tek's rating: meh and a half

Romeo and Juliet (PG, though today it would receive at least a PG-13)
Criterion; IMDb; Paramount; Rotten Tomatoes; TCM; Wikipedia
streaming sites: Amazon; Google Play; iTunes; Vudu; YouTube

I presume you know the story. There are rival houses in the city of Verona: the Montagues and the Capulets. A Montague named Romeo falls in love with a Capulet named Juliet. Their love must be kept a secret from their families. Tragedy ensues. I feel no particular need to divulge further details of one of the most famous stories in the history of the world. Well, I'm certainly a fan of Shakespeare, and I recall enjoying reading the story in high school (in spite of the fact that I don't believe in love at first sight). So, what to say? Well, Shakespeare, I find, tends to be easier to read than to watch. I'm afraid I have trouble following some of what happens when I'm not in control of the pace. And anyway, this is not an exact reproduction of the story... there are elements I missed. But I suppose it came close enough. The Bard shines through here and there, and I've no quibble with the acting. No doubt the movie deserves a higher rating than I give it... but, it's certainly not my favorite production of the story. It's alright, though. But chiefly notable for the fact Juliet was played by Olivia Hussey. And I'm afraid I can think of nothing more to say, except that... it's also possible I saw this movie once in a high school English class, before seeing it years later on DVD.


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