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97 of 101 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant Cast and Direction Shed New Light on Shakespeare, November 21, 1998
By A Customer
Trevor Nunn's adaptation of "Twelfth Night" is a masterpiece of insight and nuance. Instead of simply playing up the obvious slapstick of this gender-bending comedy of mistaken identity, Nunn highlights the dark undertones of the plot which yield surprising depth and poignancy. Those familiar with the play will notice some alterations in the original text, but those who are new to Shakespeare will thank Mr. Nunn for making the story easier to follow and a pleasure to behold. For example, when Duke Orsino (Toby Stephens) utters the famous opening line of the play, "If music be the food of love, play on," ten minutes have already elapsed. But what takes place in those ten minutes sets up the plot beautifully and brings the characters to life.The story centers around two twins, Viola (Imogen Stubbs in a star-making performance) and Sebastian (Stephen Makintosh), who are shipwrecked and separated at sea, each fearing the other is dead. Viola washes up on the shore of a hostile country and disguises herself in her brother's clothes to avoid capture and keep his memory alive. The other two main characters, Olivia (Helena Bonham Carter), and Orsino (Toby Stephens), are similarly troubled. Olivia mourns her own brother's recent death and Orsino suffers passionate unrequited love for Olivia, who refuses to see him. Viola's male alter ego, Cesario, winds up in Orsino's court, becomes his best friend, and (here's the rub) romantic emissary to Olivia. What follows is a hilarious and poignant farce in which Olivia falls in love with Orsino's messenger, Cesario (Viola) who, under her disguise, is desperately in love with Orsino. Meanwhile, mischievous members of Olivia's household trick her arrogant butler, Malvolio (a brilliant Nigel Hawthorne), into believing that Olivia loves him, and another jealous suitor, the hapless Sir Andrew Agucheek (Nigel Grant), challenges Cesario to a duel. Through it all, the wry fool, Feste (Ben Kingsley), penetrates the confusion with a dry wit, a calming presence, and a surprisingly good singing voice(!). When Sebastian, a "dead ringer" for Cesario (Viola), finally arrives on the scene, the confusion rises to a fever pitch that only Shakespeare could unravel. Trevor Nunn has assembled a brilliant cast led by the astonishingly versatile Imogen Stubbs. As Viola/Cesario, Stubbs gives a richly nuanced performance which ranges from deep pathos to antic comedy. It's a shame that this intelligent, multi-faceted actress (who previously appeared in "Sense and Sensibility") doesn't get top billing for the film. This is not to say that the actress who does, Helena Bonham Carter, isn't fabulous in her own right. Ms. Carter displays prodigious comic talents in "Twelfth Night" and surely has the most expressive eyebrows in cinema. Her reaction to Sebastian's arrival is itself almost worth the price of admission. Ben Kingsley infuses the role of Feste with great humanity and warmth, and Toby Stephens is a handsome, noble Orsino. The cinematography is beautiful and Shaun Davey's musical score is a delight. In a play where Shakespeare included so many songs, Davey contributes music that fits perfectly with the Victorian setting of Nunn's adaptation. The way in which Nunn uses Feste's final song to tie up the loose ends of the plot is but one of the many little touches that make this "Twelfth Night" a joy to watch again and again.
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