Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (1954) part 4 of 13

Oops! Rest will be uploaded in March--I just discovered, as I surf the web while uploading, that this film is available on DVD as an Asian import. That would probably have significant better image quality than my old videotape. I'll get the DVD and upload the rest of all this later...sometime...

link below to playlist of all 13 parts of this "Romeo and Juliet":
http://youtube.com/view_play_list?p=2E21C243AAAF54C5

This extracts starts with Act II, scene 1, starts around line 7 and there are lots of cuts, of course.

Then to the balcony scene, Act II, scene 2, "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?"

The love and playing is rather striking against the dark and monolithic stone.

Ends with a bit of the beginning of the next scene, with Friar Lawrence.


Ubaldo Zollo ... Mercutio
Bill Travers ... Benvolio
Laurence Harvey ... Romeo
Susan Shentall ... Juliet
Mervyn Johns ... Friar Laurence

Susan Shentall was 19 years old (a "much publicized green-grocer's daughter") when she fimed this role. It is the only screen credit of hers I can. She retired from acting after this film to marry and raise a family. The BFI database reports:

Date of birth
21/05/1934 (Sheffield, Yorks., England)

Date of death
18/10/1996 (Market Harborough, England)

Nationalities
British

Activities
Cast (1)

Biography
Died of broncho pneumonia. Checked birth and death at Family Records Centre, London. Born in Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire and died in Market Harborough, Leicestershire registration district.

......

Not the best "Romeo and Juliet" on screen, but then none of them out there really....

The leads are played by youngsters in hope of sacrificing some poetic ability for authenticity, but it doesn't really work out.

The text is heavily cut and rearranged without much regard to meter or poetic flow.

Best part of the film are the sets, locations, art direction and costumes; with fine photography by the great Robert Krasker....Directed by Renato Castellani

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Shakespeare
• RomeoJuliet
• Romeo
• Juliet
• Laurence-Harvey
• Susan-Shentall
• Theatre
• Play
• performing
• arts

[Mal3nar0xi3]

i agree with u the 1968 version was th BEST EVER

[JacobXMe44]

this is good but 1968 was kinda the best- Leonard whiting (romeo) was really hot and the girl who played juliet was very beautiful and sweet as juliet

[AnaGomez1994]

You know, I disagree, I liked better the 1996 version, though it had awfully ackward parts (I don't remember Mercutio having gays aspirations), but I always imagined his character as fun and erratic, Romeo as skeptical and emotional, Juliet sweet and naïve, and even Juliet's mother filled my perspective on her. The only one I didn't imagine quite that extravagant was Friar Laurence.

[kopynd1]

the stillness of the night, when blackbirds sing there hearts content,but listen my dear friend,the clashing of words but far away,what will tomorrow bring,

[koenan1]

I always try to stick around for the punchline, but getting through this play....ugh. All of the falling in love stuff is just so insipid - and I know it's probably meant to be, to make the end that much more ironic. But 2.5 hours? Can't do it. At least, can't do it today.

[Vaderduder]

I don't know I'm more of a fan of the 1996 version. I found more emotion in it. When they were trying to be emotional in the 1968 version it just didn't seem that they were that upset. But the one in 1968 is still good.

[mscinematic40]

1968 version was respectful, but the emotional scenes were hardly riveting or captivating. Of course, it's hard to sob and cry on the spot, but they didn't do much justice to the tragedy of Shakespeare's masterpiece of Romeo & Juliet- sounded and looked fake often. In spite of what i've said, I still liked it tho!

[creechcastle]

This is an actors version. They speak the speech.

[majorelvisfan132]

@Mal3nar0xi3 does anyone know where I can watch the 1968 version. I can't seem to find it on youtube.

[wolflover713]

this is my second favorite version but the 1968 version was def the best

[thirteenismyluckyno]

@koln1996

This isn't Olivia Hussey, this is Susan Shetnall. Olivia Hussey is in the 1968 version.