SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE 1998
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1999 Timothy Voon
1 out of 5 for shonky notions about a great poet
Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, Tom Wilkinson, Judi Dench. Screenplay: Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard. Producers: Donna Gigliotti, David Parfitt & Harvey Weinstein and Edward Zwick & Marc Norman. Director: John Madden
Don't let this movie fool you into believing the romantic noirs of William Shakespeare. No one will truly understand the heart and soul of this man except through his work, and this movie makes a vain attempt at that. Any moves to ‘glamorise' his life, which Hollywood has an annoying tendency to do, will only subtract from his achievement rather than expound on his greatness. This movie about his life, although well written, puts too much make-up on a man whose life was probably more pork and potatoes, rather than lobster and champagne.
Oh well, let's fantasise onwards an assume that he was a bit of a flirtatious play-write, who falls in love with a beautiful woman (Gwyneth Paltrow) and from her inspiration, several plays develop - ‘Romeo and Juliet', and ‘The Twelfth Night'. It is easier for me to believe that he had a wet dream and that's how all his plays develop, but please spare me all of this unnecessary melodrama. But I guess my version probably wouldn't draw a crowd or make a dollar on screen. So is there any justification in romanticising the man Shakespeare, when all we need to do is read his work in order to find his soul. I think not.
As for the Oscars were they deserved by this movie? I think not. In many aspects ‘Private Ryan' and ‘Life is Beautiful' were far superior movies, but one should never assume that this should be a criteria for winning an Oscar, as time and again, for reasons unexplained, an undeserving movie will win the accolade. Another sore point is the fact that Gwyneth won the best female lead, over a more polished Cate, but I guess if you go on enough about your grandfather dying and your nephew being hospitalised - people will start feeling sorry for you.
Timothy Voon
e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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