Film Review 2

Cast

Gwyneth Paltrow: Viola De Lesseps
Joseph Fiennes: Will Shakespeare
Colin Firth: Lord Wessex
Geoffrey Rush: Philip Henslowe
Judi Dench: Queen Elizabeth
Tom Wilkinson: Hugh Fennyman
Ben Affleck: Ned Alleyn
Simon Callow: Tilney, Master of the Revels
Jim Carter: Ralph Bashford
Martin Clunes: Richard Burbage
Imelda Staunton: Nurse
Steven O'Donnell: Lambert
Tim McMullen: Frees
Steven Beard: Makepeace, The Peacemaker
Antony Sher: Dr. Moth
Patrick Barlow: Will Kempe
Sandra Reinton: Rosaline
Rupert Everett: Christopher Marlowe
Bridget McConnel: Lady in Waiting
Georgie Glen: Lady in Waiting
Nicholas Boulton: Henry Condell
Desmond McNamara: Crier
Barbany Kay: Nol
Paul Bigley: Peter, The Stage Manager
Jason Round: Actor in Tavern
Rupert Farley: Barman
Adam Barker: First Auditionee
Joe Roberts: John Webster
Harry Gostelow: Second Auditionee
Alan Cody: Third Auditionee
Mark Williams: Wabash
David Curtiz: John Hemmings
Gregor Truter: James Hemmings
Simon Day: First Boatman
Jill Baker: Lady De Lesseps
Amber Glossop: Scullery Maid
Robin Davies: Master Plum
Hywel Simons: Servant
Nicholas Le Prevost: Sir Robert De Lesseps
Timothy Knightley: Edward Pope
Mark Saban: Augustine Philips
Bob Barrett: George Bryan
Roger Morlidge: James Armitage
Daniel Brocklebank: Sam Gosse
Roger Frost: Second Boatman
Rebecca Charles: Chambermaid
Richard Gold: Lord in Waiting
Rachel Clarke: First Whore
Lucy Speed: Second Whore
Patricia Potter: Third Whore
John Ramm: Makepeace's Neighbor
Martin Neeley: Paris/Lady Montague

 




William Shakespeare is about to start his new play, "Romeo and Ethel the Pirante's Daughter", but he's stuck with writer's block. Holding auditions for the play, he meets Thomas Kent, an incredible actor, who is really a princess in disguise. He later falls in love with her, and lets her carry on in the play dispite women not being allowed to act. The princess is going to marry Lord Wessex, and Shakespeare has finally found his muse and starts writing his most famous love story, "Romeo and Juliet".

This film is sweet and pleasant. It's the performances which push this to a very high level. For only eight minutes of total screen time, Judi Dench is especially memorable as the Queen. Her initial appearance marks one of the wittiest moments of the film itself. These scenes feature Dench swiftly dismissing each attempt Paltrow, who just as well delivers a jaw-dropping performance, makes to impress her. Paltrow bows down; Dench snaps, "Stand up straight." Paltrow breathes, "Your Highness," as an honorary salute; Dench retorts, "I know who I am." It's the condescending tone that is taken to an entirely new level in her character.