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Twelfth Night

Original title: Twelfth Night or What You Will
  • 19961996
  • PGPG
  • 2h 14m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Helena Bonham Carter in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
Theatrical Trailer from Fine Line
Play trailer1:59
1 Video
23 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Romance

Shakespeare's comedy of gender confusion, in which a girl disguises herself as a man to be near the count she adores, only to be pursued by the woman he loves.Shakespeare's comedy of gender confusion, in which a girl disguises herself as a man to be near the count she adores, only to be pursued by the woman he loves.Shakespeare's comedy of gender confusion, in which a girl disguises herself as a man to be near the count she adores, only to be pursued by the woman he loves.

IMDb RATING
7.1/10
6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Trevor Nunn
  • Writers
    • William Shakespeare(by)
    • Trevor Nunn(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Helena Bonham Carter
    • Richard E. Grant
    • Imogen Stubbs
Top credits
  • Director
    • Trevor Nunn
  • Writers
    • William Shakespeare(by)
    • Trevor Nunn(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Helena Bonham Carter
    • Richard E. Grant
    • Imogen Stubbs
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 72User reviews
    • 25Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Twelfth Night
    Trailer 1:59
    Twelfth Night

    Photos23

    Helena Bonham Carter, Toby Stephens, and Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter, Toby Stephens, and Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter, Toby Stephens, and Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter, Richard E. Grant, Ben Kingsley, Mel Smith, Toby Stephens, and Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter, Toby Stephens, and Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter, Toby Stephens, and Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter, Toby Stephens, and Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter, Richard E. Grant, Ben Kingsley, Mel Smith, Toby Stephens, and Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter, Richard E. Grant, Ben Kingsley, Mel Smith, Toby Stephens, and Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter, Richard E. Grant, Ben Kingsley, Mel Smith, Toby Stephens, and Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter and Mel Smith in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)
    Helena Bonham Carter in Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Helena Bonham Carter
    Helena Bonham Carter
    • Oliviaas Olivia
    Richard E. Grant
    Richard E. Grant
    • Sir Andrew Aguecheekas Sir Andrew Aguecheek
    Imogen Stubbs
    Imogen Stubbs
    • Violaas Viola
    Steven Mackintosh
    Steven Mackintosh
    • Sebastianas Sebastian
    Nicholas Farrell
    Nicholas Farrell
    • Antonioas Antonio
    Sidney Livingstone
    • Captainas Captain
    • (as Sid Livingstone)
    Ben Kingsley
    Ben Kingsley
    • Festeas Feste
    James Walker
    • Priestas Priest
    Nigel Hawthorne
    Nigel Hawthorne
    • Malvolioas Malvolio
    Mel Smith
    Mel Smith
    • Sir Toby Belchas Sir Toby Belch
    Imelda Staunton
    Imelda Staunton
    • Mariaas Maria
    Toby Stephens
    Toby Stephens
    • Orsinoas Orsino
    Alan Mitchell
    Alan Mitchell
    • Valentineas Valentine
    Peter Gunn
    Peter Gunn
    • Fabianas Fabian
    Tim Bentinck
    Tim Bentinck
    • First Officeras First Officer
    Rod Culbertson
    • Second Officeras Second Officer
    Jeff Hall
    • Gardeneras Gardener
    David Burke
    David Burke
    • Party Guestas Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    • Director
      • Trevor Nunn
    • Writers
      • William Shakespeare(by)
      • Trevor Nunn(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Brother and sister Viola and Sebastian, who are not only very close but look a great deal alike, are in a shipwreck, and both think the other dead. When she lands in a foreign country, Viola dresses as her brother and adopts the name Cesario, becoming a trusted friend and confidante to the Count Orsino. Orsino is madly in love with the lady Olivia, who is in mourning due to her brother's recent death, which she uses as an excuse to avoid seeing the count, whom she does not love. He sends Cesario to do his wooing, and Olivia falls in love with the disguised maiden. Things get more complicated in this bittersweet Shakespeare comedy when a moronic nobleman, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and a self-important servant, Malvolio, get caught up in the schemes of Olivia's uncle, the obese, alcoholic Sir Toby, who leads each to believe Olivia loves him. As well, Sebastian surfaces in the area, and of course there is Feste, the wise fool, around to keep everything in perspective and to marvel, like we the audience, at the amazing things happening all around. —Gary Dickerson <slug@mail.utexas.edu>
    • love triangle
    • female protagonist
    • dance party ending
    • timeframe 1800s
    • timeframe 1890s
    • 86 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Before Priscilla crossed the desert, Wong Foo met Julie Newmar, and the Birdcage was unlocked, there was...
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG for mild thematic elements
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Helena Bonham Carter and Imelda Staunton appeared in the Harry Potter film franchise with Toby Stephens' mother, Dame Maggie Smith.
    • Goofs
      Feste's guitar playing for Cesario (Viola) and Orsino does not match up with the soundtrack.
    • Quotes

      Malvolio: Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Associate/High School High/Normal Life/Twelfth Night/Trees Lounge (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      O Mistress Mine
      Music by Shaun Davey

      Words by William Shakespeare

      Sung by Ben Kingsley

    User reviews72

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Excellent
    Reading other reviews of 'Twelfth Night' it is interesting to see that some people think it is a slow film and others quite fast. It gripped me from the opening gust of rain on a dark night to Feste dancing off into the sunset. Grappling with Shakespeare is a perilous activity but I thought Trevor Nunn brought out the comedy and the emotions of the story well. It is a film to make you smile at the follies of mankind but also their charm.

    Ben Kingsley is amazing. I've never seen Feste played that way but it seemed perfect. Imogen Stubbs does the comedy and the drama equally well. The scene with Orsino in the bathtub is a stock one but she does it beautifully, balancing the humour of the situation with the tenderness and the longing. Imelda Staunton brings unusual depth to the character of Maria. The rest of the cast are great too.

    The text of the play is changed around but not unnaturally so. The scene that cuts between Feste's song and Viola/Cesario and Orsino playing cards is wonderful, taking in eight of the characters and telling you more about them. The last act of the play is difficult to stage well but Nunn gives it a good shot.

    The Cornwall setting is lovely, the radiant sunshine, the green leaves and fine buildings are captured gorgeously by the cameras. I also liked the music very much and find some of the tunes quite hummable.

    Very enjoyable and worth seeing again and again.
    helpful•13
    4
    • henry-girling
    • May 29, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 25, 1996 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Ireland
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Twelfth Night or What You Will
    • Filming locations
      • Lanhydrock House, Bodmin, Cornwall, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Renaissance Films
      • BBC Films
      • Circus Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $588,621
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $33,451
      • Oct 27, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $588,621
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 14 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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