Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Senteur As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Eric Stevenson Well, what can you really say about the first feature length film adaptation of one of the most famous stories of all time? The ageless classic of star crossed lovers comes to the big screen for the first time. There's very little to even say as everyone knows the story. Really, there's still spoilers here? There were no major changes from the original Shakespeare play. It figures, seeing as how it was the first of its kind. The atmosphere is quite good in this movie. All of the actors and actresses know their parts well.This version was just a tad over two hours long and the pacing was quite good. It's a shame I'm not familiar with any of the actors in this. Interesting bit of trivia. When Juliet says, "Wherefore Art Thou, Romeo?" she is not asking where Romeo is. She is actually declaring the fact that his name is Romeo. As the member of a rival family, she wishes it were something else. As it took place in the same time period, it's about as authentic as you could want. ***

caymancic anything with LH and I am happy. First leading man I had a crush on.Does anyone know the name of the music that Juliet makes her entrance. Not the dance or the love theme. the one the troupe of little boys sing. In my head and making me nuts.Anyway, it was a big movie. Not that fond on NS but she does well. How do you fit WS in a hour and a half? Worth watching. Besides until the FZ film R & J were never played by youths. Felt a mere youth could not find the emotional range. bla bla bla Love them both and plan on buying the black and white version.enjoyHollywood did not make great films about great plays very often. caydj

hcoursen This film has to be seen for what it does well. Zeffirelli puts his young actors (Hussey and Whiting) against an opulent renaissance background. And that treatment -- along with Michael York's sneering Tybalt -- is why one would watch that film. Castellani dwarfs his actors (Harvey and Shentall) with the architecture of Verona, but Shentall refuses to be crushed and delivers an endearing performance. Luhrmann places his actors (de Caprio and Danes) in the vivid swirl of Mexico City, a place of fabulous wealth and deepest poverty. The lovers race to their doom in a film that captures the rhythms of the script, for all of the ineptitude of the actors. Cukor's black-and-white photography is superb. Look, for example, at Romeo's approach past a reflecting pool to Juliet's balcony. It is wonderfully realized. So what if Juliet's balcony looks like a crow's nest on a battleship? This is a film to be enjoyed for the wordless sequences that the camera creates for us.

thespian57 I found the stars too old for their roles. I suppose this started the trend of over agers playing teenagers (remember Grease? or more to the point, west side story?) The only person I found to look close to the age Shakespeare had in mind was Reginald Denny. The acting was OK. I loved Barrymore's Mercutio. Someone asked why he had not played Romeo given his penchant for playing the Lover. Barrymore replied "for two reasons dear boy...Juliet, and Mercutio". Barrymore was correct in that Juliet is the stronger of the two leads, and Mercutio of course is the most colorful of the supporting players. Basil Rathbone plays himself naturally, a calculating villain of course. Norma Shearer gives the strength to Juliet that Leslie Howard Lacks in Romeo.Barrymore was by the time of this movie considered to be washed up in Hollywood. He gave one more creditable performance in 1939 in "the great man votes", and one more comdeic performance in "midnight" after Romeo and Juliet. His role in this film is the standout performance. For the ladies, my nod goes to Edna Mae Oliver, the starchy character actress as Juliet's nurse.the scenery is too gaudy even for Shakespeare's standards. The costumes, however are a delight. This movie, filmed before Irving Thalberg's death was released after he died.