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Shakespeare in Love

  • 1998
  • R
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
239K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,919
323
Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes in Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Trailer for Shakespeare In Love: Blu-Ray
Play trailer1:42
14 Videos
99+ Photos
Period DramaTragic RomanceComedyDramaHistoryRomance

The world's greatest-ever playwright, William Shakespeare, is young, out of ideas, and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.The world's greatest-ever playwright, William Shakespeare, is young, out of ideas, and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.The world's greatest-ever playwright, William Shakespeare, is young, out of ideas, and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.

  • Director
    • John Madden
  • Writers
    • Marc Norman
    • Tom Stoppard
  • Stars
    • Gwyneth Paltrow
    • Joseph Fiennes
    • Geoffrey Rush
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    239K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,919
    323
    • Director
      • John Madden
    • Writers
      • Marc Norman
      • Tom Stoppard
    • Stars
      • Gwyneth Paltrow
      • Joseph Fiennes
      • Geoffrey Rush
    • 816User reviews
    • 121Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 7 Oscars
      • 65 wins & 87 nominations total

    Videos14

    Shakespeare in Love
    Trailer 1:42
    Shakespeare in Love
    Shakespeare in Love
    Trailer 0:26
    Shakespeare in Love
    Shakespeare in Love
    Trailer 0:26
    Shakespeare in Love
    Shakespeare in Love: Blu-Ray
    Clip 0:31
    Shakespeare in Love: Blu-Ray
    Shakespeare in Love: Blu-Ray
    Clip 0:51
    Shakespeare in Love: Blu-Ray
    Shakespeare in Love: Blu-Ray
    Clip 1:10
    Shakespeare in Love: Blu-Ray
    Shakespeare In Love: The Foundation Of Shakespeare In Love (Bonus Clip)
    Clip 1:08
    Shakespeare In Love: The Foundation Of Shakespeare In Love (Bonus Clip)

    Photos197

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    Top cast63

    Edit
    Gwyneth Paltrow
    Gwyneth Paltrow
    • Viola De Lesseps
    Joseph Fiennes
    Joseph Fiennes
    • Will Shakespeare
    Geoffrey Rush
    Geoffrey Rush
    • Philip Henslowe
    Tom Wilkinson
    Tom Wilkinson
    • Hugh Fennyman
    Steven O'Donnell
    Steven O'Donnell
    • Lambert
    Tim McMullan
    Tim McMullan
    • Frees
    • (as Tim McMullen)
    Steven Beard
    • Makepeace, the Preacher
    Antony Sher
    Antony Sher
    • Dr Moth
    Patrick Barlow
    • Will Kempe
    Martin Clunes
    Martin Clunes
    • Richard Burbage
    Sandra Reinton
    • Rosaline
    Simon Callow
    Simon Callow
    • Tilney, Master of the Revels
    Judi Dench
    Judi Dench
    • Queen Elizabeth
    Bridget McConnell
    • Lady in Waiting
    • (as Bridget McConnel)
    Georgie Glen
    Georgie Glen
    • Lady in Waiting
    Nicholas Boulton
    Nicholas Boulton
    • Henry Condell
    Imelda Staunton
    Imelda Staunton
    • Nurse
    Colin Firth
    Colin Firth
    • Lord Wessex
    • Director
      • John Madden
    • Writers
      • Marc Norman
      • Tom Stoppard
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews816

    7.1238.8K
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    Featured reviews

    10Smells_Like_Cheese

    What ever happened to "And they lived happily ever after"?

    Shakespeare in Love, the best picture winner of 1998, I know this film receives a lot of bashing due to that win. I believe that also Saving Private Ryan was nominated, which it was also an incredible film. To be honest, I couldn't pick between the two, because both were wonderful films and completely different genres. But anyways, back onto Shakespeare in Love. Everything about this film was perfect and I think that's why it received so many Oscar nods and wins, I mean, the costumes, the acting, the sets, the story was absolutely terrific and wonderful to watch. John Madden knew what he was doing and shot this film so beautifully. The cast also seemed to really enjoy doing this film and worked so well together. Gwyneth Paltrow won best actress for this film and she did a terrific job portraying Viola, she was so elegant and touching. The love story between her and William Shakespeare is truly a memorable one.

    Viola is a first class lady who is about to be married to Lord Wessex, a man who she does not love. Her heart belongs to poetry, mainly the poetry of William Shakespeare. William has lost all hope though when his heart is broken by his girlfriend and he is writing a comedy called Romeo and Ethyl, the pirate's daughter. Since the plays are only played by an all male cast, Viola dresses up as a man and auditions for his new play. She receives the part of Romeo; later that night at a big party her father is throwing, she meets Shakespeare and it is love at first sight. When William finds out the truth that she is the boy who loves his poetry, he doesn't care, they have a passionate affair and continue on with the play as if she were a boy. But the plot thickens and Viola knows that she must go back to her life of an unwanted love and marriage.

    Shakespeare in Love is without a doubt a fine film and should have a higher rating in my book. I don't understand why so many people hate this film, I thought it was extremely clever and witty. It had a beautiful love story, it was funny, it was sad; there's nothing wrong with this film, but hey, everyone's a critic, right? I highly recommend Shakespeare in Love, just trust me, if you enjoy Shakespeare and his poetry, I'm sure you'll love this film. Just give it a chance, who cares about the Oscars? They make mistakes at times, but Shakespeare in Love is a great movie and I enjoyed watching it.

    10/10
    chesirecatgrin55

    Wonderful!

    In the movie Shakespeare in Love, a young and promising William Shakespeare is finding it difficult to write a new play. He feels he has lost his gift for stringing together eloquent sentences and yearns for some sort of inspiration to rid him of his horrible writer's block. William then meets the lovely and royal Viola, who is craving to be an actress. She becomes his muse, as well as the lead `actor' in his new play Romeo and Juliet, as they weave a tangled love affair. This burning passion they feel can only end with separation when Viola is forced to marry Lord Wessex and move to America. This film is a wonderful combination of romance, comedy, and drama that attempts a new perspective of the classic Romeo and Juliet story. It employs clever dialogue, beautiful scenes, and wonderful characterization to entertain the viewer. The film's Renaissance dialogue is true to its time period. With such an excellent script, William comes across as the master of speech that he really is. Some parts of the movie are purely funny as almost to parody the seriousness of Romeo and Juliet. Other parts intertwine the actual lines from the play, such as the multiple bedroom scenes between Will and Viola, to provide a unique and obvious parallel between it and the movie. When Will quotes `Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?' to Viola, this provides not only a sentimental scene but actual words from Shakespeare to add to the historical content of this film. This film has an interesting twist on the tragic tale because Will becomes not just a writer pouring out the lines for pay, but a man pouring out his heart in true love. At the end of the movie, Romeo and Juliet is presented as though you were actually sitting on the dirt floor of the playhouse. You see the play through the eyes of a person in England during the late 1500's, except by this time the lead is not longer Romeo and Juliet but literarily and symbolically Will and Viola. The setting of this film is very well done, and the playhouses, taverns, and elegant houses convey the feeling of Renaissance England. The costumes, including Queen Elizabeth's glamorous dresses and Viola's body-shaping corset, are seemingly accurate. (I would have hated wearing those clothes!) The scenes between Will and Viola are rarely anything but love scenes, and they, like their counterpart scenes in Romeo and Juliet, mostly happen at night. This adds to the mystery and forbidden feeling of the movie. The characterization of this film was splendidly carried out. I could not help but fall in love with the beautiful emotion that gushed from Will and Viola ( Will is extremely good looking by the way). When the couple was separated in the end, I felt like a terrible wrong had been committed. The character of Queen Elizabeth, with her snide comments and all-knowing attitude, was a comical representation of a serious position that kept me completely entertained. Christopher Marlowe also provides a wonderful character that conveys `real person' qualities of competition between two famous playwrights. I found this film to be completely engaging from start to finish, but I would not recommend it to everyone. I believe it could truly be given the title of `chick flick' by some viewers despite its fight scenes and comedic devices. The viewer will gain a knowledge of the Renaissance period and its characteristics while also getting the feeling of knowing the great William Shakespeare, however inaccurate the description of Will may be. I feel that now I appreciate the play Romeo and Juliet with a new sense of understanding that can only come from looking at an old tale in a new light.
    BratBoy-2

    One of the best of 1998 and deserving of that Oscar!

    Every so often a movie comes along that is literate, intelligent, and has magic and charm to spare. Movies like these affirm our belief that film is a terrific art form. Shakespeare In Love is one such movie.

    The movie chronicles Shakespeare's writer's block while trying to write a play entitled Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter. In desperate need of a muse, Shakespeare finds one in the beautiful noblewoman Viola de Lesseps who has a desire to be an actor at a time when women are forbidden from performing. Shakespeare and Viola fall in love thus inspiring Romeo and Juliet.

    As Shakespeare, Joseph Fiennes steps out of his brother Ralph's shadow and proves what a dashing and charismatic leading man he can be. Fiennes has a Peter O'Toole quality about him and should become a big star. While his portrayal may be nothing like Shakespeare, he makes us believe in romance Shakespeare's woes.

    Gwyneth Paltrow is stunning as Viola de Lesseps. She throws herself into the part and handles an English accent very well as she did in Sliding Doors and Emma. Viola is the heart and soul of the movie, she is the reason for Romeo and Juliet's existence and Paltrow truly makes us believe in romance.

    The supporting cast is all terrific. Geoffrey Rush is amusing as the theater owner Henslowe. Ben Affleck is truly surprising a hammy actor, with good material, Affleck is quite a capable actor. Judi Dench and Queen Elizabeth and Rupert Everett as Christopher Marlowe round out the cast with fine performances.

    The story is quite entertaining. Screenwriters invest the script with a healthy portion of Romeo and Juliet's dialogue and Shakespeare's sonnets that only make the movie more amusing. The story of Romeo and Juliet is familiar to us all, and the movie parallels the story in surprising and charming ways.

    The most ingenious aspect of the movie is how elements of Shakespeare's plays have become so ingrained in our movies, television, and theater, even though they were cliches in Shakespeare's time. This movie actually manages to breathe life into all the old cliches thanks to a wonderful exuberance and a fantastic cast.

    An intelligent movie that actually rewards the audience for knowing something about Shakespeare, Shakespeare In Love is a treat from start to finish. It makes literacy look sexy and makes sexiness look mature, a feat most movies only hope to accomplish Grade:A+
    8sofyarozy89

    A Great Movie

    When my English teacher told the class that we would be watching "Shakespeare in Love" everyone groaned, me included. We all thought it would be another boring movie, but I along with many others was pleasantly surprised. Even though the movie didn't portray the actual life of William Shakespeare, it is a very interesting interpretation of what his life might have been like. Normally I am not a big fan of Gwenyth Paltrow, but she fulfilled the role of Viola De Lesseps very well. This movie, unlike many others I have been forced to watch in school, has not been a waste of time and has informed us more about the concepts and details that could not be seen just by reading the play. Overall I think I have gained a better understanding of Romeo and Juliet by watching "Shakespeare in Love".
    BB-15

    An Abundance of Riches

    A romantic comedy does not get much better than Shakespeare in Love. Here is a movie that captures the feel of England 400 years ago. It is romantic yet light. It is funny but is complex enough to provide enjoyment for fans of literature.

    The sets of England 400 years ago, the costumes and the character's makeup including their bad dental work were just right. You could almost smell those streets. The hero, Shakespeare, is excellently played by Joseph Fiennes. He is sympathetic but never pathetic. As for Gwyneth Paltrow, she shows her range from boyishness to radiance. This is the first film I have seen her in where I believed she could become a great actress. There is also a great supporting cast, especially Judi Dench, who all have good melodramatic and comic instincts.

    The film never plods. The screenplay is rich with romance, emotion and action. The plot weaves several stories and themes. You can enjoy it as a simple love story with some action and basic suspense about producing a play or you can get much deeper into movie's complex tapestry of ideas and in jokes. But most importantly the film's mood is always light and is never overblown (unlike another recent movie about unfulfilled love, Great Expectations).

    Deserving of its Oscar, this is simply a great film.

    Oscars Best Picture Winners, Ranked

    Oscars Best Picture Winners, Ranked

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter are married in real life, and in this movie, they played the same role. Staunton played the Nurse off-stage, and Carter played the nurse on-stage.
    • Goofs
      William Shakespeare/Romeo tends to Ned/Mercutio by kneeling to Mercutio's right, and, in doing so, violates the first "rule" of stage acting, which is to never hinder the audience's view of the stage or the actors.
    • Quotes

      Philip Henslowe: Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.

      Hugh Fennyman: So what do we do?

      Philip Henslowe: Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well.

      Hugh Fennyman: How?

      Philip Henslowe: I don't know. It's a mystery.

    • Alternate versions
      The Region 2 DVD contains some deleted scenes:
      • A different end sequence. Here the conversation between Will and Viola is shorter than in the final film. After Viola has left Burbage enters and stops Will from running after Viola. He also takes the 50 pounds and says "Welcome to the Chamberlain's Men". The scene where Lord Wessex's ship sinks is also different. Here we see that Viola survives the drowning and is washed ashore an unknown coast. There she asks two people where she is. Their reply is "This is America".
      • A slightly different version of the scene where Burbank and his men fight against Will and his actors in the theatre. The sequence is largely the same as the scene used in the final film but parts are shown from different angles. A small conversation between Fennyman and Henslowe is added where they discuss about business.
      • A small scene which takes place after Henslowe has announced the audition. Here the two actors John and James walk to the court to play witnesses. When they meet the other actors and hear that Will Shakespeare needs actors for his new play they follow them to the audition.
      • A deleted take where Tom Wilkinson announces that he will be playing the apothecary. To Rushs question "How does the comedy end?" Fiennes replys "By God, I wish I knew". Then Rush says "By God, if you do not, who does? Let us have pirates, clowns and a happy ending and you'll make Harvey Weinstein a happy man."
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Star Trek: Insurrection/Jack Frost/Shakespeare in Love/Psycho/The General (1998)
    • Soundtracks
      The Play & the Marriage
      (uncredited)

      Written by Stephen Warbeck

      Performed by Catherine Bott

      Conducted by Nick Ingman

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    FAQ21

    • How long is Shakespeare in Love?Powered by Alexa
    • was shakespeare's blue leather jacket actually historically accurate or from a different time period

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 8, 1999 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Shakespeare apasionado
    • Filming locations
      • Broughton Castle, Broughton, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England, UK(Great Hall, Middle Temple)
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Miramax
      • The Bedford Falls Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $100,317,794
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $224,012
      • Dec 13, 1998
    • Gross worldwide
      • $289,317,794
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 3 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1
      • 2.35 : 1

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