav Aek Layla and Majnun Lovers of Teruel film Lord Saltoun and Auchanachie Ishaqzaade Other Such Tweet Sorrow Romeo and Juliet effect After Juliet `` Upper West Side Story '' ( 2012 ) Millennium Dome Show Inge Sylten and Heinz Drosihn Boys Do n't Cry My Wedding and Other Secrets Donkey in Lahore Upside Down Letters to Juliet Sherlock Gnomes Book : Romeo and Juliet hide Films directed by Franco Zeffirelli The Taming of the Shrew ( 1967 ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 ) Brother Sun, Sister Moon ( 1972 ) Jesus of Nazareth ( 1977 ) The Champ ( 1979 ) Endless Love ( 1981 ) Pagliacci ( 1982 ) Cavalleria rusticana ( 1982 ) La Traviata ( 1983 ) Otello ( 1986 ) Young Toscanini ( 1988 ) Hamlet ( 1990 ) Sparrow ( 1993 ) Jane Eyre ( 1996 ) Tea with Mussolini ( 1999 ) Callas Forever ( 2002 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Romeo_and_Juliet_(1968_film)&oldid=845469093 '' Categories : English - language films 1968 films British films Italian films Films scored by Nino Rota 1960s romantic drama films Romantic period films Films based on Romeo and Juliet Films whose cinematographer won the Best Cinematography Academy Award Films directed by Franco Zeffirelli Films shot in Rome Films shot in Italy Films set in Italy Films set in the 15th century Films shot at Pinewood Studios Films that won the Best Costume Design Academy Award British drama films Films produced by Anthony Havelock - Allan Paramount Pictures films Hidden categories : EngvarB from May 2016 Use dmy dates from May 2016 Webarchive template wayback links Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Български Català Dansk Deutsch Eesti Español فارسی Français 한국어 Հայերեն Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית ქართული Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska ไทย Українська 中文 22 more Edit links This page was last edited on 12 June 2018, at 00 : 36. 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Question: who plays romeo in romeo and juliet 1968
Answer: Leonard Whiting