Love's Labour's Lost (2000)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Kenneth Branagh

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play)
Kenneth Branagh (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 March 2000 (Norway)

Genre:

Romance | Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

A New Spin on the Old Song and Dance

Plot:

An update of the classic Shakespeare story, director Kenneth Branagh shot this movie like a classic 30s musical. Love's Labour's Lost tells the story of four best friends who swear off love.

Plot Keywords:

Bet | Directed By Star | William Shakespeare | Independent Film | Based On Play

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Alessandro Nivola	...	King Ferdinand of Navarre
Alicia Silverstone	...	The Princess of France
Natascha McElhone	...	Rosaline
Kenneth Branagh	...	Berowne
Carmen Ejogo	...	Maria
Matthew Lillard	...	Longaville
Adrian Lester	...	Dumaine
Emily Mortimer	...	Katherine
Richard Briers	...	Nathaniel
Geraldine McEwan	...	Holofernia
Stefania Rocca	...	Jacquanetta
Jimmy Yuill	...	Dull
Nathan Lane	...	Costard
Timothy Spall	...	Don Armado
Anthony O'Donnell	...	Moth (as Tony O'Donnell)

Also Known As:

Peines d'amour perdues (Canada: French title) (France)

MPAA:

Rated PG for sensuality and a brief drug reference.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

France | UK | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Netherlands:6 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:IIB | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:U | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Arts Council of England

Trivia:

The actors did their own singing.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: While the movie's concentrating on what is obviously WW2, one of the paper shown announces the end of the war on November 11, which is in fact the date of the end of WW1 (the end of WW2 being on August 15).

Quotes:

Berowne: Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
Rosaline: Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
Berowne: I know you did.
Rosaline: How needless was it, then, to ask the question.

Movie Connections:

References Shall We Dance (1937)

Soundtrack:

No Strings (I'm Fancy Free)

Charming throwback to 1930s musicals

Thanks heaven for Kenneth Branagh; without him, cinema would be far less interesting and rewarding. His adaptations of Shakespeare will undoubtedly be his lasting contribution to the history of film, and this is no exception.

Having never read the play, I was quite pleased that Love's Labour's Lost was as easy to follow as it was. This has a fair amount in common with Branagh's earlier Much Ado About Nothing; mainly the highs, lows and plain ridiculousness of love. That film also featured Hollywood star casting (Keanu Reeves among others), but like that film, does not suffer from it. Indeed, it only seems to boost the feel-good nature of this film, as the actors joyfully get their collective teeth stuck into some of Shakespeare's wonderful dialogue.

What really makes this a must-see though is how the text is broken up into easily digestible chunks, interspersed with classic musical numbers from the 1930s. I wasn't prepared for how much of a joy it was to see some wonderfully romantic songs (sung pretty well actually) being put to some great dance numbers - Adrian Lester in particular was good. If, like me, you're too young to feel particularly nostalgic towards a time and genre of film that has long since gone, then I urge you to watch this and learn. And if you are old enough to yearn for those days, then do yourself a favour and go see!