Romeo and Juliet (1968) |
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| Director(s) | Franco Zeffirelli |
| Producer(s) | Anthony Havelock-Allan, Richard B. Goodwin, John Brabourne |
| Top Genres | Drama, Film Adaptation, Romance |
| Top Topics | Based on Play |
Featured Cast of Romeo and Juliet See More »
Robert Stephens(as The Prince of Verona)
Romeo and Juliet
Released
1968
Romeo and Juliet
Released
1968
Robert Stephens
(as The Prince of Verona)
Laurence Olivier(as Narrator)
Romeo and Juliet
Released
1968
Romeo and Juliet
Released
1968
Laurence Olivier
(as Narrator)
Romeo and Juliet Overview:
Romeo and Juliet (1968) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by Franco Zeffirelli and produced by Anthony Havelock-Allan, Richard B. Goodwin and John Brabourne.
Academy Awards 1968 --- Ceremony Number 41 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Cinematography | Pasqualino De Santis | Won |
| Best Costume Design | Danilo Donati | Won |
| Best Director | Franco Zeffirelli | Nominated |
| Best Picture | Anthony Havelock-Allan and John Brabourne, Producers | Nominated |
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Romeo and Juliet Quotes:
Narrator:
Two households, both alike in dignity / In fair Verona, where we lay our scene / From ancient grudge break to new mutiny / Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes / A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life / Whose misadventured piteous overthrows / Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
Narrator:
A glooming peace this morning with it brings. The sun for sorrow will not show his head. For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
See More Quotes from Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet Facts
See More Facts about Romeo and Juliet >>
Laurence Olivier agreed to play the uncredited role of the narrator because he was so impressed with Zeffirelli's work for the National Theatre of Great Britain, of which Olivier was director at the time. Not only was Olivier the narrator, but he reportedly lent his voice to other anonymous characters. He did it all for the love of William Shakespeare and didn't accept any payment.
Franco Zeffirelli initially planned the film as a television production. Then Paramount became involved and increased the budget.
The first major film production of this play to actually cast leading actors who were close to the ages of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Franco Zeffirelli needed to get special permission to show teenaged Olivia Hussey topless in one scene. Leonard Whiting, who was from Great Britian, was 17 at the time (17 is the legal age of consent in Britain) and did not need permission. Italy, where the film was made, has similar age laws.
According to Olivia Hussey, the camera used for filming, Arriflex, was very loud. As a result, the dialog had to be looped, and recorded separately later.
During the sword fight scene when Mercutio throws a sword at Tybalt's feet, Mercutio's shadow is actually Franco Zeffirelli's shadow standing in for him because John McEnery was sick that day (according to Michael York's autobiography).