Romeo + Juliet Film Critique Essay Example

distract you from the words, as Zeffirelli did, but to lead you to them. ” I don’t really think Zeffirelli tried to distract the viewers from the words.Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey who portrayed the young couple in the 1969 version did well as a desperate couple who could be killed for their love affair.

Now, for the most heart wrenching part of any Romeo and Juliet movie or adaptation of any kind- the suicide scene. Zeffirelli portrays it exactly as Shakespeare tells of in the original play. The tomb, the drink of poison, and having Juliet wake up after Romeo falls dead, continuing to stab herself with Romeo’s dagger that he had left behind before killing himself.This scene is poignant and intense.

It really has the potential to bring tears to the viewer’s eyes. Luhrmann on the other hand, took a little liberty with the suicide scene. He has 2,000 lit candles in the background of the church room that Juliet is lying “dead” in. As Romeo sits on her supposed deathbed, he cries and finally decides to drink the poison he bought from a fairly sketchy apothecary, but before he can manage to put it to his lips, Juliet’s eyes flutter open.At this point, the audience is screaming for Juliet to say something, for Romeo to look at Juliet, anything, but they don’t. Romeo swallows the poison and THEN looks at Juliet, realizing he’s made a horrible mistake.

After falling dead, Juliet loses all will to live and holds a semiautomatic to her head, shooting herself. At this point, the audience is screaming or crying or maybe both. It’s a powerful scene nevertheless.

Comparatively, both versions, Luhrmann and Zefferilli had their pros and cons, and were wonderful adaptations of the famous Romeo and Juliet.