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IMDb > Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
Much Ado About Nothing
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Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

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User Rating: 7.4/10 (19,042 votes)
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Overview

Director:
Kenneth Branagh
Writers:
William Shakespeare (play)
Kenneth Branagh (screenplay)
Release Date:
7 May 1993 (USA) more view trailer
Genre:
Comedy | Romance more
Plot:
Young lovers Hero and Claudio, soon to wed, conspire to get verbal sparring partners and confirmed singles Benedick and Beatrice to wed as well. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(8 articles)
James McAvoy and Emily Blunt Lend Voices to 'Gnomeo and Juliet' (From Get The Big Picture. 19 August 2008, 11:53 PM, PDT)
Beckinsale Turns Her Back On Sexy Roles (From WENN. 27 March 2008, 12:12 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Truly Wonderful! A great movie! more

Cast

 (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
111 min
Country:
USA | UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
MOVIEmeter: ?
^ 3% since last week why?

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Judi Dench was offered the role of Ursula. more
Goofs:
Continuity: After Balthazar's song, Benedick leaves his deckchair without folding it properly. In a subsequent shot the chair is folded perfectly. more
Quotes:
Friar Francis: Come, lady: die to live. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in 101 Biggest Celebrity Oops (2004) (TV) more

FAQ

Chapter Headings, a quasi-official version:
more
32 out of 35 people found the following comment useful:-
Truly Wonderful! A great movie!, 9 November 2001
10/10

Brilliant! Kenneth Branagh's version of the timeless William Shakespeare classic is a great rendition of the film, making it accessible to everyone, even those who do not like Shakespeare.

Let me first say that I am a great fan of Shakespeare's works. In college I was an English literature major, with a minor in theater, and so Shakespeare is found in both. Theater people state that Shakespeare was never literature at all, which in the purpose of the plays is true, however because of the prose that he wrote in is a poetic form, he is literature as well. Whatever you do, never get in between two people arguing this point, your head might blow up!

Reading the comments on this page, the basic attack on this movie is that Branagh cuts lines and shaved parts. Yes, of course he did. Nothing is sacred, not even the works of Shakespeare, people. I myself was in a Shakespeare play, and over half the script was cut from it. With a Shakespeare play, the question is what to cut. If this play had been presented in it's entirety, it would have been close to five hours long. And today's movie audience just does not have that kind of patience. "Titanic" was stretching it a little, in terms of time. Shakespeare's original audience would have had no problem, because they made a day of it.

So when Branagh did this play, he had to shave off a great deal of the script, and he had to decide what to focus on. He had to focus on the main characters, being Beatrice and Benedict and their romance, and of course the drama concerning Hero and Claudio, but also keep other characters incorporated as well. For those attacking the "whittling down" of the script, why didn't anyone bring up the point that Benedict is supposed to have shaved his beard while in attempt to woo Beatrice. Why? Because it really isn't a major plot point that is needed at all. So Branagh made great choices in his direction of the film, and in the end he made sure that everything tied together logically, and that there were no loose ends.

The performances by the actors were great as well. There was nothing wrong with casting Denzel Washington as the prince, though people seem to have a beef with it. He pulled it off very well. And Keanu Reeves did a great job as well. It was a treat to see him as a villain. I happen to be a fan of Reeves, and I do see him as great casting, though why people also have a problem with him I'll never know. Branagh was going for acting ability, not just names. Reeves has the goods, and he can speak Shakespeare very well, it's his character that's supposed to be moody. And Keaton was a wonderful choice for the Constable, making me laugh whenever he was on the screen. And the other actors all did very well in their roles.

If you're a lover of Shakespeare or not, this film is a great treat, and it appeals to all audiences who love the classic masterpiece.

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Message Boards

Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Holy crap, Keaton's a disaster chrisbur
Just saw this again last night... suegrantmayaseth
actress for Beatrice ixlovexliv
denzel washington as Pedro de Aragón. cris_sancheza
**SPOILER** The morning after the... suegrantmayaseth
Keanu Reeves - A Tribute femina
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