Romeo & Juliet (1968)

In all fairness, this movie is 36 years old and yes, the teen stars would be in their 50s by now. This means some aspects of the film are unavoidably dated...how couldn't they be? It was intended to be a Romeo and Juliet for the hip baby boom teenagers of the 60s! Visually, it exploited the similarity in "hippie" clothes and Beatle hairstyles to very real styles of the late 15th century, right down to the girls with their hair parted in the center and worn long and straight. (Check out ANY high school year book from the late sixties and early seventies!) At the time it came out, this was a revolutionary and remarkable idea; also casting real teenagers in the parts.

Franco Zeffirelli originally produced this kind of a Romeo and Juliet on stage in '62, casting Judy Dench (yes, the "M" from the newer Bond movies...she was a young hottie 40 years ago), and using the same kind of pseudo real Renaissance setting. This '68 film followed his highly successful version of Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

The costumes and location filming in R&J are still gorgeous and hold up very well. Few movies set in this Renaissance period even today are so accurate. Danilo Donati's costumes are just amazingly beautiful. (A whole generation of brides were married in high-wasted dresses after seeing this.) Nino Rota's musical score is lush and beautiful, slightly resembling his score for the Godfather. You still catch the theme from R&J on the radio sometimes (or in elevators); it's the ultimate in romatic scores.

Olivia Hussey, 16 at the time of filming, is radiantly beautiful and has a wonderful, husky voice. She does a remarkable job despite her youth and lack of acting experience. I think she has influenced the way Juliet's have been cast and acted for the last 30+ years -- even Baz Luhrman has obviously seen and been affected by her. There is a BBC version of the play in which the actress virtually mimicks her line readings. Sadly, I think she was typecast from this role and never went anywhere careerwise. The last things I saw her in were pathetic horror films, like Pscho 4. I don't think Hollywood knew what to do with her lush, delicate beauty.

Leonard Whiting is much less successful. Franco Zeffirelli is gay, and his intepretation of Romeo is clearly meant to be homosexual or at least bisexual. Leonard Whiting was a handsome, but slightly effeminate boy and he's not got nearly the grasp of the material or the acting ability of Olivia Hussey -- they seem mismatched. There is a subplot interpretation of Mercutio as having some kind of sexual attraction or relationship with Romeo. It is interesting, but unbalances the story a bit.( I didn't notice this when I was a teen, but as an adult viewing the film it is absolutely glaringly obvious.)

I notice a lot of debate as to whether THIS or the Baz Luhrman film of '96 is the definitive version...I think that's stupid. Shakespeare has been around a long time. This is his most produced play. There is room for LOTS of difference interpretations. I have seen many others on the stage. And there will be billions more in the future. I like Baz Luhrman's version, although I think his creative inventiveness (which is wonderful) flys out of control by the end of the film; however it's good and interesting, a visionary treatment and it's very worthwhile to view BOTH of these films to get a sense of what it is to try and film Shakespeare.

Zeffirelli's version offers a very pared down script, lots of authentic looking visuals and very exciting and well-staged fight sequences; plus gorgeous costumes and music. Olivia Hussey's Juliet is absolutely a classic, moving interpretation that I have never seen performed better on stage or in film.

In short -- anyone who loves Shakespeare, or Romeo and Juliet, or lush period flicks, will totally be absorbed in this beautiful film. It's also a wonderful, easy-to-take, never-boring, introduction to Shakespeare and from there, his other works. Would I have become a Shakespeare buff at such an early age without having been introduced to the material this way? I doubt it!


Romeo And Juliet: Movie Review   December 20, 1999
51 out of 56 found this review helpful

Franco Zeffirelli's Oscar winning 1968 Romeo And Juliet is a revolutionary masterpiece! This is a flamboyant and very popular adaptation of the famous Shakespearean tragedy, in which actual teenagers play the leads. Two young lovers, who come from feuding families, desperately wish to stay together. They go to a gentle friar for help, and, in hopes their wedding will end the conflict, he comes up with an ingenious plot to unite them. However, when a miscommunication destroys their plans, they make a tragic decision - a decision that brings peace, but too late to help the lovers themselves.

Olivia Hussey is the heartbreakingly beautiful, vulnerable, and courageous woman, who shines as sweet Juliet. Leonard Whiting's poetic good looks, sensitivity, and cleverness, make his portrayal of young Romeo seem unparalleled. In addition, Michael York is outstanding as the feisty Tybalt, John McEnery is brilliant as lively punster Mercutio, and Milo O'Shea is absolutely wonderful as the ever so bright, Friar Lawrence.

Zeffirelli's career as an opera director is put to spectacular use here. Each scene is meticulously crafted to be an exact replica of the Renaissance with stunningly beautiful clothing, jewels, furniture, food, glass, and sculpture - it is an overwhelming feast for the eyes. The preserved medieval towns of Tuscany, and the lovely Borghese palace where the balcony scene is set, give the film the look of an animated Renaissance painting. Zeffirelli took some liberties with Shakespeare's original script for the sake of brevity, but unless you are a die-hard purist, this is a minor flaw.

The true shining star in this film is the delightful, Ms. Pat Heywood who steals the screen with each moment she graces it. She plays Juliet's Nurse and does so with such power, whimsy, and conviction that you simply must love her. Pat Heywood gave the commonly droll Nurse character life and vibrancy I have yet to see in a performance of this play live of filmed. In either case, the characters in this film play extraordinary parts and they do it with such poignancy!


A sumptuous Renaissance feast!   September 23, 1998
strega2 (USA)
38 out of 42 found this review helpful

Franco Zefirrelli's 1967 film was revolutionary in using teenaged actors to play the two most famous lovers of all literature. Olivia Hussey is heartbreakingly beautiful, a vulnerable and courageous Juliet, while Leonard Whiting's poetic good looks make him a sensitive and appealing Romeo. Zefirrelli's career as an opera director is put to spectacular use here--each scene is meticulously crafted to be an exact replica of the Renaissance. Stunningly beautiful clothing, jewels, furniture, food, glass, sculpture--it is an overwhelming feast for the eyes. The preserved medieval towns of Tuscany, and the lovely Borghese palace where the balcony scene is set, give the film the look of an animated Renaissance painting. Zefirrelli took some liberties with Shakespeare's original script for the sake of brevity, but unless you are a die-hard purist, this is a minor flaw. I saw this film a dozen times in the theater, and never without the sound of girls weeping by the end--I was often one of them. Leslie Howard was a better actor, and Leonardo DiCaprio/Clare Danes more modern, but if you love beauty, this is THE quintessential Romeo and Juliet on film. END


The Best Movie Version of Romeo and Juliet Yet   December 29, 2004
Kristy Howard (Los Angeles, CA)
33 out of 34 found this review helpful

Romeo and Juliet has been remade over and over on film, but this version with Olivia Hussey as Juliet is the one that embodies the play as classically as possible. The sets appear authentic, filmed in Europe, and the actors close to the age and description as the play. Olivia Hussey as Juliet is lovely and sweet, just as we imagine Juliet to be.