Shakespeare in Love (1998) John Madden   Shakespeare in Love poses an interesting questionwhat inspired William Shakespeare to write Romeo and Juliet, the greatest love story of all time? The film speculates that Shakespeare, miles from home (and from his wife) is smitten by a wealthy, free-spirited young woman, who is betrothed to a snobby lord. William and his love embark upon a secret (though doomed) affair, from which the playwright draws inspiration (in between accepting plot suggestions from friends and colleagues) for the play. Of course the truth is rather less exciting. Romeo and Juliet was not inspired by Shakespeare's adulterous bed-hopping, but based on a 1562 poem "The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet" by Arthur Brooke (which itself was based on an old Italian folk tale). Nevertheless, Shakespeare in Love, for all its liberties with fact, is a thoroughly enjoyable romp. Not since Amadeus has a historic film managed to flaunt the preposterous with such buoyant and appealing bravura. In the role of Shakespeare, Joseph Fiennes is aptly cast, looking the very image of the Chandos portrait of the playwright (albeit with more hair). Whether William Shakespeare was as dashing and virile as Fiennes plays him will never be known, but Fiennes makes one want very much to believe he was. Cast opposite Fiennes, as Shakespeare's love, is Gwyneth Paltrow. Paltrow makes an effort, but she is ultimately too delicate to be convincing as so feisty a character. Fiennes and Paltrow also have negligible chemistry together. Their love scenes, while nicely lit and choreographed, are passionless. The performance which most stands out however, is that of Dame Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth. Such is Dench's convincing immersion into the role, that one soon forgets there is even an actor on-screen. Dench is understated, yet convincingly portrays the fiery monarch with hard-nosed realism, and her scenes are unquestionably the best in the film. Some of the screenplay's in-jokes and esoteric references are a tad contrived, as if to create an "elite" level to the film which only the initiated can appreciate. Ironically, these touches only make the film more predictable (for example, it becomes obvious early on that Twelfth Night is going to figure somehow into the finale). Where the film is far more effectiveand humorousis when it deals with the actual production of the play. The copious difficultiesfinancial, artistic and interpersonalprovide the film's best moments and are a sobering reminder of just how little mounting a theatrical production has changed to this day. By no means a classic, Shakespeare in Love is nevertheless a grandly entertaining costume piece, and an affectionate tribute to William Shakespeare and his work. —Paul Andrew MacLean

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