Shakespeare in Love | 
 enlarge | Director: John Madden
Actors: Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes, Tom Wilkinson, Antony Sher, Martin Clunes
Category: DVD
Buy New: $14.94
New (3) Used (8) from $9.66
Rating:  518 reviews
Sales Rank: 122883
Format: Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
UPC: 065935135050
EAN: 0065935135050
ASIN: B000065KB3
Theatrical Release Date: January 8, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new Item. CD, DVD, Book, VHS more than 400 000 titles to choose from. ALL days Low Price !
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Amazon.com
One of the most endearing and intelligent romantic comedies of the '90s, the Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love is filled with such good will, sunny romance, snappy one-liners, and devilish cleverness that it's absolutely irresistible. With tongue placed firmly in cheek, at its outset the film tracks young Will Shakespeare's overwrought battle with writer's block and the efforts of theater owner Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush, in rare form) to stage Will's latest comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter. Jokey comedy, though, soon takes a backseat to ravishing romance when the beautiful Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) disguises herself as a young man to wangle herself an audition in the all-male cast, and wins both the part of Romeo and, after much misunderstanding, the playwright's heart. Soon enough, Will's pirate comedy becomes the beautiful, tragic Romeo and Juliet, reflecting the agony and ecstasy of Will and Viola's romance--he's married and she's set to marry the slimy Lord Wessex (Colin Firth) in the near future. The way that Oscar-winning screenwriters Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard enfold their story within the parameters of Romeo and Juliet (and even Twelfth Night) is nothing short of brilliant--it would take a Shakespearean scholar to dissect the innumerable parallels, oft-quoted lines, plot developments, and thematic borrowings. And most amazingly, Norman and Stoppard haven't forgotten to entertain their audience in addition to riding a Shakespearean roller coaster, with director John Madden (Mrs. Brown) reigning in his huge ensemble with rollicking energy. Along the way there are small gems to be found, including Judi Dench's eight-minute, Oscar-winning turn as a truly regal Queen Elizabeth, but the key element of Shakespeare in Love's success rests on the milky-white shoulders of its two stars. Fiennes, inexplicably overlooked at Oscar time, is a dashing, heartfelt Will, and as for Best Actress winner Paltrow, well, nothing she'd done before could have prepared viewers for how amazing she is here. Breathtakingly beautiful, fiercely intelligent, strong-willed, and lovestruck--it's a performance worthy of Shakespeare in more ways than one. By the film's end, you'll be thoroughly won over--and brushing up your Shakespeare with newfound ardor. --Mark Englehart
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| Customer Reviews: Read 513 more reviews...
 Improbable plot: Shakespeare was high born July 7, 2008
What is interesting about this portrayal of William Shakespeare is that the historical figure was actually descended from the Saxon Earls of Wessex (and potentially from the Saxon Kings). Shakespeare's mother was a de Arden, after all, and the heiress of the hereditary family estate called Kingsbury in Wessex. Hence, it is surely at least ironic that the movie has him competing with the now Norman "Lord Wessex", pitting his Saxon pedigree against a Norman rival of similar rank. I wonder if the writers of the screenplay comprehended the irony (and implausibility) in this fictional rendition?
Awesome Movie!!! June 19, 2008
Love this movie. Typical chick flick, but my husband enjoy watching it just a much. Very funny!
Shakespeare In Love June 13, 2008
This is one of the most romantic stories I have ever seen. I have watched it on cable many, many times and finally had to have my own. It is truly a bitter sweet love story. This is what real love stories should be like. Even the bedroom scenes were well done.
A Primer for a New Generation. June 12, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Although highly popular for its time (labelled the Best Film of the 90's), in those days anything even hinting at post modernism, (one aspect, mixing genres); a speculative tale about the Master experiencing "writer's block", falling in love and the beloved becoming his Muse for the greatest love story of all time, seemed, in my arrogance, too main- stream, even somewhat stupid. Well, what a fool, what a young fool. Seeing the DVD for the first time the other night exploded all my pre-conceived ideas - what a well-produced, directed and believable story.
This is a Romantic Comedy like no other.
Gweneth Paltrow as Viola De Lesseps was well deserving for Best Actress in a Leading Role as her understanding and feeling for all the roles she played (both Romeo & Juliet) and Viola, exceeded my expectations.
Joseph Fiennes, however, though an intense performance, was maybe too over acted, but done with passion, revealing the true passion of an artist and a true genius.
In fact, all the performances are first rate.
Personally, films done in a "theatrical format", have alway been intriguing, (Hitchcock's "Rope" for example) giving the audience (perhaps unconsciously), the perception that they're actually seeing a live perfomance.
The final scene in the actual play, performed in the film, (the death scene) was done very well and quite moving.
Shakespeare, as time moves forward, is becoming harder to teach, enabling that 'penny to drop' with students, understanding Old English. This film would be a good "primer" for the i-pod & cell phone generation to catch a glimpse of the English language read and spoken in its original beauty.
A wonderful and fun picture enabling a new generation to find, and perhaps continue, to appreciate the Master.
Excellent.
 much ado about nothing May 19, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
simply put , romeo and juliet was written before their were plantations in va. thus an underlying plot melodramatic pt was invalid, date of authorship is 1591 or 1596: our undying fascination with the british royalty amidst amazing poverty , with a relishing of the tudors brutality and sadism is far to prevalent in the media these days ie the other boleyn
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