Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall in love against the wishes of their feuding families. Driven by their passion, the young lovers defy their destiny and elope, only to suffer the ultimate tragedy.
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Powerful portrayals by the young leads. Film works best at showing the youth of the tragic teens and how their simple desires are thwarted in the complicated mire of the adult world. But direction is over-the-top with too much emoting and overuse of the zoom lens. Gorgeous production though. Last 20 minutes truly heart-breaking and Zefferelli quickly ends it once the deaths have occurred.
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.
This version of Romeo and Juliet is actually more realistic and has a better impression of how the events would have played out if it was actually in the 17th century. The 1996 movie was utter crap, it was cringy, and it leaves you with that feeling of "Wth did I just watch" This movie is GREATT
Well, it was about a year ago, when I was in ninth grade and I had to read Romeo and Juliet for English. Course, like any high school student, I dreaded it. But at the end of the unit, we got to see Zeffirelli's interpretation of the tale. In the beginning, I didn't really get the majesty of the film until I re-watched it today, and oh my god, what a film! What really makes this movie work is one fact: Zeffirelli understands the material well! The reason why so many adaptations before this one failed, is because they were casted poorly, but here, every single role, done to the last damn extra was casted correctly! I could go on saying how the editing of the original script was done well, and how the sets and costumes and cinematography are done beautifully, but I think you get the gist. Watch it its awesome!