Product: Romeo and Juliet [Region 2] (1968)
Rating: 3.0
A Sorry Attempt
I will say that this is the best cinematic rendition of "Romeo and Juliet" that I have seen. It does little, if any, justice to Shakespeare, however. A number of lines and even scenes have been cut, scenes which gave the story its true depth (for example, when we are first introduced to Romeo in the play, he is weeping and lamenting his lost love Rosaline; in the movie he only provides some brief thoughts on love, with no particular despair). This is only a superficial story of love, worthy of more comparison to "Titanic" than to Shakespeare's masterpiece. The acting is fair to good, the scenery is marvelous, but the editing of the script (and Zeffirelli's poor interpretation) leave little to comtemplation. Shakespeare's play is not some simplistic, sappy tale of tragic love; it is a multi-layered study in life, providing us with great insights and truths. If you want the best movie version, then buy this one, but if you want to know what "Romeo and Juliet" is really all about, attend a live, full-length performance (or at least read the play itself).