Shakespeare in Love | 
| Director: John Madden Actors: Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Tom Wilkinson, Steven O'donnell Category: DVD
Buy New: $9.80
New (4) Used (3) from $8.00
Rating: 525 reviews Sales Rank: 120687
Format: Ntsc Language: English (Original Language) Rating: R (Restricted) Region: 1 Running Time: 123 Minutes
UPC: 065935135050 EAN: 0065935135050 ASIN: B000065KB3
Theatrical Release Date: January 8, 1999 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
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 520 more reviews...
Wife loves it June 23, 2009 Robert (Illinois) Its a chick flick - your wife will love it but if your a guy ? might be a little to mushy for ya lol
Good, but not as great as the awards reflect May 18, 2009 Alan Starr (Lawrence, MA) Wasn't as good as remembered it to be; it won seven (!) Oscars including Best Picture, but in retrospect I think that award should easily have gone to 'Saving Private Ryan'. This it still very likeable though.
Beautiful movie March 30, 2009 R. M. GONZALEZ (NY, NY) I purchased this film for a Shakespeare class. It is a wonderful and funny love story. Excellent to view.
Excellent! January 21, 2009 Heidi Sidebottom (Boston,Ky.) Both the container and DVD were in perfect condition! The price was exceptional as well.
Lovelier the second time around January 18, 2009 Terrance Johnson (Chicago) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
To my mind, what separates an excellent film from a good film is the bonus of being able to view it over and over again without it becoming stale. You continue to be entertained and find yourself discovering elements of the plot and aspects of the characters that you missed on previous viewings. Shakespeare in Love, with its clever plot and rich writing, meets that criterion. You have to keep your eyes and ears open to catch all the fun. Even background players in the street scenes shout out inside jokes, like lines from Shakespeare's plays. Anyone who enjoys Shakespeare will love this film. Production values are excellent, scenery and costumes lush, sound and score fine. The cast is more than up to the task of creating Elizabethan England. You'll find Gwyneth Paltrow a wonder. What a delight to find a young American actress, aside from Meryl Streep, who can handle an English accent convincingly. I rarely buy films on DVD, but I had to own this one.
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