ROMEO AND JULIET
A FILM ADAPTATION OF SHAKESPEARE’S PLAY
Director:
Screenplay:
Year of release:
Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce
1996
Leading Actors:
Leonardo DiCaprio
Claire Danes
John Leguizamo
Harold Perrineau
Pete Postlethwaite
Miriam Margolyes
Romeo
Juliet
Tibalt
Mercutio
Father Lawrence
Nurse
Synopsis:
A modernisation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (1595
approx.) in which a pair of young lovers are doomed by the family feud which
overwhelms them.
Themes: Love versus hate; sex, marriage and religion; morality; social decay; death
versus life; age versus youth; fate(determinism) versus free will; light versus dark; social
decay and the consequences of violence; the masculine and the feminine.
Setting: A modern and chaotic American industrial city – Verona Beach. It is a
community constantly on the verge of civil war and social destruction.
The film’s director, Baz Luhrmann set Romeo and Juliet in what he calls a “created
world”; a collage of modern and classical images drawn from religion, theatre, folklore,
technology and pop culture. The idea behind this is that “it’s a made-up world comprising
20th century icons”, says Luhrmann “and these images are there to clarify what’s being
said, because once you understand it, the power and beauty of the language works its
magic on you. The idea was to find icons that everybody understands, that are overtly
clear. The sets were deliberately designed to convey information about the characters and
locations in which they moved so that the audience would know immediately where they
were (in the film) and be able to concentrate more easily on what was going on
(happening). The hope was that by associating the characters and places with those
images (Shakespeare’s) language would be easier for a modern audience to understand.”
To Shakespeare and to Elizabethan audiences, Verona was a hot, sexy, violent, Catholic
country. The filmmakers wanted to find a modern equivalent and chose Mexico as the
shooting location.
Conflicts: There are a number of different types of conflict in the film:

The central or main conflict is the long-standing feud between the two ruling
families, the Montagues and the Capulets The feud has gone on for so long
that nobody can remember what it was originally about.

Gang warfare (represented by the “Capulet Boys” against the “Montague
Boys”. The Capulet boys look like “Latino gangsters” while the Montague
boys look like “skateboard punks”.

Conflict between parents and children –
1. because of the “generation” gap
2. because of cultural and/or religious customs
(we all know young people from different
ethnic groups whose parents want to either
arrange a marriage, or prevent a
relationship)
Major alterations
The film alters Shakespeare’s play script of the scene at the Capulet Tomb in a number of
important ways:




Romeo does not encounter Paris. There is no fight and Paris is not killed.
Juliet wakes while Romeo is still alive and some of their lines are interwoven as
dialogue before he dies.
Friar Lawrence makes no appearance
A revolver replaces a dagger in Juliet’s death
In the film Romeo and Juliet, as in many films, different styles of editing and camera
movement are associated with particular locations and characters.
Important scenes and film techniques in the film:
The opening scene quickly establishes the source of the film’s conflicts. The camera
zooms slowly in to a television set on which a Hispanic female newscaster is
broadcasting details of the latest street riots in an American Verona (this is the prologue,
which tells us what is happening now and what will happen later in the film).
Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene
From ancient grudge to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;
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Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife.
The fearful passage of their death-marked love,
And the continuance of their parents’ rage,
Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove,
Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
We know, from the prologue, that the only way that peace will be restored to Verona is
through the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Fate, not free will or choice, determines
their deaths.
* Note that this technique (the television news broadcast) is also used at the end of the
film to announce the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
As the camera cuts to statues of Mary and Jesus, street scenes and large neon signs,
viewers familiar with Shakespeare’s play become quickly aware that billboards, street
signs and buildings carry quotes from the play-text. This montage of the city, its streets
and inhabitants helps to orientate the audience and establish the setting.
The film’s composers use very fast-paced editing techniques together with a combination
of explosive rock music to introduce the film’s two rival gangs who immediately start to
fight. The tension between the Montagues and the Capulets is immediately established
and we see that everyone has a gun and no-one is afraid of using it. Notice that
throughout the film, the camera often takes close-ups of the guns. Guns and fast cars are
symbols both of a type of masculinity (gangs) in the film and the conflicts that surround
them. It is perhaps also a negative comment on modern America – the fact that so many
Americans own guns.
The original dialogue is used while Luhrmann concentrates on making the visual
elements powerful and shocking for the audience. The frenetic street violence of the large
city is watched over by a giant statue of Christ, its arms outstretched, while the
helicopters of law enforcement transcend even the power of the Church by buzzing
around it like angry insects. (Note that the appearance and sound of the helicopters
establish a sense of foreboding and suggest the magnitude of the events to come.)
The clothes that each gang wears are very distinctive The “Capulet Boys” look like
“Latino gangsters” while the “Montague Boys” look like “skateboard punks”. This makes
them easy to tell apart. The Montague gang is white and comical in their boyish
behaviour whereas the Capulets are Latin and much more hostile. These gangs are so out
of control that they think nothing of blowing up a petrol station – the effects of which
could be potentially disastrous for the community. The violence becomes intense when
Tybalt enters the scene. Tybalt misinterprets Benvolio’s actions, assuming that Benvolio
has started the fight. We see that Benvolio is a peaceful character who tries to prevent
violence rather than start it. But Tybalt (who is fiery tempered, unreasonable and likes to
fight) will not believe him.
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Benvolio: I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these
men with me.
Tybalt: What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word, As I hate hell, all
Montagues, and thee.
We learn a lot about Tybalt from this scene from what he wears, how he is dressed, what
he says and the way in which the camera focuses its attention on him. The scene
establishes early on that Tybalt is a dangerous, quick-tempered young man who is also a
leader and one to be both feared and respected.
During this fight we see the entrance of the heads of the household – Montague, Capulet
and their wives. The Montagues and Capulets are depicted as big businessmen who rule
Verona with their wealth, selfishness, ruthlessness and power. Capulet would like to join
in the fight – his wife tells him he is too old to fight. Montague would like to fight as well
but his wife prevents him. Enter the Prince. The Prince represents the only law and order
of Verona. We see him as a man who is frustrated with the never-ending feud between
the Montagues and the Capulets. He orders them to stop immediately. He calls them,
“Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-stained
steel…beasts” and so on. He rebukes them severely and tells them that “If ever you
disturb our streets again/Your lives will pay the forfeit of the peace”. The Prince plays a
prophetic role because by the end of the film several deaths will have occurred. Although
neither Capulet or Montague dies, each forfeits a child because of this ancient and
meaningless feud.
The Montague gang headquarters: Luhrmann’s headquarters for the Monatgue gang, the
stage of a wrecked cinema, is defined by the remaining proscenium arch. The auditorium
has been demolished, there is no shelter, the projection box has gone and the screen itself
has been removed. Instead of a filmic fantasy, the gang sees reality – almost always
stormy and usually at sunset. Ultimately, both Mercutio and Tybalt fall from the stage.
Tybalt falls through the screen area, out of the theatre. Mercutio dies in the auditorium
area, in the theatre of war.
Romeo has been absent from all this so far. We know that he disapproves of the fighting.
He is love sick for Rosaline (also a Capulet). The film concentrates on Romeo’s love
sickness for a short time until the Masked Ball scene.
The Masked Ball: This occurs in the Capulet House. The ballroom is a key location as it
is the setting in which Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet each other for the first
time. Romeo forgets about Rosaline the instant he sees Juliet. Despite the obvious
obstacles of conflict and hate, the love of Romeo and Juliet is born and grows very
quickly.
The brightness, loudness and harshness of the ballroom set is an excellent way for the
film’s composers to contrast the private world of the lovers. Romeo and Juliet’s private
world within a world is peaceful, calm and loving. They become the centre of their
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universe and become oblivious to the outer world where chaos reigns. Their love and
their world is shown by the use of specific camera techniques, lighting, music and sound.
In the aquarium scene, for example, camera distances vary from medium close-up shots
to close-ups and back again. The idea of social and physical barriers is presented by
having the fish tank between the two of them, keeping them apart – thus representing to
the audience the opposing level of Romeo and Juliet’s love. When the two lovers kiss, the
camera encircles them, therefore suggesting that they are at the centre of their own little
universe, completely unaware of the chaos that surround them.
The language of Shakespeare also helps to create this intimate and different sphere of
love. When Romeo catches sight of Juliet he imagines “touching her, make blessed my
rude hand”. Repeated references to hands, lips, kiss, touch, tender and so on represent
their physical aspects of their love. Constant religious references are made by both
characters as well – for them, love is also like religion. This is evident in the religious
imagery in the sonnet whereby Romeo declares that Juliet’s hand is the “holy shrine” and
his own lips “two blushing pilgrims”. The music of Des’ree (Kissing You) adds to the
haunting, romantic atmosphere. This is in contrast to the blurred images of people
drinking and using drugs in the background.
Romeo and Juliet are also seen as innocent, youthful and beautiful. This is achieved by
the continuous focus of the camera on the freshness of their skin, the sparkling eyes,
flushed cheeks and pink lips in addition to the beauty of the words they speak. Their
innocence and beauty is also shown by the costumes that they wear. In this scene, Romeo
is a knight in shining armour and Juliet is an angel. This is important because throughout
the film, Romeo appears mostly in blue tones or pale silvers while Juliet appears in white.
These colours reinforce the image of their purity and otherworldliness.
The other main characters at the Masked Ball were deliberately dressed in costumes that
reflected exaggerated versions of their personalities. Luhrmann wanted the party to look
slightly sinister, not all fun and games. Consider how like a devil Tybalt is dressed. The
accompanying music, the way he holds his body, not to mention the extreme focus on the
grinding out of his cigarette tell us a lot about his character. At the ball, Tybalt recognises
Romeo’s voice and begs his uncle to throw him out. Capulet for once, does not want a
fight to start (otherwise it would ruin his party) but he has to be very forceful with Tybalt
to stop him from grabbing Romeo. Tybalt shows his hatred and vows that he will seek
revenge on Romeo for daring to come to a Capulet party. This part of course, provides
the motivation for the next fight.
In the meantime, Romeo and Juliet determine to marry. In the “BalconyScene” we see the
continuation of Romeo and Juliet’s private universe. Juliet wears the white gown from
her earlier angel costume. In this scene (where she is on the balcony) she is shot mostly
from below, to emphasise her goddess-like stature. When the curtain blows back from her
bedroom window, a Madonna statue can be seen inside, a (feminine reference to their
sacred love and purity).
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The swimming pool extends the water imagery of the previous aquarium scene. Water in
the film, cleanses and purifies and it is the free, flowing nature of water that Luhrmann
uses as a representation of love. It also extends the meaning of much of Shakespeare’s
language. Throughout the dialogue, there is much reference by Romeo and Juliet to
water. Fire, on the other hand, represents the conflict between families and the hatred and
social decay of society in the film – as shown in the opening scene with the fire in the
petrol station
Romeo and Juliet are married secretly by the Friar. It is very significant however that
after the ceremony the scene changes to show imminent grey skies, the sound of thunder
and the noise of gunshot. This brings about a foreboding feeling about the future of the
marriage.
The next scene that features extreme violence, as a result of the conflict between the
families, is where Mercutio is killed by Tybalt. This scene is again characterised by fastpaced editing techniques, swift scene changes and loud music. The furious car chase, in
which Tybalt is pursued by Romeo, ends in fire and death.
Tybalt had come to seek revenge on Romeo for trespassing at the Capulet Ball. In the
meantime, Mercutio and he begin fighting. Romeo, just married, tries to make peace
between them but Tybalt will have nothing to do with peace. This leads to Mercutio’s
death and his dying words to both Romeo and Tybalt, “A plague o’ both your houses”
signifies impending doom. Romeo’s rage at the death of his friend Mercutio leads him to
kill Tybalt. This has dire consequences but instead of being put to death by the law, the
Prince shows mercy and banishes Romeo to Mantua instead. The barren, red desert of
Mantua reflects Romeo’s state of mind and his alienation from Juliet. He believes he will
never see her again.
Meanwhile Capulet has brought forward Juliet’s wedding to Paris. Capulet and his wife
are seen as cruel and uncaring parents in their brutal attitude towards Juliet. This shows
an extreme form of conflict between parents and their child. Juliet goes to see the Friar
who devises a plan. This plan goes horribly wrong and results in both their deaths.
The Capulet tomb: When Romeo approaches the seemingly dead Juliet in the tomb it
reminds us of Romeo’s earlier scene in the church before the romance began, when the
brightly lit crosses filled the screen. This very much indicates that the romance has come
full circle and is now ending. Even though Juliet is alive we sense the affair is over. In the
film (not in the play) Romeo takes the poison just before Juliet awakes and is able to
speak to her briefly before he dies. The heightened sense of doomed tragedy that this
change adds makes the ending even more heartbreaking. As Juliet shoots herself, the
sound of the gun thunders through the tomb signalling the end of their earthly lives.
The Prince arrives and announces that, “All are punished”. No-one has escaped.
Everyone is guilty and everyone has been punished.
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Resolution?: Although in the play we see peace restored in Verona as the families end
their quarrel, Luhrmann never shows the families reuniting. Throughout the film we have
seen the parents mainly in the background, brought in only to reinforce their ridiculous
attitudes and authoritarianism. To leave the ending unresolved is probably Luhrmann’s
way of showing the film’s relevance to modern society – the reality of gang warfare,
family breakdown and international strife. Here is the question then. Is the conflict really
solved in the film version?
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