Love's Labour's Lost


An update to Shakespeare's play, this version is set in 1939, just before World War II. In keeping with the era, the film features newsreel-style inserts to set the scene and advance the plot. And in true Hollywood tradition, it is also a fully-fledged musical, with modern song-and-dance routines interrupting the classical dialogue. The plot revolves around the king of Navarre, who, together with three colleagues, resolves to dedicate himself to three years of study with serious restrictions, the worst being ''no women''. The arrival of the Princess of France and three ladies in waiting immediately disrupts this plan, and the rest of the movie is how the guys try to pursue the ladies without getting caught. As usual for Shakespeare, there is a clown or two to gum up the works...


93 minutes.
All ages .
Comedy, Musical, Romance, On the Art Circuit

Not currently showing on the local cinema circuit.

For a king, you came up with a REALLY bad idea...
For a king, you came up with a REALLY bad idea...

Credits

Cast
Kenneth Branagh, Alessandro Nivola, Alicia Silverstone, Natascha McElhone, Matthew Lillard, Adrian Lester, Timothy Spall
Director
Kenneth Branagh
ScreenplayKenneth Branagh
MusicPatrick Doyle
CinematographyAlex Thomson
Sound formatsDolby Digital
SoundtrackAvailable
Made in2000
Produced byArts Council of England, Intermedia Films, Le Studio Canal, Miramax Films, Pathé Pictures, Shakespeare Film Company

Official Site




Ratings

Scale (Max)20

What the Critics say

Movies for Africa
Ian Douglas
10
Cape Argus
Derek Wilson
10
Cape Argus
Adrian Monteath
10
The Star
Jay Carr
16
Die Burger
Herman Wasserman
10
Sunday Times
Barry Ronge
10
Rapport
Paul Boekkooi
16
TV3 Screenplay
Barry Ronge
14
eye Weekly
Catharine Tunnacliffe
5
Total Film
Debi Cochrane
10
Film Review
James Cameron-Wilson
10
Uncut
Chris Roberts
10

What the People say

Internet
300 Netizens
13

Average .. 55%

11

Visitor Comments

Ian Douglas: As is nowadays fashionable for filmed Shakespeare, the makers went to a lot of trouble to make the production more accessible to modern audiences. While retaining the original dialogue, the setting, costumes, and staging are all modernised. The use of newsreels and musical routines was also a first for me in a Shakespearian play. I did find the plot rather lightweight, with the trademark Shakespearian unneccessary complications, but it will still provide pleasant entertainment for an older audience.






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