Act 3 scene 5 "Romeo and Juliet". Compare and contrast two film versions of this scene, saying which you prefer. Consider how effectively Shakespeare's play has been interpreted.

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Act 3 scene 5 “Romeo and Juliet”.  Compare and contrast two film versions of this scene, saying which you prefer.  Consider how effectively Shakespeare’s play has been interpreted.

The two versions I have studied are Franco Zeffirelli’s paramount film and Alvin Rakoff’s BBC version.  Both films were produced in the 1960s.  The BBC film is aimed at students studying the play but Zeffirelli’s version is aimed at a much wider cinema audience.  I think that it is the much larger budget and involvement of a world famous director that makes the paramount film much more successful.

        Zeffirelli’s version is well acted and the performance of Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting make the film seem more realistic.  The scene opens at dawn and the two lovers are in bed.  The camera gives a close up of their faces, which is very effective, because it emphasizes how young they are and how peaceful and contented they seem to be together.  There is a warm atmosphere in the room I think this is because there is pink filter on the camera lens, which also makes it look very romantic.  When the camera pans out from the two lovers we can see that the room is softly lit by early morning light.  The rosy glow suggests dawn, which it is supposed to be.  This film is more realistic than the BBC’s in the sense that both Romeo and Juliet are naked which implies that they are in love and have just spent a night of passion.

        Juliet tries to convince Romeo that it is not morning “wilt thou be gone?  It is not yet near day”.  Juliet is still half sleeping when she says this but then realises that it is morning and Romeo could be killed if found.  When the nurse comes to warn Juliet that “your Lady mother is coming to your chamber” she does not enter Juliet’s room, instead she remains outside.  This preserves the feeling of Romeo and Juliet not yet having their relationship spoiled by the outside world.  It also makes the warning seem more urgent, especially because she repeats the line.

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        When the scene opens, at first there is church music in the background, which fades into a bird song as a cue for Juliet’s line “it is the nightingale and not the lark”.  The music returns, at first solemn which I think is intended to remind you of their wedding ceremony the day before.  Then at the point where Romeo says, “let me be ta’en, let me be put to death” he kisses Juliet passionately and the music changes to intensify the atmosphere.

        When Romeo is getting dressed Juliet helps him, and I think this shows how close their relationship ...

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