But Juliet is shocked when her father brings news of planning to wed Juliet with Count Paris. Romeo goes to Juliet and they consummate their marriage. The Friar sends Romeo to Juliet one last night with her. Meanwhile, both families are filled with grief over their losses, especially Juliet. As the result of this loss, the Prince banishes Romeo from Verona. Romeo is enraged and runs after Tybalt seeking revenge. This starts another violent brawl during which Tybalt stabs Mercutio. Romeo catches up with Mercutio and Benvolio but they meet Tybalt and his men on the way. They perform the ceremony and afterwards Juliet returns home. Romeo seeks help from Friar Laurence to wed them and the Friar agrees thinking that their love may end the violent war between Capulets and Montagues. He climbs the balcony and they quickly decide to get married the next day. Juliet's Nurse interrupts and when Romeo talks to the nurse, he discovers that Juliet is a Capulet.ДЄfter the party ends, Romeo sneaks into Juliet's garden secretly where he witnesses Juliet expressing her love for him. They go together to a quiet place and share a passionate kiss. Juliet feels the same and they share a dance. Instead, Romeo sees Juliet who is Lord Capulet's daughter and falls in love with her. Romeo sneaks in with Benvolio and Mercutio hoping to meet Rosaline. Later that night, there is a party held by Lord Capulet. Romeo's cousin, Benvolio persuades him to forget Rosaline but Romeo rebuffs him. Meanwhile, Romeo, a young Montague, reveals that he is in love with Lord Capulet's niece, Rosaline. One day at the market place, the feuding families start a brawl which infuriates the Prince and he threatens that if the peace of Verona is disturbed again, he shall take their lives. Footnote: Luciano Pavarotti has recorded the main love theme and it's called Ai giochi addio - it is so beautiful it will make you cry as you remember the film.During the late Middle Ages in Verona, two wealthy families, the Montagues and Capulets, have been feuding for centuries. How Nino Roto's soundtrack also missed out on an Oscar I will never understand. Only Kenneth Brannagh's mammoth production of the uncut version of Hamlet comes anywhere near this wonderful film. It's always very difficult to succeed with Shakespeare on the big screen but this version of Romeo and Juliet had it all. It did collect Best Costume and I think Best Cinematography, but what a travesty, especially when the film that did win that year was not even in the same league and is hardly ever remembered. Come the Oscars I waited with baited breath having convinced myself that it would get best film - I was so disappointed!. Baz Luhrmann's pales in comparison and thats not a bad film. He combined the tragedy with the humour as well as the love story by casting the right actor for each role and even if some of them faded into oblivium later, for this film they were all perfect. Zefferelli balanced the film perfectly, nothing was overdone.

But this was Italy in Tudor times when life was cheap and the willingness to reach for the sword was as it should be.Shakespeare understood human nature better than anyone and that's why all his plays show so much insight into the human spirit. In truth he was a fickle young man as all teenage boys can be and also prone to an amount of passionate violence so prevalent in adolescence. To have made the film using the whole text would have been too difficult and perhaps Zefferelli did want to portray Romeo as a little nicer than he actually was. It's pointless complaining that the text is cut, by leaving out Romeo killing Paris and also the apothecary selling Romeo the poison in no way detracts from the overall imagery and beauty of Shakespeare's text. A master stroke was Milo O'Shea as Friar Lawrence, never ever has there been a better role for this talented by rarely seen Irish actor. He was so clever in his casting, not just with the very handsome young Leonard Whiting who at the time when I was only 18 myself I thought was gorgeous but also the innocence of an immature Hussey was perfect.

However the key to this film's great success was that it was visually stunning, Zefferelli is the master of using colour, setting and costume to great effect.

Now owning it on DVD when I want to just feel good about films I watch it! So much has already been written about the youth of the two young unknown stars and the chemistry that they had on screen that I don't need to repeat it now. I went back three times with different sets of friends just to watch it again and each time I enjoyed it more. I saw Romeo and Juliet at the Odeon Leicester Square, the day after the Royal Premier and from that day I was hooked on this film.

Tromeo and juliet casts