Shakespeare in Love


2h 2m 1998
Shakespeare in Love

Brief Synopsis

An affair with a noblewoman inspires William Shakespeare to write his first great tragedy.

Film Details

Also Known As
Shakespeare enamorado
MPAA Rating
Genre
Romance
Comedy
Drama
Period
Romantic Comedy
Release Date
1998
Distribution Company
MIRAMAX/UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Location
Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Technical Specs

Duration
2h 2m

Synopsis

It is the summer of 1593, and the rising young star of London's theatre scene, Will Shakespeare, faces a scourge like no other: a paralyzing bout of writer's block. While the great Elizabethan age of entertainment unfolds around him, Will is without inspiration on material. What Will needs is a muse--and in an extraordinary moment in which life imitates art, he finds and falls for a woman who draws him into his own dramatic adventure of star-crossed love. It all begins when Lady Viola, desperate to become an actor at a time when women were forbidden from such depravity, disguises herself as a man to audition for Will's play. But the guise slips away as their passion ignites. Now Will's quill again begins to flow, this time turning love into words, as Viola becomes his real-life Juliet and Romeo finds his reason to exist. Yet all is not well in Will's world. For even as the parchment begins to pile up, he's plagued by the fact that Lady Viola must marry the insufferable Lord Wessex.

Crew

John Addison

Other

Brian Agar

Driver

Steve Alder

Other

Harry Alley

Other

Joseph Alley

Other

Les Andrews

Props

Jane Annakin

Other

Collette Appleby

Stand-In

Kirsty Argyle

Camera Trainee

Kim Armitage

Script Supervisor

Brigitte Arnold

Adr Editor

Chris Arnold

Props

Mick Audsley

Special Thanks To

Michael Bailey

Production

Tracy Ann Baines

Art Assistant

Clare Banet

Costume Department

Kerry Barden

Casting

Liz Barran

Other

Jean Barrett

Other

Keith Batten

Boom Operator

Frances Bennett

Art Director

Becky Bentham

Music Supervisor

Barbara Berkery

Dialogue Coach

Bert Berry

Driver

Michael Biesty

Other

Tony Bird

Transportation Manager

Stuart Blinco

Other

Paula Boram

Foley Artist

Catherine Bott

Soloist

Steven Bovingdon

Production

Sue Bradbear

Costume Department

Henry Braham

Special Thanks To

Raymond Branch

Production

Veronica Brebner

Hair

Irena Brignull

Editor

Stuart Brisdon

Special Effects Supervisor

Linda Bruce

Associate Producer

Tabitha Burrill

Cashier

Adam Campbell

Painter

Christine Campbell

Assistant Editor

John G Campbell

Other

Trevor Carey

Production

Trevor Carey

Other

Denis Carrigan

Special Thanks To

Darryl Carter

Other

Julina Carter

Extras Agent/Coordinator

Melanie Carter

Costume Department

John Casey

Carpenter

Joe Cassar

Other

Ruth Caswell

Wardrobe

Colin Chapman

Sound Editor

Ross Chapman

Electrician

Martin Childs

Production Designer

Claire Christine

Wardrobe

Cleone Clarke

Post-Production Coordinator

Cleone Clarke

Assistant

Jane Clarke

Storyboard Artist

Ian Coffey

Other

Wendy Cole

Costume Department

Marc Cooper

Line Producer

Clive Copland

Sound Recordist

Chris Corke

Other

John Cornelius

Driver

Steve Costello

Gaffer

Jimmy Coutts

Driver

Gill Crawford

Costume Department

Mike Crawley

Driver

Sue Crawshaw

Costume Department

Mark Cronelly

Stunt Man

David Cronnelly

Stunt Man

Jason Curtis

Other

Matthew D'angibau

Other

Julie Dartnell

Hair

Martin Day

Other

Max Dennison

Visual Effects

Jeff Derby

Makeup

Chris Dibble

Music

Heather Dickens

Costume Department

Robert Diebelius

Other

Meighan Dobson

Assistant

Nicholas Duboulay

Production Assistant

Gill Ducker

Props Buyer

Tina Earnshaw

Makeup

Howard Eaves

Foley Editor

David Edwards

Carpenter

Alfie Emmins

Best Boy

Andy Evans

Construction Manager

Fred Evans

Art Department

Glyn Evans

Other

Warren Evans

Electrician

Karen Ferguson

Hair

Carlos Fidel

Production Assistant

Raymond Flindall

Other

Phil Foley

Driver

Rob Fowle

Camera

Mark Fox-potten

Other

John Franklin

Other

Emma Fryer

Costume Department

Ian Fryer

Props

Len Furssedonn

Driver

Tom Gabbutt

Assistant Director

David Gamble

Editor

John Gamble

Other

Pat Garrett

Grip

Kay Georgiou

Hairdresser

Giovanni Giacotto

Other

Donna Gigliotti

Producer

Stephen Gilmour

Sound

Peter Glossop

Sound Mixer

Anthony Goddard

Other

Lee Goddard

Other

Martin Goddard

Other

Mark Goldeman

Other

Julie Goldstein

Executive Producer

Lee Gooch

Other

Michael Gooch

Other

Dan Grace

Wardrobe Assistant

Peter Graffham

Other

Paul Grahame

Driver

John Grant

Visual Effects

Matt Gray

Other

Richard Greatrex

Director Of Photography

Andrew Green

Music Composer

Ian Green

Construction

Dr. Stephen Greenblatt

Special Thanks To

Pauline Griffiths

Foley Artist

Jane Grinshaw

Costume Department

Georg Grohmann

Driver

Brian Groves

Other

Michelle Guish

Casting

Jon Gumpert

Special Thanks To

Frederick Gunning

Other

David Gwyther

Driver

Annie Hadley

Wardrobe

Philippa Hall

Hair

Jonathan Haren

Editorial Assistant

Ralph Harrison

Other

Christine Hathway

Stage Manager

Jenny Hawkins

Wardrobe Assistant

Darren Hayward

Other

Toby Hefferman

Assistant Director

Rebecca Heller

Assistant

Frank Henry

Other

Paul Herbert

Stunt Man

Marshall Herskovitz

Special Thanks To

Kate Higham

Assistant Editor

Andrew Hobbs

Carpenter

William Hobbs

Stunt Coordinator

Billy Hopkins

Casting

Robin Huffer

2-D Artist

Andrew Hunt

Wardrobe Assistant

Antony Hunt

Visual Effects Supervisor

Danny Hunter

Property Master

Nick Ingman

Original Music

Nick Ingman

Music Conductor

Paul Jackson

Advisor

Russell Jackson

Consultant

Catherine Jardine

Production Assistant

Deborah Jarvis

Hair

Andrew Jeffrey

Visual Effects

Ilenka Jelowicki

Extras Agent/Coordinator

Paul Jennings

Stunt Man

Erik Jordan

Music

Debbie Kaye

Other

Gaby Kester

Casting Associate

Joe Kowalewski

Wardrobe Assistant

Bradley Larner

Other

Linda Lashley

Costume Department

Jane Law

Wardrobe

Steven Lawrence

Art Director

Robert Laycock

Assistant Editor

Barry Leonti

Transportation Captain

Dominic Lester

Rerecording

Nicholas Lloyd

Other

Olivia Lloyd

Assistant Director

John Logigian

Special Thanks To

Phil Lonergan

Stunt Man

Tom Lowen

Other

Lee Lighting Ltd

Lighting

Jim Magill

Driver

Kay Manasseh

Costume Department

Helen Manley

Production Accountant

Anthony Mansey

Other

Christopher Mansey

Other

Debbie Marchant

Wardrobe

Danny Margetts

Other

Ray Marston

Wig Supplier

Tori Martin

Production Assistant

Wayne Martin

Costume Department

Andrew Mash

Other

Ian Maskell

Wardrobe

Ruth Mccornish

Costume Department

Jon Mccrory

Office Runner

Vincent Mcgahon

Steadicam Operator

Chris Mcgurk

Special Thanks To

Hugh Mckenzie

Other

John Mcsweeney

Grip

Sue Meyer

Costume Department

Rick Mietkowski

Camera Operator

Ronald Miles

Other

Film Details

Also Known As
Shakespeare enamorado
MPAA Rating
Genre
Romance
Comedy
Drama
Period
Romantic Comedy
Release Date
1998
Distribution Company
MIRAMAX/UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Location
Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Technical Specs

Duration
2h 2m

Award Wins

Best Actress

1999
Gwyneth Paltrow

Set Decoration

1999
Martin Childs

Best Costume Design

1999
Sandy Powell

Best Music, Original or Comedy Series

1999

Best Picture

1999

Best Supporting Actress

1999
Judi Dench

Best Writing, Screenplay

1999
Marc Norman

Best Writing, Screenplay

1999
Tom Stoppard

Best Actress

1999
Gwyneth Paltrow

Best Motion Picture

1999

Best Screenplay Motion Pict

1999

Award Nominations

Best Cinematography

1999

Best Director

1999

Best Film Editing

1999

Best Makeup

1999
Lisa Westcott

Best Sound

1999

Best Supporting Actor

1999
Geoffrey Rush

Best Director Motion Pictur

1999

Best Supporting Actor

1999
Geoffrey Rush

Best Supporting Actress

1999
Judi Dench

Articles

Shakespeare in Love


Shakespeare in Love (1998) stars Joseph Fiennes as the young Bard, who finds himself the hot young playwright of his time. Unfortunately, that brings pressure from financiers and theater owners to come up with a new hit. It's the summer of 1593 and William Shakespeare is in the middle of a paralyzing bout of writer's block. His newest attempt, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter isn't working out. He desperately needs a muse, who arrives when he meets Lady Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow). She yearns to be an actress, but is forbidden because in those times, only men could take to the stage. With a fake moustache and goatee, she disguises herself as a man and breaks all the rules. Viola and Will also fall in love, but as Shakespeare himself wrote in A Midsummer Night's Dream, "the course of true love never did run smooth." Will is already married, and Viola is promised to the arrogant Earl of Wessex (Colin Firth), who needs her large dowry to clear up his own financial problems.

The idea for Shakespeare in Love first came to writer Marc Norman in 1988, and over the next decade, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Winona Ryder, Helen Hunt, Daniel Day-Lewis, Kenneth Branagh and Jodie Foster were rumored to be considered for the leading roles, which went to Paltrow and Fiennes.

John Madden directed the film from a script by Norman and Tom Stoppard, with a cast that included Ben Affleck (who took the role to be near his then girlfriend, Paltrow), Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, and Simon Callow. Shakespeare in Love was a co-production of Universal Pictures, Bedford Falls Productions, and Miramax Films. Miramax, headed by brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein were on a roll - they had recently produced the successful Mrs. Brown (1997) and The English Patient (1996). With a budget of only $25 million, Shakespeare in Love went into production in March 1998 at Shepperton Studios just outside of London, and at various locations around England, including Broughton Castle in Oxfordshire, Holkham Hall and Estate in Norfolk, and the legendary Eton College.

Shakespeare in Love was a hit on its release in December 1998, bringing in $100 million at the box office in the United States and another $189 million overseas. The critics loved it, including Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times who wrote that its modern humor mixed with the Elizabethan era "makes the movie play like a contest between Masterpiece Theatre and Mel Brooks. [...]Is this a movie or an anthology? I didn't care. I was carried along by the wit, the energy and a surprising sweetness. The movie serves as a reminder that Will Shakespeare was once a young playwright on the make, that theater in all times is as much business as show, and that Romeo and Juliet must have been written by a man in intimate communication with his libido."

The film was nominated for thirteen Academy Awards and won seven, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Paltrow, Best Supporting Actress for Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth I (despite only being on screen for six minutes), Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for Norman and Stoppard, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration for Martin Childs and Jill Quertier, Best Costume Design for Sandy Powell, and Best Original Musical or Comedy Score for Stephen Warbeck.

The film may be over but the story lives on. Although many films have been adapted from plays, the trend is moving in the opposite direction, with films making their way to the stage. Shakespeare in Love is currently playing at the Noel Coward Theatre in London.

By Lorraine LoBianco

SOURCES:
The Internet Movie Database
http://www.miramax.com/movie/shakespeare-in-love/
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/shakespeare-in-love-1998
http://shakespeareinlove.com/
Shakespeare In Love

Shakespeare in Love

Shakespeare in Love (1998) stars Joseph Fiennes as the young Bard, who finds himself the hot young playwright of his time. Unfortunately, that brings pressure from financiers and theater owners to come up with a new hit. It's the summer of 1593 and William Shakespeare is in the middle of a paralyzing bout of writer's block. His newest attempt, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter isn't working out. He desperately needs a muse, who arrives when he meets Lady Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow). She yearns to be an actress, but is forbidden because in those times, only men could take to the stage. With a fake moustache and goatee, she disguises herself as a man and breaks all the rules. Viola and Will also fall in love, but as Shakespeare himself wrote in A Midsummer Night's Dream, "the course of true love never did run smooth." Will is already married, and Viola is promised to the arrogant Earl of Wessex (Colin Firth), who needs her large dowry to clear up his own financial problems. The idea for Shakespeare in Love first came to writer Marc Norman in 1988, and over the next decade, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Winona Ryder, Helen Hunt, Daniel Day-Lewis, Kenneth Branagh and Jodie Foster were rumored to be considered for the leading roles, which went to Paltrow and Fiennes. John Madden directed the film from a script by Norman and Tom Stoppard, with a cast that included Ben Affleck (who took the role to be near his then girlfriend, Paltrow), Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, and Simon Callow. Shakespeare in Love was a co-production of Universal Pictures, Bedford Falls Productions, and Miramax Films. Miramax, headed by brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein were on a roll - they had recently produced the successful Mrs. Brown (1997) and The English Patient (1996). With a budget of only $25 million, Shakespeare in Love went into production in March 1998 at Shepperton Studios just outside of London, and at various locations around England, including Broughton Castle in Oxfordshire, Holkham Hall and Estate in Norfolk, and the legendary Eton College. Shakespeare in Love was a hit on its release in December 1998, bringing in $100 million at the box office in the United States and another $189 million overseas. The critics loved it, including Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times who wrote that its modern humor mixed with the Elizabethan era "makes the movie play like a contest between Masterpiece Theatre and Mel Brooks. [...]Is this a movie or an anthology? I didn't care. I was carried along by the wit, the energy and a surprising sweetness. The movie serves as a reminder that Will Shakespeare was once a young playwright on the make, that theater in all times is as much business as show, and that Romeo and Juliet must have been written by a man in intimate communication with his libido." The film was nominated for thirteen Academy Awards and won seven, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Paltrow, Best Supporting Actress for Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth I (despite only being on screen for six minutes), Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for Norman and Stoppard, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration for Martin Childs and Jill Quertier, Best Costume Design for Sandy Powell, and Best Original Musical or Comedy Score for Stephen Warbeck. The film may be over but the story lives on. Although many films have been adapted from plays, the trend is moving in the opposite direction, with films making their way to the stage. Shakespeare in Love is currently playing at the Noel Coward Theatre in London. By Lorraine LoBianco SOURCES: The Internet Movie Database http://www.miramax.com/movie/shakespeare-in-love/ http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/shakespeare-in-love-1998 http://shakespeareinlove.com/

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

John Madden was nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in 1998 by the Directors Guild of America.

Nominated for the 1998 American Cinema Editors Award for Best Edited Feature Film.

Nominated for the 1999 David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Film.

Winner of the 1998 award for Best Screenplay (Stoppard and Norman) from the New York Film Critics Circle.

Winner of the 1998 award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen from the Writers Guild of America.

Winner of the 1998 Golden Satellite Award for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy from the International Press Academy.

Winner of the Silver Bear for Outstanding Single Achievement (Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard for screenplay) at the 1999 Berlin Film Festival.

Winner of two 1998 awards, including Best Screenplay and Most Promising Actor (Joseph Fiennes) from the Chicago Film Critics Association. Nominated for a further two awards including, Best Picture, and Best Actress (Gwyneth Paltrow).

Winner of two 1998 Broadcast Film Critics Association awards, including Best Original Screenplay (Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard) and Breakthrough Performer (Joseph Fiennes). Nominated for the Best Picture Award.

Expanded Release in United States December 25, 1998

Released in United States February 1999

Released in United States on Video August 10, 1999

Released in United States Winter December 11, 1998

Wide Release in United States January 8, 1999

Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (in competition) February 10-21, 1999.

Project was previously in development at Universal Pictures with Bedford Falls principle Marshall Herskovitz attached to produce and Ed Zwick attached to direct. Rights were assigned to Miramax and, as a result, Herskovitz and Zwick filed a $10 million lawsuit against Universal and Miramax. A settlement has been reached with Zwick and Bedford Falls Company retaining their producing credits.

Began shooting March 2, 1998.

Completed shooting June 10, 1998.

Daniel Day-Lewis was once attached to play William Shakespeare.

Julia Roberts was once attached to play opposite Daniel Day-Lewis.

Universal Pictures and Miramax have formed a co-venture to finance this film with Miramax retaining domestic rights and Universal (UIP) taking international rights.

Wide Release in United States January 8, 1999

Released in United States February 1999 (Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (in competition) February 10-21, 1999.)

Released in United States on Video August 10, 1999

Released in United States Winter December 11, 1998 (NY, LA)

Expanded Release in United States December 25, 1998