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Shakespeare in Love: A Screenplay

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Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard wrote the screenplay of Shakespeare in Love. The film is marvellous and so powerful that no one can resist that love drama. The story of Romeo and Juliet is itself so frightfully emotional that no one can resist the charm of the tragedy and the pain of the love story. So many artists, in so many genres and arts, have tried themselves at adapting this story, this play, this tragedy to their stages or screens or canvasses, and all have been inspired so deeply by Shakespeare's story that Romeo and Juliet have become a true galaxy of masterpieces and stars. The latest ever produced is Shakespeare in Love and the screenplay is richer, more poignant and freer than the images of the film. The screenplay is enriched with stage directions that are so brilliant, so precious that the text, the dialogue, what is going to become the words of the actors, is enhanced and beautified by them. After a while we don't even know what is the gem and what is the golden bed that carries the gem. The screenplay is by itself a work of art, a masterpiece, and the film, if you watch it again afterwards, finds tremendous new meanings and undeemable finesse in the recollections you may have kept of all those lines that are not said, that are not shown, that are at best translated into images, settings, flying visual impressions that the words of the stage directions anchor in your memory, your heart and your brain with delicate tendrils that cannot break anymore. Any lover of Shakespeare, any lover of literature, any lover of love dramas and hate tragedies must read that screenplay to see how laughter and tears can intermingle in an unbreakable alliance. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Universities of Paris, IX and II.

...particularly if you are one of those people who think Shakespeare is boring or too difficult (most of us remember the NIGHTMARE of getting through one play at school, right?). Well, kiss boredom goodbye, banish your nightmares and prepare for a TREAT! This is funny, intelligent, fast-paced and heartbreaking, all at the same time - rather like Shakespeare, in fact!

The movie was so great, and mostly on the strength of it's terrific script, so could this book be anything but a great read? I loved, absolutely LOVED this movie, went to see it four times and I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the video. This is very much worth the read, because there is just such a volume of literary and historical allusions that's its impossible to catch all of them at the theater, especially if you only see it once, since all you end up doing is trying to keep up with the plot, which moves at such excellent speed. Reading the screenplay allows you to catch many of the subtler jokes you may miss even upon repeated viewings. Thank you Shakespeare In Love! You have renewed my belief in the capability of the language of movies to be as meaningful and sublimely beautiful as any found in literature ("Love knows nothing of rank or riverbank! It will spark between a queen and the poor vagabond who plays the king, and their love should be minded by each, for love denied blights the soul we owe to God!") (Viola as Thomas: ....Tell me how you love her, Will. Will: Like a sickness and its cure together. Viola as Thomas: Yes, like rain and sun, like cold and heat. (collecting herself) Is your lady beautiful? Since I have come from the country I have not seen her close. Tell me, is she beautiful? Will: Oh, if I could write the beauty of her eyes! I was born to look in them and know myself. Viola as Thomas: And her lips? Will: Oh Thomas, her lips! The early morning rose would wither on the branch if it could feel envy!") Etc.

Stoppard and Norman have interwoven a screenplay worthy of it's phenomenal acclaim. It was easily the finest and wittiest montage of iambic pentametre, puns, and one-liners I have ever experienced . . . especially on screen. Bravo once again to one of the finest dramatists of this century! Believe me, like the show, I could . . .GO ON!

Never before have I read a screenplay that was so full of life, warmth and radiating humour. The overall impact of this book can possibly only be overrated by the movie itself due to the wonderful acting of Joseph Fiennes, who fills Shakespeare with new life and meaning. So if you watch only one movie a year, make it this one and be prepared to fall with Shakespeare as much as I did!

I'm a senior in high school, and this film is like no other. This is one of the most brilliant films I've ever seen. The actors fit their parts perfectly. The sets and costumes are beautiful. I thought Saving Private Ryan was a shoe-in for best film, but after seeing this, I forgot about it. You must own this if you love the movie.

To be frank, I've seen the movie more times than I'd like to admit. I was going to give this book four stars based on the movie (the movie was excellent, but not the year's best, even if it is my preferred one), but that wouldn't be honest. This review is about the screenplay, not the movie. Besides, the best part of the movie is the script, anyway. Boastful, light-hearted, and delightful, this romp plays around with you, targeting you with its acid wit. It is also completely fictional, so don't expect much truth in it, even if the background and some of the history is real (including the subtle fact that Shakespeare really didn't have his own stories, with exception to two of his plays). There was no Viola, nor was there a Lord Wessex. This script is not to be taken seriously. But even if you are serious, you'll find yourself defrosting around the edges by the time you flip to page two.

"Shakespeare In Love" is one of my favorite movies of all time. Everything about the movie was brilliant--acting, screenplay, customes, etc. I'm a college student who has had a year of in-depth Shakespeare courses and I *know* it is fiction but it was the best kind of fiction--one that made you love the characters even more and want to re-read the plays for years to come. I loved all the inside jokes.

How can anyone dislike this film and screenplay? Perhaps the information wasn't all 100%accuarate, but writers and moviemakers often use creative license when producing a film with such a historic main character.

This movie was worthy of a best picture nod, perhaps not as much as Life Is Beautiful, and should be considered a classic in centuries to come. You would have to be completely dense to not like what this movie stands for--love at first sight.

As for the homosexuality of Shakespeare--did anyone ever personally ask him about his sexual preferance? Even if he was homosexual--who cares--THIS IS A MOVIE!

And a great one at that!

Great movie. Fun to see and HEAR. Very refreshing to watch a highly entertaining movie for educated adults. FYI to reader from Tenafly - ROMEO AND JULIET was written in 1596, TWELFTH NIGHT in 1600. The only KNOWN facts about Shakespeare are his date of birth, his marriage to Anne Hathaway, the birth of his children, and his death. Besides, this was a movie not a documentary. Relax and enjoy.