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Romeo and Juliet (1954) More at IMDbPro »


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Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   203 votes
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Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Renato Castellani

Writers:

Renato Castellani (adaptation)
William Shakespeare (play)

Contact:

View company contact information for Romeo and Juliet on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

12 November 1954 (Finland) more

Genre:

Drama | Romance more

Plot:

In Shakespeare's classic play, the Montagues and Capulets, two families of Renaissance Italy, have hated each other for years, but the son of one family and the daughter of the other fall desperately in love and secretly marry. | add synopsis

Awards:

Nominated for 3 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 4 wins more

User Comments:

Worthwhile for fans of Shakespeare more (11 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:

Giulietta e Romeo (Italy)
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Runtime:

USA:138 min

Country:

Italy | UK

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Filming Locations:

Italy more


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

Thomas Nicholls is dubbed. more

Movie Connections:

Version of Romeo and Juliet (1916/II) more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful.
Worthwhile for fans of Shakespeare, 11 April 2001
Author: (patrick.hunter@csun.edu) from Northridge, Ca

Yes, this film has been overpraised by Pauline Kael and others. For its time it was revolutionary, because no previous Shakespeare film had used so many outdoor, realistic locations. Unlike the previous MGM version (which all in all is superior), this version did not use middle-aged actors and made splendid use of technicolor. Black and white cinematography may suit MACBETH, HAMLET, KING LEAR, and other Shakespeare trajedies--but not this one. Since 1954, however, it has been remade in more cinematic and dynamic versions.

Nonetheless, it's a very worthwhile movie, especially for Shakespeare fans. I personally think Laurence Harvey is a terrific Romeo. Yes, he's a bit of a simp, but that's the character. In fact, Harvey is the screen's best Romeo; he's a lot more passionate than Leslie Howard in the MGM version, and he speaks the verse better than either DiCaprio or Leonard Whitting in the two subsequent versions. The locations, better than any version, remind us of just how thin the streets were in Verona during the time of the play, and the high, thick, stone walls serve as a symbol of the intransigence of the families.

Yes, it does have shortcomings, but don't dismiss its virtues, which are many, especially to those of us who want more than the MTV-type Shakespeare that the DiCaprio version offers.

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