Romeo and Juliet (Paramount Pictures) (1968)

Director Franco Zeffirelli Is Traditionalist And Innovator Franco Zeffirelli, at the young age of 44, already has been responsible for many of the most controversial and exciting stage productions in history, and has scored equally notable success in motion pictures. The Franco Zeffirelli Production of ROMEO AND JULIET, for Paramount Pictures, which opens ................ EES. acensnsconese Theatre, is the youngest, most vibrant and perhaps most revolutionary treatment of the Shakespeare tragedy ever produced. Only Zeffirelli would have the imagination and daring to cast as the star-crossed lovers, the youngest performers ever to play the roles professionally—17-year-old Leonard Whitting and 15-year-old Olivia Hussey. Only a director with his intensive knowledge of Shakespeare and striking sense of his work would move the play back 150 years to the early renaissance period of the stories which inspired the Bard of Avon to create his play. Only a creative genius who combines respect for tradition with a genius for innovation would conceive a “young persons’ ‘Romeo and Juliet’’’ which is “the essence of Shakespeare told in film terms, what Shakespeare might have done himself if he had been able to visualize his play in the quick-moving medium of the cinema.” ROMEO AND JULIET is a work with which Zeffirelli has an intimate acquaintance. The former student of architecture was responsible for a production of the play for the famed Old Vic Theatre which was a controversial success in Great Britain and the United States and twice staged ‘Romeo and Juliet” in his native Italy. Zeffirelli, who was born in Florence, abandoned his architectural career to work as a designer and actor. After appearing in Luchino Visconti’s “Crime and Punishment,” the Franco Zeffirelli production be ereed Be an as LS fied of ROMEO & JULIET, A BHE and art director on three other A ° ‘ Visconti films. For the theatre, he Bim, tn.) Pecumicolor opening Still #Spec. 2 Mat 1D STAR CROSSED LOVERS share but one night of happiness. The fates will part the two before the next day is thru. Paramount Pictures presents designed sets and costumes. ee CORA EONS atten theatre. Accordingly, when he turned to direction himself, his works on “Othello,” ‘“Hamlet,” “Falstaff,” stage and screen, ranging from “Cavalleria Rusticana,” “Pagliacci” modern works to classics and and “Lucia di Lammermoor.” opera, bore the mark of a master of design and dramatic insight. Among the director’s credits, in addition to “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Taming of the Shrew,” are One of his future motion picture endeavors will be a unique project: new, musical version of the Academy Award-winner “Roman Holiday,” for Paramount Pictures. Column Items YOUNG PEOPLE’S' SHAKESPEARE—Joining 17-year-old Leonard Whiting and 16-year-old Olivia Hussey in the Franco Zeffireli Production of ROMEO AND JULIET, a “young person’s” version of the Shakespearean tragedy, is another teen-ager. She is Paola Tedesco, a 16-yearold actress-dancer, who portrays the important role of Rosaline. ROMEO AND JULIET, a Paramount Pictures Presentation of a BERRA cONeNS tenes e. at the Py ee Theatre. FAST RIS ER—Fast-rising Michael York marks his third appearance in a major Paramount Pictures film in approximately a year with his starring role in the Franco Zeffirelli Production of ROMEO AND JULIET. A Paramount Pictures Presentation of a BHE Film, ROMEO AND JULIET OPENS heckstseesessees at the .c ince Theatre. York, who plays Tybalt in ROMEO AND JULIET, appeared as a swinging photographer in Paramount’s “Smashing Time” and as a young policeman in the company’s explosive “The Strange Atrair.’” SHAKESPEARE PRO—Paul Hardwick, who plays Capulet in the Franco Zeffirelli Production of ROMEO AND JULIET, is no stranger to Shakespeare—he has played in all but six of the Bard’s classics. ROMEO AND JULIET, a Paramount Pictures Presentation of a BHE Film, opens ...............:006 at the OPENING PRESENTS — Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, the teen-aged stars of the Franco Zeffirelli Production of ROMEO AND JULIET, were the recipients of handsome gifts from Zeffirelli on the first day of filming. The brilliant director presented Miss Hussey with a 300-year-old 17-diamond and ruby crucifix on a gold chain and Whiting with a gold watch. ROMEO AND JULIET, a BHE Film in Technicolor for Paramount Pictures OPeNSiideescsc.cstuaeiee at the Still #Spec. 1 Mat 8A THE SCENE IS VERONA, ITALY. The time Early Renaissance, about 1450. The Montagues a noble military family and the Capulets, nouveau-riche relative newcomers to the city are deadly enemies. Such is the setting into which ROMEO and JULIET are cast, destined for tragedy. Paramount Pictures presents the Franco Zeffirelli production of ROMEO & JULIET. A BHE Film in Technicolor, opening ease reetee at the ........ theatre. THE STORY (Not for Publication) The scene is Verona, Italy. The time, early Renaissance, about 1450. The Montagues, a noble military family, and the Capulets, nouveau-riche relative newcomers to the city, are deadly enemies. Senseless squabbles between the hot-blooded idle young men of both houses break out constantly in the hot July summer. It is Sunday morning when the story opens. Sampson (DYSON LOVELL) and Gregory (RICHARD WARWICK), two young Capulets, swaggering about the marketplace on the town square, encounter Benvolio (BRUCE ROBINSON) and Abraham (ROBERTO ANTONELLI), of the house of Montague, and taunt them into a brawl. In the scuffle Benvolio receives a glancing wound and an elderly Montague servant is carried home with a bloodied head. The aroused Montague (ANTONIO PIERFEDERIC!) and his retainers set out after the Capulets, who have continued their rampaging through the city, until an alarm is sounded. Peter, servant of the Capulets (ROY HOLDER), runs to the Capulet palace in search of Tybalt (MICHAEL YORK), to get him and his followers to reinforce the embattled youths. Lady Capulet (NATASHA PARRY), mistress of the houshold, is disdainful of her much older husband (PAUL HARDWICK). Cavulet is bargaining for his daughter’s hand with handsome young Count Paris (ROBERTO BISACCO). Capulet rushes out to aid his side, and arrives at the scene of the frav just as the Prince (ROBERT STEPHENS) rides up and sternly silences the fighters, warning both Capulet and Montague that banishment or death will be the penalty to whoever, on either side, starts trouble in the city again. Where was her son, Romeo (LEONARD WHITING), when all this was going on? asks Lady Montague. Romeo, it turns out. was outside the city somewhere, absent all night, dreaming—not one to be involved in the senseless quarrels of his elders. Romeo is greeted by Benvolio and as they are strolling in the square. they encounter Peter. They ask for directions to the houses of guests invited to a ball that night. They decide to “crash” the ball when Romeo sees on the list the name of Rosaline. Since the ball is in the enemy Capulet house, they will attend it masked. Meanwhile, in the Capulet household, Lady Capulet informs her 13-year-old daughter Juliet (OLIVIA HUSSEY) that she is soon to be married. and perhaps the announcement will be made at the ball that night. Juliet is more excited about the ball than about the nossibility of marriage, and her Nurse (PAT HEYWOOD) prattles on about the virtues of Count Paris. On the way to the ball, Romeo and Benolio are joined by their friend Mercutio JOHN McENERY), who chides Romeo for his melancholy. At the ball, Romeo sights the lovely daughter of the household. He and Juliet meet in the garden, and it is love between them at first sight, although neither knows their families are deadly enemies. Tybalt spots Romeo and tries to eject him, but Capulet quiets the hothead by saying Romeo is a guest in his house. After the ball, late that night, Romeo steals into the walled garden of the Canulets and overhears Juliet, on her balcony. calling his name. The young counle declare their love and olan secretly to meet—and marry—the next day in the church of Friar Laurence (MILO O’SHEA). At dawn the next morning, an ecstatically happy Romeo, who has not been to bed, runs to tell Friar Laurence of his new love. At first the Friar doubts the youth’s sincerity, but when he realizes it is genuine, he agrees to marry the couple. hoping that such a union might serve a worthy purpose—to end the family hatred. Juliet arrives and the marriage is performed. Outside, in the hot noon sun, Tybalt tries to provoke a quarrel with jesting Mercutio, who walks away from him, thus increasing Tybalt’s anger. When Tybalt spies Romeo coming from the church, fresh from his secret wedding, he turns on him with words calculated to provoke a fight. To his astonishment, Romeo courteously greets him as a friend. for Tybalt is now Romeo’s kinsman and he will not fight with him. Outraged by what he believes is Romeo’s cowardice, Mercutio picks up the challenge. When Romeo tries to intervene. Mercutio is stabbed by Tybalt’s rapier, and dies shouting “A plague on both your houses!” Now Romeo, the vacifist. must commit himself. He must avenge his dead friend. He nicks up Mercutio’s bloody handkerchief and his rapier and races through the streets after Tybalt. corners him, and after a fierce duel, slays him. When Tybalt’s dead body is carried into the Capulet household it causes great grief. Juliet’s tears. however, are tempered with the realization that although her cousin Tybalt is dead, he would have killed her husband Romeo. But Lady Capulet is inconsolable. and distraught, leads a mob of Capulets to the Prince’s palace shouting “Justice!’’ Although Benvolio explains the initial provocation was Tybalt’s, the Prince must keep his word to severely punishthe next person to cause a death, and pronounces Romeo’s banishment to Mantua. Romeo is in despair and comes to Friar Laurence’s cell. There Juliet’s Nurse finds him and bids him come secretely to Juliet’s room that night. Next morning at dawn, the anguished lovers must part after their all-too-brief wedding night. Both have a presentiment that they may never meet again. Almost at once Lord Capnulet comes to announce that. despite the familv’s morning for Tybalt. Juliet’s marriage to Paris is to take place ne Juliet is beside herself, and she, too, runs to Friar Laurence for comfort and elo. The Friar thinks of a possible solution. A man of Nature. wise in the way of herbs and drugs, he sives her a potion which will cause a death-like sleeo for 40 hours. She will awake, he tells her. in the family tomb. but she is to have courage. he will be there to snirit her away to Mantua—and Romeo. Juliet takes the potion and the Nurse and her family believe she is dead. The funeral procession comes to the Capulet vault, where her body is placed. Friar Laurence has dispatched a messenger with a letter to Romeo telling him about the potion but Balthazar (KEITH SKINNER), Romeo’s servant, unluckily arrives in Mantua Wednesday morning, before the messenger, and gives Romeo the news that Juliet is dead. In silent grief Romeo buys a vial of poison and rides off to Verona for a last farewell with his beloved. Romeo, seeing Juliet to all intents and purposes dead, drinks the poison. Too late Juliet awakes and sees the dead bodv of Romeo at her feet. Snatching the dagger from his waist, she joins him in death. The grieving Friar brings the warring Capulets and Montagues together to finally bury their hatred over the biers of their dead children. THE CAST (in order of appearance) PVG COE ULS eet te re ee eae ne ge he nee orca ie een tee MURRAY HEAD Balthia zona eae ert ae ces pec ere ee ca mate KEITH SKINNER GROSORY eat roe pie eit ech eee wear eae mane eats RICHARD WARWICK SAI PSOP acc eres rac soc se svasaacayh cad OR Gr nse kce eee erase Macatee Ses DYSON LOVELL Fed) iC} 6 E11] Mp Senne MRA SRD MR Is Cera eC TR 8 ma Ou Wee rege eae ete UGO BARBONE a AN OF || erate Sha se ge Prac ab Pos CPB EL ACR eaacT pore Oa rN MICHAEL YORK SPST A (0 Fo Gipneae ce othe A MgUe te WO UH IWR LET a NaS Oe Rah a. dA na Oe BRUCE ROBINSON Ero} ge |i 6101 | (2) sel Fan a eae rn nn i rece tatR Re eam man aan 2 PAUL HARDWICK RMN TINIE oie ti 0 ecg ins oh cs CRA aks excise seed emPRN as ea N El pe NATASHA PARRY Orde MOntasue ok tre celeste cea heer cates ANTONIO PIERFEDERICI EAC MON TA SUE anes sa ak osc dae cca cea tey eaeale ESMERALDA RUSPOLI THeSPFINCE TOL VErONa 28 oes CS ae ee eee ROBERT STEPHENS L510] § 01210 eeppienet yee Ae en oeaetre he AR SO ERE Peat ene dee tig yt Wart Rr gL LEONARD WHITING 5 Cot 11g | < Mele ale a ga Meet cet at op hae NC Len ere col pea eA ete ENS PAOLA TEDESCO SCOUT AIS oe eee ct ap Cs ee ROBERTO BISACCO POLOT on eee See 9! Fees a oe ee 8 ee NN AR Or ROY HOLDER SHUTS Ha RaRan uP se RRR Oe eR a eb ERED SES oles Titi on OLIVIA HUSSEY THE NUPSE eee eR Ss cca eee een PAT HEYWOOD MGErGuitid: sete ees ce ee See JOHN McENERY Priat' LAuUrenicesc ce eae ee ee a Se or, A ano MILO O’SHEA Eriat: JORMA See, ee ee Ae Cee ALDO MIRANDA Page: to: Ty bales Soe re sc en re UO AS DARIO TANZINI CREDITS Producers, Anthony Havelock-Allan and John Brabourne; Associate Producer, Richard Goodwin: Director, Franco Zeffirelli; Screenplay by, Franco Brusati and Franco Zeffirelli; Director of Photography, Pasquale De Santiis; Production Designer, Renzo Mongiardino; Art Director, Luciano Puccini; Costume Designer, Danilo Donati; Set Decorator, Christine Edzard; Assistant Directors, Isa Bartolini, Anna Davini, Dyson Lovell, Carlos Barbieri; Production Manager, Guiseppe Bordogni; Sound Recordist, Alexander Fisher; Dialogue Director, Margaret Anderson; Film Editor, Reginald Mills; Assistant Editor, John Rushton; Makeup Artist, Mauro Gavazzi; Fencing Master, Niccolo Perna; Music Composed by, Nino Rota; Lyrics by, Eugene Walter. 5