Monday, December 4, 2017

Best Picture 1998: Shakespeare in Love

When you think of the legendary William Shakespeare you think first of Romeo and Juliet. You don't think of Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter. I am sure that everyone has never even heard of that play before. Shakespeare is writing this play for a local theater and is have a bit or writer block. Even though the play is not finished he goes start auditions for Romeo. Viola, a young woman who is head over heels in love with Shakespeare's work, dresses up as a boy and auditions for the role. When he wants more information from her she runs away back to her home. In trying to search for the boy Shakespeare finds that young woman and falls in love with her. They more time they spend together he finds inspiration for his play. He starts to base the play off of their love story and changes it from Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter to Romeo and Juliet. The reasoning behind this change is because Viola is engaged to be married to another man and has been told not to go to the theater and their story as they know it will not end happily. 

Miramax's incredibly fictional story of Shakespeare in Love is an entertaining story. It's funny dramatic and light hearted. It won seven Academy Awards that year. The top prize went to them over: PolyGram's Elizabeth, Miramax's own Life is Beautiful, DreamWorks' Saving Private Ryan, and 20th Century Fox' The Thin Red Line. 

This was a good film. It was sweet and entertaining but I am not sure if it was really better than Saving Private Ryan or Life is Beautiful. This is one of those times when you want to say that the Academy made a mistake somewhere. Don't get me wrong good film but I wouldn't say one of the best. 

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