Much Ado About Nothing

Rating:
Summary: Making Much Ado About this Movie!!
Review: +++++

Shakespeare's romantic comedy of "Much Ado About Nothing" (written circa 1598) is best known for its brilliant lovers, the dazzling Beatrice and Benedick. The play itself resembles the screwball comedies of the 1930s and is filled with merriment and
mirth.

Director Kenneth Branagh's movie of the same name captures all of this. He has changed and embellished some scenes but retains Shakespeare's beautiful language as originally written.

There are eight major characters in this movie (as there are in the original play):

1. Don Pedro (Denzel Washington), the genial Prince of Arragon.
2. Don John (Keanu Reeves), his uncommunicative half brother who was born out of wedlock. His presence functions as a contrast to the festive mood of most of the movie.
3. Leonato (Richard Briers), "the white bearded fellow," Governor of Messina.
4. Claudio (Robert S. Leonard), "a proper squire" of Florence, "Monsieur Love," possessed of the "May of youth and bloom of lustihood."
5. Hero (Kate Beckinsale), "Leonato's short daughter," the somewhat colorless foil to Beatrice.
6. Benedick (Branagh), the mirthful young lord of Padura, "of a noble strain, of approved value, and confirmed honesty," but an unsentimental woman-hater; foil to Claudio. "He hath twice or thrice cut Cupid's bowstring, and the little hangman dare not shoot at him."
7. Beatrice (Emma Thompson), niece of Leonato, a "Lady Tongue," but one who on occasion "speaks [daggers] and every word stabs." She is "born to speak all mirth and no matter." As well, she wages a "merry war" with Benedick.
8. Dogberry (Michael Keaton), a pompous, humorous, ridiculous constable of Messina, "one that hath two gowns and everything handsome about him." He can be thought of as an Elizabethan Keystone Kop who, by accident, brings the villains of this movie to justice.

All the above actors do a good job in their roles. However, Branagh and Thompson do exceptional acting jobs as the bickering lovers who throughout the movie exchange insults when it's obvious to everyone but themselves that they are drawn to each other. Special mention should also be given to Michael Keaton as Dogberry, who does a good job in bringing Shakespeare's first great comic creation to life. As well, Denzel Washington does a surprisingly good job as the prince, Don Pedro.

The opening bathhouse scene of this movie is spectacular. The energy apparent in this scene is held throughout the movie.

The scenery and sets are visually stunning. (Filming was at an Italian villa in Tuscany, Italy.) As well, the background music adds to each scene.

Finally, the only main extra is a seven minute making-of featurette. It seems to be just a glorified trailer. There is no need to purchase this DVD if you already have a copy of this movie on DVD without the featurette.

BOTTOM LINE:

This movie is a worthy addition to the Bard's cinematic cannon.

(1993; 1 hr, 50 min; 35 scenes; closed-captioned; widescreen; color)

+++++


Rating:
Summary: Brannaugh is fine, but not everyone is
Review: This movie offers a relatively true rendering of the Shakespearean classic "Much Ado about Nothing" and boasts a robust and generally speaking talented cast able, ultimately, to fill each of their respective roles. Michael Keaton offers particular sparkle while proving his vein for comic turns once again; Robert Sean Leonard as Claudio and Kate Beckinsale as Hero contour their roles with that grace which looks so comely on Shakespear's young-lover characters.

However, one Achilles heel that invariably gets impedes one's being able to accept and get lost in this Elizabethan romantic comedy is Keanu Reeves' impenetrable and very northwestern accent which hinders him from credibly embodying the resentful envy of Don John. Beautiful as he irrefutably looks in this part, the second he opens his mouth, we are - as we so often are with Reeves' period films - transported back to the 20th century and reminded of plasticene accents in high-school productions of yore.

Still, that shouldn't deter you from having a gander at the talent collected for this piece.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant performance
Review: In this romantic comedy that involves two couples - one engaged in a spirited war (played by Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson) of wits and battle of sexes that only their friends can help to mend, by tricking them together (an exquisitely humorous matchmaking); and another devoted couple who has to overcome obstacles created by a scheming evildoer, which comes to a happy ending with a little help from a blundering constable (played by Michael Keaton).

The entire play / film is so vibrantly alive and emotionally engaging, that it made me laugh and cry and laugh some more.

Rating:
Summary: "I Shall See Thee, Ere I Die, Look Pale With Love."
Review: I first saw this version of "Much Ado About Nothing" in my 12th grade English class, though not being a fan of comedies; I'm more of a tragedian (I had just done "Macbeth" several months earlier in that class when it came time for us to read it; it's a long story so I won't bore you with it), preferring to read plays like "Hamlet," "Othello," "Macbeth," "Richard III," etc. I was surprised by how interesting the film was (starring, adapted for the screen, produced AND directed by Kenneth Branagh, who had done the same jobs in "Henry V" four years earlier). He got an ensemble cast of relative unknowns, who now are big names in Hollywood (Emma Thompson, now his ex-wife, and who would venture into starring, producing and adapting Jane Austen's "Sense And Sensibility," also with a more or less ensemble cast: Kate Winslet, (who would go on to star opposite Branagh in his 1996 3 and a half hour, star-studded adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet"), Alan Rickman, (the villainous Hans Gruber in "Die Hard" and the evil Sheriff Of Nottingham in "Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves", playing a good guy here for a change), Hugh Grant ("Four Weddings And A Funeral") and Greg Wise (don't know what else he's done), winning an Oscar for Best Screenplay,) as Beatrice, Kate Beckinsale ("Pearl Harbor") as Hero, Oscar-winner Denzel Washington ("Glory" [Best Supporting Actor, 1989] and "Training Day" [Best Actor, 2002]), Keanu Reeves ("Speed", "The Matrix" trilogy) as the villainous Don John, Brian Blessed (who had starred opposite Branagh as the Duke Of Exter in "Henry V") as Antonio and Michael Keaton ("Batman") as Dogberry. This movie was very good. My favorite line is when Benedick (Branagh) says to Don Pedro (Washington), "That a woman conceived me, I thank her. That she brought me up, I likewise give her most humble thanks, but that I will (have a recheat winded in my forehead or) hang my...bugle in an invisible baldrick, all women shall pardon me. I will live a bachelor." "I shall see thee, ere I die, look pale with love." "With anger, with hunger or with sickness, my lord, not with love." "Well, as time shall try, 'the savage bull doth bear the yoke.''' "The savage bull may, but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns and stick them in my forehead and let me be viley painted and in such great letters as they write, 'here is good horse to hire,' let them signify under my sign, 'here you may see Benedick, the married man.''' Great lines. My FAVORITE line in the play is when Borrachio yells at Dogberry, "You are an ass!!" Everyone in this movie did a great job. I never thought I'd see another actor (besides Sir Laurence Olivier, who was considered the finest and the BEST Shakespearean actor of his day; see his 1948 Oscar-winning version of "Hamlet" and you'll know why I agree 100% with this indisputable fact) so devoted to doing Shakespeare the RIGHT way. I'll read the play, so I'll have a better understanding of it, though the movie did it very well, thanks to Branagh's devotion to the Bard and see the film again after reading it. Rated PG for mild vulgarity.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, approachable presentation
Review: When that many great names come together in a movie, it's hard to go wrong. Branagh worked well as the over-aged brat named Benedick. Emma Thompson sharpened her tongue especially for this role as Beatrice working with (or against) Branagh. Keanu Reeves snarled his way through the role as Don John. Denzel Washington's role as Don Pedro (Reeves' brother - don't ask silly questions) was dignified and well-played. Michael Keaton's Dogberry was completely undignified, and also well played. All the others filled in a remarkable cast.

The sound track seemed to feature authentic period music. I'm no expert, by any means, but was surprised at a dance tune that sounded vaguely like a tango - well, new sounds often have old roots. The set, a whitewashed manor amid the groves and orchards, made a beautiful background for the players. Even Branagh's "evil lawn chair" added its comedic bit to the movie.

This makes Shakespeare attractive, even to people who might not otherwise have been attracted. Among all presentations of this play, it's my favorite.

//wiredweird