Romeo + Juliet

William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Baz Luhrmann
Screenplay by	Craig Pearce Baz Luhrmann
Produced by	Baz Luhrmann Gabriella Martinelli Ridley Scott Tony Scott
Starring	Leonardo DiCaprio Claire Danes Brian Dennehy John Leguizamo Pete Postlethwaite Paul Sorvino Diane Venora
Cinematography	Donald M. McAlpine
Edited by	Jill Bilcock
Music by	Nellee Hooper Marius de Vries (Composers) Craig Armstrong (Composer, orchestrator, and conductor)
Production companies	Paramount Pictures Columbia Pictures Bazmark Productions Scott Free Productions
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	November 1, 1996 (1996-11-01)
Running time	120 minutes
Country	Template:Film US
Language	English
Budget	$14.5 million
Box office	$147,554,999

William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet is a 1996 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's romantic tragedy of the same name. It was directed by Baz Luhrmann and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the leading roles.

The film is an abridged modernization of Shakespeare's play. While it retains the original Shakespearean dialogue, the Montagues and the Capulets are represented as warring business empires and swords are replaced by guns (manufactured by 'Sword').

Some of the names were also changed. Lord and Lady Montague and Lord and Lady Capulet were given first names (as opposed to the Shakespeare original where their first names are never mentioned), Friar Lawrence became Father Lawrence, and Prince Escalus was renamed Captain Prince.

Additionally, a few plot details were shifted; most notably, Juliet awakens just as Romeo poisons himself and the two see each other alive before he dies and she commits suicide.

In the fictional modern-day location "Verona Beach", Florida,^[1] the Capulets and the Montagues are arch-rivals.^[2] The animosity of the older generation — Fulgencio and Gloria Capulet and Ted and Caroline Montague — is felt by their younger relatives. A gunfight between the Montague boys led by Benvolio, Romeo's cousin, and the Capulet boys led by Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, creates chaos in the city. The Chief of Police, Captain Prince, reprimands the families, warning them that if such behavior continues, their lives "shall pay the forfeit of the peace".

Dave Paris, son of the Governor and nominated "Bachelor of the Year", meets with Fulgencio to discuss marrying Fulgencio's daughter, Juliet, although Fulgencio believes her too young to wed. Nevertheless, he invites Paris to a party he is hosting. Gloria unsuccessfully tries convincing Juliet to accept Paris' proposal.

The Montague boys meet their friend, Mercutio, who has tickets to the Capulet party. Romeo takes an Ecstasy pill Mercutio gives him and they proceed to the Capulet mansion. The effects of the drug and the party overwhelm Romeo, who goes to the restroom. While admiring an aquarium, he sees Juliet. Tybalt spots Romeo and vows to kill him for invading his family's home, but Fulgencio stops him.

Romeo and Juliet sneak into an elevator and kiss. The nurse spots them when the doors open and drags Juliet away, while revealing that Romeo is a Montague. At the same time, Romeo realizes Juliet is a Capulet. Mercutio takes Romeo from the party, but he sneaks back to the mansion, hiding under Juliet’s balcony. Juliet emerges into the yard and proclaims her love for him before Romeo sneaks up behind her. Juliet is horrified that he risked death, but Romeo tells her he does not care whether he is caught. Knowing her nurse is looking for her, Juliet tells him that if he sends word by the following day, she will be his. Romeo visits Father Lawrence, telling him he wants to marry Juliet. He agrees to marry the pair. Romeo passes the word onto Juliet’s nurse and the lovers are married.

Tybalt encounters Mercutio just as Romeo arrives. Romeo attempts to make peace, but Tybalt assaults him. Mercutio intervenes and batters Tybalt, about to shoot Tybalt when Romeo stops him. Tybalt slashes Mercutio with a shard of glass, killing him, but not before Mercutio curses the warring houses. Angry that Mercutio, neither a Capulet nor Montague, has been murdered, Romeo kills Tybalt.

Prince banishes Romeo from the city. Romeo, hiding with Father Lawrence, claims he would rather die than be banished. The nurse tells Romeo that Juliet is waiting for him. At the Capulet mansion Juliet prays, horrified by what has happened. When Romeo climbs over her balcony, she kisses him and they have sex. Fulgencio decides Juliet will marry Paris.

The next morning, Romeo narrowly escapes as Juliet's mother tells her she has been promised to Paris. She refuses to marry, so her father threatens to throw her out. Her mother and nurse insist it would be in her best interest to marry Paris. Juliet sees Father Lawrence, imploring him to help her and threatening to commit suicide. The priest proposes she fake death and be put in the Capulet vault to awaken 24 hours later. Romeo will be told of the plot, sneak into the vault, and once reunited the two can travel to Mantua. He gives her the poison necessary to make her seem dead. After saying goodnight to her mother, Juliet drinks the posion. She is found in the morning, declared dead and placed in the vault. Balthasar learns Juliet is dead and tells Romeo, who was not home when the messenger arrived to tell him of the plan.

Romeo returns to Verona, where he buys poison. Father Lawrence learns that Romeo has no idea Juliet is alive. Romeo enters the church where Juliet lies. Juliet awakens as Romeo takes the poison. The two kiss before Romeo dies from the poison. Juliet picks up Romeo's gun and shoots herself in the head, killing her instantly. The two lovers are discovered in each other's arms. Prince condemns both families whose feuding led to such a tragedy. Coroners take the bodies away as both families unite and make peace.

While some parts of the film were shot in Miami, most of the film was shot in Mexico City and Veracruz. For instance, the Capulet mansion was set at Chapultepec Castle while the ballroom was built on Stage One of Churubusco Studios; and the church is Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Del Valle neighborhood.^[3]

Natalie Portman had been chosen for the role of Juliet, but after production began, it was felt that the footage looked as though DiCaprio was "molesting" her.^[4] Eventually, Luhrmann agreed that the age difference between the two actors was too great. Filming was halted to find another actress for the part.

The film grossed USD$147,554,998 worldwide at the box office^[5] on a US$14.5 million budget. The film premiered November 1, 1996 in the United States and Canada in 1,276 theaters and grossed $11.1 million its opening weekend, ranking #1 at the box office. It went on to gross $46.3 million in the United States and Canada.^[6]

Critics gave the film generally positive reviews. According to the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 70% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 53 reviews.^[7] However, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times disliked the film, giving it 2 stars and saying, "This production was a very bad idea ... I have never seen anything remotely approaching the mess that the new punk version of Romeo & Juliet makes of Shakespeare's tragedy." Ebert wrote that Pete Postlethwaite and Miriam Margolyes were "the only actors in the film who seem completely at home" and said, "In one grand but doomed gesture, writer-director Baz Luhrmann has made a film that (a) will dismay any lover of Shakespeare, and (b) bore anyone lured into the theater by promise of gang wars, MTV-style."^[8] James Berardinelli, a critic of Shakespeare plays adapted into film writes, "Ultimately, no matter how many innovative and unconventional flourishes it applies, the success of any adaptation of a Shakespeare play is determined by two factors: the competence of the director and the ability of the main cast members. Luhrmann, Danes, and DiCaprio place this Romeo and Juliet in capable hands."^[9]

Leonardo DiCaprio won Favorite Actor and Claire Danes won Favorite Actress in a Romance at the 1997 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards.^[10] At the 1997 MTV Movie Awards, Danes won Best Female Performance. DiCaprio was nominated for Best Male Performance, and DiCaprio and Danes were both nominated for Best Kiss and Best On-Screen Duo.^[10] At the 51st BAFTA Film Awards, director Baz Luhrmann won Best Direction. Luhrmann and Mary Haile won the Best Adapted Screenplay. Nellee Hooper won the Best Film Music. And Catherine Martin won the Best Production Design. The film was also nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound.^[10]

The film won several awards.^[10] At the 47th Berlin International Film Festival in 1997, DiCaprio won the Silver Bear for Best Actor and Luhrmann won the Alfred Bauer Award.^[11] Luhrmann was also nominated for the Golden Bear Award for Best Picture.^[10] At the 69th Academy Awards, Catherine Martin and Brigitte Broch were nominated for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration.^[10]

Track listing

1. "#1 Crush" – Garbage
2. "Local God" – Everclear
3. "Angel" – Gavin Friday
4. "Pretty Piece of Flesh" – One Inch Punch
5. "Kissing You (Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet)" – Des'ree
6. "Whatever (I Had a Dream)" – Butthole Surfers
7. "Lovefool" – The Cardigans
8. "Young Hearts Run Free" – Kym Mazelle
9. "Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)" – Quindon Tarver
10. "To You I Bestow" – Mundy
11. "Talk Show Host" – Radiohead
12. "Little Star" – Stina Nordenstam
13. "You and Me Song" – The Wannadies

Notes

Bibliography

• Lehmann, Courtney. "Strictly Shakespeare? Dead Letters, Ghostly Fathers, and the Cultural Pathology of Authorship in Baz Luhrmann's 'William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet'." Shakespeare Quarterly. 52.2 (Summer 2001) pp. 189–221.

Wikiquote has quotations related to Romeo + Juliet.

• Romeo + Juliet at IMDb
• Romeo + Juliet at AllMovie
• Romeo + Juliet at Box Office Mojo
• Romeo + Juliet at Rotten Tomatoes