Josefa Terribilini 3M4 Travail de maturité Octobre 2011 A litterary and cinematographic research Juliet and Romeo Gladys Zündel Gymnase Auguste Piccard Juliet & Romeo : résumé
Roméo et Juliette de Wiliam Shakespeare est l’une des pièces les plus célèbres jamais
écrites pour le théâtre, ainsi que l’une des plus belles histoires d’amour de tous les temps.
Cette pièce a été maintes fois adaptée mais la version de Baz Luhrmann est très
intéressante et a donc fait l’objet de mon choix. En effet, tout en conservant presque
entièrement le texte original, l’histoire est transposée durant les années 1990 et se
déroule dans ce qui semble être Los Angeles. Les acteurs dégainent donc leurs révolvers
et conduisent des voitures tout en récitant les mêmes vers shakespeariens. Cela
fonctionne à la perfection car le réalisateur conserve l’essence de la création de
Shakespeare.
Dans mon travail de maturité, j’ai ainsi choisi de procéder à une comparaison de cette
pièce de théâtre et de son adaptation cinématographique. Pour ce faire, j’ai sélectionné
deux séquences du film que j’ai comparées au texte original, et je les ai analysées de
façon très détaillée, plan par plan. Le premier passage est la scène de la rencontre des
deux amants. Cette scène illustre le romantisme et la séduction qui sont deux thèmes
principaux de la pièce. J’ai alors pu observer que Baz Luhrmann a ajouté plus d’action et
de sensualité dans son adaptation, illustrant certaines fois les répliques (par ailleurs
coupées) par des gestes ou des regards. La deuxième séquence est le combat opposant
Mercutio et Tybalt et celle-ci relate la violence tant verbale que physique omniprésente
dans Roméo et Juliette. Une fois de plus, l’on retrouve plus d’action dans le film et la
brutalité y est accrue, de même que l’importance de Mercutio. J’ai par la suite choisi une
troisième séquence que j’ai analysée différemment. Il s’agit de la révolte de Juliette face
au mariage arrangé que ses parents lui imposent. Il me semblait important de parler de
l’aspect féministe de la pièce de Shakespeare et d’observer si celui-ci était tout aussi bien
exposé et pertinent dans le film de Baz Luhrmann. Eu égard à la problématique abordée,
l’analyse est donc moins systématique dans ce cas et d’abord basée sur le contenu
narratif plutôt que sur la construction esthétique. Il apparaît alors que la pièce rend mieux
le féminisme que le film car, à force de chercher à accroître les mouvements et réduire les
discours, la Juliette de Baz Luhrmann ressemble plus à une adolescente colérique qu’à la
jeune femme réfléchie et consciente de sa condition que Shakespeare a dépeinte.
Au final, la conclusion s’impose que, bien que respectant la lettre de la pièces, le film, par
son respect des exigences esthétique du cinéma américain des années 90, conduit à
mettre en évidence certains aspects de l’écriture shakespearienne (violence, sensualité)
plutôt que d’autres (nuances dans les discours par exemple).
1 Table of Contents :
1. Critical summary
3
2. Introduction
5
3. Analysis of Three Sequences Compared to the Original Scenes :
6
• 3.1 Act I Scene 5 : Love at First Sight
6
- 3.1.1 Comparison with the Play
7
- 3.1.2 Analysis of the Cinematographic Sequence
8
• 3.2 Act III scene 1 : Duel
- 3.2.1 Comparison with the Play
14
- 3.2.2 Analysis of the Cinematographic Sequence
15
• 3.3 Act III scene 5 : Disobedience
11
24
- 3.3.1 Comparison with the Play
24
- 3.3.2 Analysis of the Cinematographic Sequence
25
4. Conclusion
28
5. Bibliography
29
6. Appendix
31
2 1. Critical Summary
This play, written by William Shakespeare, happens in Verona. There, two important
families, the Montagues and the Capulets, have hated each other for years (we do not
actually know the reasons of this argument). Romeo, son of the Montagues, is first in love
with Rosaline, a beautiful and prudish young woman who rejects him. His best friend,
named Mercutio, and his cousin, Benvolio, are very important to him. Their enemies, the
Capulets, are about to have a party in their house because the father, Mr. Capulet, wants
to introduce Paris, a rich Count, to his daughter, Juliet, in order to marry them. Romeo,
hoping to see Rosaline at this event, invites himself with his closest friends. But he meets
Juliet. He is not aware of her name and immediately falls in love, seduced by her perfect
beauty. She has the same feelings, and they kiss twice. After that, both of them learn that
they are enemies but love is stronger than the hatred of their parents. They promise each
other eternal love. In the morning, Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence in his church and asks
him to marry them. The priest is first hesitant but the expectation that this union could
provide reconciliation between the two families convinces him to accept. The same
afternoon, there is a fight between Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, who wants to kill Romeo, and
Mercutio. Mercutio is wounded and dies, insulting both families. So, Romeo full of rage
kills Tybalt. He is banished and has to flee to Mantua. Mr. Capulet, seeing the despair of
his daughter, decides to marry her sooner. She runs to the church and Friar Lawrence
gives her a special liquid giving her the appearance of a dead woman for a few hours. He
sends a messenger to Romeo but the young lover does not receive the letter and buys a
poison to die with his beloved. On the way, he fights against Count Paris and kills him.
When he arrives at Juliet’s grave, he drinks the poison and dies. At this point, Juliet wakes
up and sees her lover dead. Desperate, she takes his dagger and kills herself.
It was surprising to find so much violence (including verbal abuse) in Shakespeare’s
play. Hate is one of the most important themes of the book and it is because of some
ancestral hatred that Romeo and Juliet’s love is impossible and leads the characters to
death. The perception of love is also moving during the play. At first, love is a burden to
Romeo, who discovers happiness with Juliet later. Juliet’s maturity is also astonishing. She
is at first an innocent fourteen-year-old woman, protected by her parents and with no idea
of love and men. But then she emancipates thanks to her new passion and fights her
parents’ authority. Her rebellion leads her to death, which is the only way to live her love
with Romeo. The tragic end is announced from the beginning and caused by the
3 selfishness and hatred of the two families, but is, at the same time, the only way for them
to bury the hatchet.
4 2. Introduction
Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous plays ever written, and its author,
William Shakespeare, one of the most famous English writer, who has created a master
piece. Inspirated from an old Italian tale called The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet,
this play reminds ancient love stories for example Aenea and Didon or Orphea and
Eurydice. The strength of Shakespeare’s writing is above all the conflict between two
groups of people which is a transhistorical problem and that, because of his talent, he was
able, for instance , on the base of such a story, to switch between comic and dramatic
scenes and to develop secondary characters, like Mercutio and Count Paris. Its
resonnance is still present and that is why this theme has been much used in a lot of
different ways. Many artists adapted it for the cinema (e.8.George Cukor), the opera
(e.8.Georg Benda), and for theater of course (e.8.John Gielgud).
Baz Luhrmann, a famous director, who directed Moulin Rouge !, is one of these
inspirated artists. He choses to make a modern version of this play but using the original
text almost fully. The actors are then playing in what seems to be the area of Los Angeles,
fighting with guns and driving cars, surprisingly saying beautiful sonnets. The director
changed some details (characters’ behaviour or cuts) but wanted to keep the essence of
Shakespeare’s creation.
For my research paper, I have taken three important sequences of the film Romeo +
Juliet and analysed them shot by shot, comparing them to the original play. These three
sequences are very different : the first one is the romantic side of the story in the meeting
between Romeo and Juliet, the second one is the heavy presence of violence in the huge
fight opposing Tybalt and Mercutio. I first list the different shots of the sequence so that we
can easily find the references in the text, then compare the sequence to the book and
finally analyse it in detail.
I have also chosen a third passage but I do not proceed the same way as before.
Indeed, the analysis is less technical but focuses deeper on the meaning of the speeches
and of the direction. This sequence shows the feminist aspect of the story with Juliet’s
rebellion and this deserved to be brought to light. Questions are such as, is feminism well
showed in the film?, is this cinematographic version successful and pertinent ?, how is the
story’s purpose actual ?, these interrogations are to be answered in this research paper.
5 3. Analysis of sequences
3.1 Love at First Sight (Act I scene 5)
The first sequence analysed is the famous scene of the meeting between Romeo
and Juliet. Juliet’s parents are having a party at their house where Romeo invites himself
with some friends. When he sees Juliet during the ball, he immediately falls in love with
her and they kiss several times before they learn that they are enemies. Then, Romeo
leaves. We can see the first sign of Juliet’s rebellion in this scene. Indeed, she disobeys
her parents, who told her, some hours before, that her future husband was to be met at
the party and gives herself to a man she barely knows, who will be revealed to be her
father’s enemy, hiding from her mother on purpose. This sequence is divided in 56 shots.
Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Beginning -­‐ end 29’10 – 29’13 29’13 – 29’14 29’14 – 29’16 29’16 – 29’17 29’17 – 29’19 29’19 – 29’23 29’23 – 29’25 29’25 – 29’26 29’26 – 29’28 29’28 – 29’37 29’37 – 29’40 29’40 – 29’49 29’49 – 30’02 30’02 – 30’07 30’07 – 30’09 30’09 – 30’11 30’11 – 30’12 30’12 – 30’13 30’13 – 30’14 30’14 – 30’15 30’15 – 30’17 30’17 – 30’18 30’18 – 30’20 30’20 – 30’21 30’21 – 30’22 30’22 – 30’29 30’29 – 30’31 30’31 – 30’36 30’36 – 30’37 30’37 – 30’43 30’43 – 30’46 30’46 – 30’53 30’53 – 30’56 30’56 – 30’57 Shot Medium shot Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, zoom forward Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Travelling shot Close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, travelling shot Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up Medium shot, zoom forward Medium shot Medium shot, zoom forward Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, travelling shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, travelling shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, travelling shot Close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, zoom backward Medium shot, travelling shot Medium shot, travelling shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, travelling shot Close-­‐up, travelling shot 6 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 30’57 – 30’59 30’59 – 31’01 31’01 – 31’08 31’08 – 31’09 31’09 – 31’12 31’12 – 31’15 31’15 – 31’21 31’21 – 31’24 31’24 – 31’26 31’26 – 31’31 31’31 – 31’33 31’33 – 31’37 31’37 – 31’41 31’41 – 31’48 31’48 – 31’51 31’51 – 31’55 31’55 – 31’56 31’56 – 31’58 31’58 – 31’59 31’59 – 32’09 32’09 – 32’12 32’12 – 32’14 Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, travelling shot Close-­‐up, travelling shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Medium shot, travelling shot Close-­‐up, travelling shot Medium shot, travelling shot Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up Medium shot, zoom forward Close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, zoom forward High angle shot, zoom backward Close-­‐up Medium shot, travelling shot Close-­‐up Medium shot, travelling shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, zoom forward High angle shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot 3.1.1 Comparison with the Play
Of course, this film is very particular, so they are a lot of differences between this
sequence and the book. Since the play is transposed to the 90s, the accessories, the
costumes and also the setting, used at Shakespeare’s time, are modernized. The old
traditional ball with beautiful dresses is turned into a crazy masked ball. The servants
disappear because they were incompatible with the transposition. But the strength of this
film is that actors say the original text, almost fully, which works perfectly well in spite of
the contemporary setting. Nevertheless, in this sequence, some sentences are cut or
replaced by gestures and images in order to add more action and emotions. In the play, at
the end of the passage, the nurse’s speech comes on stage after Romeo leaves. At this
point, the nurse does not want to reveal the young man’s name and Juliet insists but, in
the film, the nurse is turned into an advisor and Juliet is much more passive. She seems
more childish. Another modification in the film is when the lovers try to hide from the
mother and run into the elevator. In the play, there is absolutely no action at this point but
we can see that Baz Luhrmann adds tension and excitement in the film. The addition of
passionate kisses has also the same purpose. The very few stage directions of Wiliam
Shakespeare are respected. The characters do all the stipulated gestures, entry and exits.
7 To conclude, this short but central scene of the play is turned into a long one in the film.
The dramatic side is well shown but there is more suspense and sensuality.
3.1.2 Analysis of the Cinematographic Sequence
In the first shot, we can see Juliet, focused on the show, and Romeo, coming from
behind her, behind a column because he knows he should not be here. The scene
happens in a dance room : it is very colourful and bright because of all the lights for the
party, everybody is wearing costumes. Juliet is dressed like an angel, which makes her
look pure, beautiful and divine. Romeo is much darker, wearing a knight outfit, and we can
say that he immediately appears as a conqueror to Juliet. His interest is the young woman
in front of him and he does not care about the show. Juliet’s representation as an angel is
not innocent. Indeed, at our time, this is a common habit in the media because women are
often represented as gentle and holy, but also caricaturally feminine. This is maybe the old
tradition of courtly love that remains and is totally adapted to this situation in Romeo +
Juliet.
In shot 2, there is a close up on Romeo’s hand catching Juliet’s. It is the first contact
between them, caused by Romeo. In this picture, we can see their link that will never be
broken from this moment. In shot 3, it is the same picture as in the first one. Juliet,
surprised, discovers Romeo but she lets him take her closer. She is already attracted to
him, it is some invincible strength. In shot 4, this sensation is also shown thanks to the
close-up on her astonished but smiling face. In shot 5, Romeo starts talking to her and the
close-up is on him. Still hidden behind the column, he takes a huge risk but his love is
already stronger than anything else. Juliet listens to him in shot 6 and is seduced.
There is a rupture in shot 7. We see Count Paris laughing coarsely before the party
and the difference with Romeo, saying refined words, is obvious. Count Paris’s world is
ridiculous and already away. This sensation is well shown in shot 8. This way to seduce
appears traditional and well suited for our vision of the seventieth century but seems now
stereotypical : a soft touch first, lovely words, then kisses more and more racy.
Then, from shot 9, there is a series of close-ups (9-10) on the two lovers, Romeo
seducing Juliet. The music begins slowly. It is the love theme of the movie and it is
increasing with their feelings. It adds another romantic dimension. From that moment,
everything that surrounds them is forgotten, sounds also disappear, only both of them
exist. In shot 11, Juliet answers and the camera moves with them. Juliet tries to resist, and
Romeo is afraid she may push him back. In shot 12, the close-up is on her, still talking. In
shot 13, we see both of them and Romeo tries to kiss her on the lips but she resists and
8 the camera follows her movement. The light comes from the right, behind them. They are
partly in the shadow of the party, doing something prohibited.
In shot 14, there is another close-up on Juliet. Then, in shot 15, the shot is larger and
shows them in front of the two big golden doors of the elevator. There are people wearing
masks around them and they are the only ones without masks, their faces laid bare. It is
an impressive setting. We can say that these golden doors are opening heaven doors, or
the doors to the country of love. There is a close-up on their faces in shot 16 but they are
disturbed in shot 17 by Juliet’s odd mother, which appears as another intrusion of the
other world, and so, they run into the lift in shot 18 and 19. The light inside is white and
extremely bright, the music is louder and makes our heart beat with tension and
excitement. We can regroup shots 20 to 25. On the one hand, we see the mother crying
and looking for someone. On the other hand, the camera zooms on the lovers’ faces,
fleeing into the elevator and kissing for the first time. The shots change fast in order to
create suspense and stress.
In shot 26, there is no more tension. They are safe and kiss. The lift is like a new
world, a world apart where they are protected. They rise to happiness and love. The light
is like heaven light. The camera turns around them in shots 26 to 30. It shows their moving
emotions. The soundtrack is important, too. First, we can hear some murmur of the crowd
and then only music. There are two sides : the first one is the cheerful music reminding of
their passionate feelings. The second one is darker. We hear a grave melody at the same
time that already tells us that this new relationship is wrong and should not exist.
In shots 31 and 32, they run out of the elevator, laughing. They are upstairs,
dominating the crowd. They reach another level ; their love is above everything else. But
the mother interrupts them again and, again, their refuge is the lift. The doors keep them
safe and, immediately when they get inside, they kiss. We can truly say that this place is
the refuge of love. In shots 33 to 36, the camera moves again, as in shots 26 to 30. It
makes us think of a dance, which reminds the viewers of the ball. The music at this
moment has a special purpose. It allows to keep the original rythm of the iambic verses
written by Shakespeare even when the characters are not speaking. The elevator opens in
shot 37, and, outside, we see the nurse and the crowd. It is the other earthly common
world. The nurse takes Juliet with her and music begins to increase. Tension is back.
In shots 38 to 40, the camera moves between Juliet carried away in the crowd and
Romeo, following her, still happy and unconscious of danger. But then, in shot 41, Juliet
goes upstairs to her mother and Paris. The stairs represent the distance between them, in
9 a figurative sense, too, caused by the hatred of both families. She moves away from
Romeo and becomes untouchable, up there. The soundtrack also declines and becomes
serious, which adds tragedy. We can see Romeo’s face in the close-up shot 42. The music
duplicates his feelings. His expression breaks down when he realises the truth. He is
filmed from above, it shows his despair and incapacity to reach Juliet.
In shot 43, Juliet’s family goes away, and in shot 44, we see the same picture as in
shot 42 : Romeo’s disillusion. Juliet remains behind to stare at him in shot 45. She is
shown from Romeo’s point of view, in a low angle shot. Again viewers see Romeo’s face
in shot 46. He speaks up what he has just understood : Juliet is a Capulet. In shot 47,
Juliet cannot move and the nurse informs her of the tragedy. In shot 48, the camera
zooms backward from Romeo taking in the sad revelation. It is Juliet’s point of view, who
realises that her love is moving away from her because of the impossibility for them to be
together. The music echoes the terrible loss. Shot 49 is a close-up on Juliet’s desperate
face.
In shot 50, the camera follows Juliet, still upstairs, who flees away to look at Romeo.
Romeo’s face is shown in shot 51. In shot 52, we see her, still running, and then, in shot
53, she stops in a head-and-shoulders shot to watch Romeo from above. She is very
bright. She really looks like an unreachable angel in the sky, seen from downstairs. In shot
54, Romeo is still looking at her but Mercutio and his friends intrude to take him away. The
sounds of the outside world are all around again : he is finally aware of what is around
him. In shot 55, we see them running away from above, which is still Juliet’s point of view.
Then, the camera moves back to her worried face in shot 56, and viewers see her
watching them going away.
During this sequence, the director uses a lot of quick shots. Those are very present
when the characters are tense or move quickly. The alternation of shots gives an
impression of stress because it makes the viewers’ hearts beat fast. The images follow the
10 movement and it adds a lot of tension. Music is present everytime and has a real meaning.
It gives the opportunity to keep the Shakespearian rythm in the silent moments, when the
actors do not speak to each other, and also allows to increase the emotions expressed,
being deception, happiness or any other.
3.2 Duel (Act III Scene 1)
This second scene is, according to me, one of the crucial moments of Romeo and
Juliet. It is the famous fight opposing Tybalt, Romeo and Mercutio. Tybalt comes to
Romeo’s group. He is looking for Romeo who, he considers, insulted him because Romeo
invited himself to the Capulets’ party the day before. Romeo arrives then. He has just been
married to Tybalt’s cousin, Juliet, and he advocates peace. However, Tybalt beats him and
Mercutio interferes to defend his best friend. Mercutio is hurt and dies, damning both
Capulets and Montagues. This scene will lead to the tragedy of Tybalt’s death and
Romeo’s exile. This sequence amounts to 145 shots.
Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Beginning -­‐ end 57’42 -­‐ 57’43 57’43 – 57’46 57’46 – 57’48 57’48 – 57’49 57’49 – 57’50 57’50 – 57’53 57’53 – 57’55 57’55 – 57’57 57’57 – 57’58 57’58 – 58’00 58’00 – 58’01 58’01 – 58’02 58’02 – 58’03 58’03 – 58’04 58’04 – 58’05 58’05 – 58’08 58’08 – 58’09 58’09 – 58’10 58’10 – 58’13 58’13 – 58’14 58’14 – 58’15 58’15 – 58’16 58’16 – 58’17 58’17 – 58’18 58’18 – 58’24 58’24 – 58’25 58’25 – 58’26 58’26 – 58’27 58’27 – 58’29 Shot Medium shot Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Medium shot Medium shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up Close-­‐up, travelling shot Waist shot Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Medium shot Close-­‐up, portrait 11 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 58’29 – 58’36 58’36 – 58’37 58’37 – 58’51 58’51 – 58’52 58’52 – 59’01 59’01 – 59’03 59’03 – 59’04 59’04 – 59’06 59’06 – 59’07 59’07 – 59’08 59’08 – 59’09 59’09 – 59’10 59’10 – 59’11 59’11 – 59’14 59’14 – 59’15 59’15 – 59’16 59’16 – 59’17 59’17 – 59’19 59’19 – 59’20 59’20 – 59’21 59’21 – 59’21 59’21 – 59’22 59’22 – 59’22 59’22 – 59’23 59’23 – 59’25 59’25 – 59’26 59’26 – 59’27 59’27 – 59’29 59’29 – 59’30 59’30 – 59’31 59’31 – 59’32 59’32 – 59’35 59’35 – 59’36 59’36 – 59’41 59’41 – 59’44 59’44 – 59’45 59’45 – 59’48 59’48 – 59’49 59’49 – 59’50 59’50 – 59’53 59’53 – 59’59 59’59 – 59’59 59’59 – 1h00 1h00 – 1h00’01 1h00’01 – 1h00’02 1h00’02 – 1h00’03 1h00’03 – 1h00’05 1h00’05 – 1h00’07 1h00’07 – 1h00’08 Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Waist shot Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Close-­‐up, travelling shot Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot, portrait Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up, portrait Waist shot Head-­‐&-­‐shoulders shot, travelling shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Long shot Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up High angle shot, close-­‐up Head-­‐&-­‐shoulders shot, travelling shot Medium shot Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait Close-­‐up, portrait High angle shot, close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Medium shot High angle shot, close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot High angle shot, close-­‐up Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up Long shot Close-­‐up Low angle shot, medium shot Medium shot Medium shot Medium shot Low angle shot, medium shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot High angle shot 12 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 1h00’08 – 1h00’10 1h00’10 – 1h00’11 1h00’11 – 1h00’12 1h00’12 – 1h00’14 1h00’14 – 1h00’15 1h00’15 – 1h00’17 1h00’17 – 1h00’18 1h00’18 – 1h00’19 1h00’19 – 1h00’19 1h00’19 – 1h00’20 1h00’20 – 1h00’21 1h00’21 – 1h00’25 1h00’25 – 1h00’26 1h00’26 – 1h00’26 1h00’26 – 1h00’27 1h00’27 – 1h00’28 1h00’28 – 1h00’28 1h00’28 – 1h00’29 1h00’29 – 1h00’29 1h00’29 – 1h00’32 1h00’32 – 1h00’32 1h00’32 – 1h00’33 1h00’33 – 1h00’34 1h00’34 – 1h00’36 1h00’36 – 1h00’37 1h00’37 – 1h00’37 1h00’37 – 1h00’38 1h00’38 – 1h00’39 1h00’39 – 1h00’40 1h00’40 – 1h00’41 1h00’41 – 1h00’42 1h00’42 – 1h00’43 1h00’43 – 1h00’44 1h00’44 – 1h00’46 1h00’46 – 1h00’47 1h00’47 – 1h00’48 1h00’48 – 1h00’49 1h00’49 – 1h00’50 1h00’50 – 1h00’50 1h00’50 – 1h00’51 1h00’51 – 1h00’52 1h00’52 – 1h00’53 1h00’53 – 1h00’54 1h00’54 – 1h00’55 1h00’55 – 1h00’57 1h00’57 – 1h01’01 1h01’01 – 1h01’05 1h01’05 – 1h01’06 1h01’06 – 1h01’07 Close-­‐up, travelling shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Close-­‐up, travelling shot Close-­‐up Medium shot Long shot Low angle shot, medium shot Close-­‐up High angle shot, close-­‐up Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up High angle shot, close-­‐up Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up Medium shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Travelling shot, full figure shot Close-­‐up, travelling shot Close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Travelling shot, waist shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Waist shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Close-­‐up High angle shot, medium shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Detail shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up Long shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot 13 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 1h01’07 – 1h01’10 1h01’10 – 1h01’11 1h01’11 – 1h01’12 1h01’12 – 1h01’14 1h01’14 – 1h01’15 1h01’15 – 1h01’16 1h01’16 – 1h01’17 1h01’17 – 1h01’18 1h01’18 – 1h01’21 1h01’21 – 1h01’27 1h01’27 – 1h01’32 1h01’32 – 1h01’43 1h01’43 – 1h01’51 1h01’51 – 1h01’54 1h01’54 – 1h01’56 1h01’56 – 1h01’59 1h01’59 – 1h02’03 1h02’03 – 1h02’04 High angle shot, medium shot Close-­‐up Close-­‐up, portrait Long shot High angle shot, medium shot Waist shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Waist shot Close-­‐up High angle shot, head-­‐&-­‐shoulders shot Waist shot Close-­‐up, travelling shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Close-­‐up Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Medium shot Head-­‐and-­‐shoulders shot Extreme long shot 3.2.1 Comparison with the Play
Verses in this scene are almost fully respected as only some are cut in order to add
action and gestures, which are much more present in the film than in the play as unveiled
before. The accessories are very cleverly switched into modern ones. For example, when,
in the book, the characters draw their swords, they take their guns out in the film. This
scene is also more violent in the cinematographic version. Baz Luhrmann obviously
decided to take lots of time to show fights. This is typical of Hollywoodian films, in which a
star and action are focused on. The director also chose to turn this passage into a more
psychological one. Indeed, we see a lot of close-ups on the characters’ faces and so we
can read their expressions. It is more subtle in the film : for example, Tybalt is not only the
ferocious beast of the play. He is sometimes scared, surprised, uncertain or feels guilty.
And those close-ups allow us to perceive that. This sequence is often filmed through the
eyes of the characters during the confrontation, which makes the fight seems more vivid.
Mercutio is more important in the film. He is one of the central characters and that is
why the scene is so gigantic. But he has a different mind : he is the funny guy, appearing
ironical and slightly disturbed at the same time. We can say that since he is always placed
between Tybalt and Romeo in the series of triangulated shots, Mercutio is the balance
between them. To dramatize the scene the well-known sentence ‘‘A plague o’both your
houses !’’ is repeated and echoes in a terrible setting in the film.
To sum up, there is more psychology, violence and emotions in the film. Everything is
bigger and more impressive and it is the director’s wish. Nevertheless, we should not
14 forget that it is an American version and American films have a propensity to amplify
actions and to bring forth a psychological dimension. Consequently, the emotions, verbal
insults, fights and setting are amplified, although each Shakespeare’s stage direction
remains respected.
3.2.2 Analysis of the Cinematographic Sequence
In the first shot, Tybalt is in the foreground and calls Romeo, his two guards behind him,
but we only see one arm of the second one, which means that it is an open shot. All of
them are waiting for the fight and we can see that in their position : the arms are wide
apart, the guns conspicuous. They are ready to draw and shoot. The setting is interesting,
too. It is a heavy atmosphere. The scene happens on a beach, there is an old car
backwards, we also perceive waves of the ocean. It is sunset and the light is red. It
announces violence and blood as the car wreck announces destruction and desolation.
We can guess that it is hot. Angry minds are stimulated by a bright light and steamy heat.
Besides, Tybalt faces the sun. The setting in this sequence is very important. The director
choses a setting in which stimulates and reminds violence and desolation : the characters’
anger, of course, but also the beach, the light of the sunset, the heat, the ruins.
After that, there is a series of portraits, mainly on Romeo and Tybalt, but aslo on
Mercutio (shots 2-9). These close-ups are here to show the psychology of each character
and their emotions. Tension can be read on their faces. In consequence, we understand
that Romeo is first afraid and does not know what he should do, that Tybalt is full of rage
(his speech and spit show it well). There is a triangle between the three of them : Romeo,
lost and disarmed looks at Mercution in order to get some help, Mercutio, who knows that
Tybalt wants to fight, turns to Romeo and makes him understand that it is his turn to
combat, and Tybalt stares at Romeo. The music is sweet and calm and contrasts with the
tension. It is the calm before the storm. The director uses a pecular technique. By alterning
calm and violent moment, viewers’ feelings varies from expectation and tension and they
become more and more tense or afraid.
In shot 10, we see all the Capulets, still in the same position. But this time, there are
some people watching the scene in the background and a dilapidated house. That makes
the viewers think of a poor area and the shot is even bleaker than before. The medium
shot 11 shows Tybalt’s back. He gives us an impression of power when his guard takes
his gun out, and he stays motionless. In front of them, the Montagues and Mercutio are in
the same fighting position except Romeo who is not menacing but pacifist. Behind them,
15 there is a large piece of wreck and the blinding orange sunlight. This setting has the
purpose to impress and frighten the viewers. In shot 12, there is a close-up on Tybalt’s
gun taken by the guard. Tybalt seems powerful because he is served and his weapon is
threatening. There is a Madonna on it, which is a very contradictory symbol with violence
intended by the weapon.
We can regroup shots 12 to 19. It is again some close-ups. We see Mercutio,
attentive and determined, Tybalt’s guard who is preparing the gun with a frightening
expression, the bullets which are shown to the Montagues to create fear and Romeo, still
afraid and looking for some help from Mercutio. Romeo’s behaviour can easily be
interpreted as cowardice if people do not know what happened the scene before. But the
viewers actually know that Romeo has just married Juliet who is Tybalt’s cousin. He does
not want to fight against his young wife’s family member to protect her. In shot 20,
Mercutio wants to act as Tybalt’s guard. He tries to take Romeo’s gun but Romeo,
surprised, refuses. The next shots switch fast, the tension increases. We see Mercutio and
Romeo, and the gun loaded. Tybalt finally moves in shot 25 when his guard puts the gun
in his sheath. He prepares himself for the fight and contrasts with Romeo : Tybalt is selfconfident and we can read violence and assurance on his face. He spreads his arms to
signify that he is ready for the battle. At the same time, the sound of music starts to
increase as the intensity of anxiety does and the moment of the final fight approaches.
This passage is a real ritual. The ennemies could have just taken out their guns and shot,
even if the other ones are not ready. But actually, for these gangs, duels are an art and
they are sacred. The Madonna on Tybalt’s weapon maybe shows this sacred dimension.
This is a typically male rite in which one tries to impress the other with a physical threat.
Here, the well-known male symbol of the gun is used.
Shots 26 and 27 are two close-ups on Romeo’s face, gentle, tensed and unwilling to
fight, and Tybalt who shows incomprehension in front of this attitude. The close-ups in this
scene are really useful to capture every change of expression or sensation. Every facial
16 change is perceived and it gives the opportunity to understand all the characters maybe
better than by reading the book as the emotions they play are the result of their
interpretations of the character, story and words.
In shot 28, we see the scene from Romeo’s back. He pushes Mercutio aside and
approaches the Capulets, still ready, without any guns. It is a peaceful behaviour. At this
moment, the soundtrack gets dramatic but still low. It definitely announces that the rest is
negative.
The close-ups 29 to 32 show Romeo, approaching, calm and sorry, and Tybalt, angry
and full of incomprehension, still waiting for the fight. Then, Romeo speaks to calm him
down with a trembling and weak voice which tries to convey love. The Capulets are still
motionless in shot 33, and the grey sky, the heat and the red light are more and more
oppressive. The camera comes back to Romeo in shot 34, still speaking, with the blinding
and threatening sun coming from his right. There is a close-up then on his hand, in shot
35, which he holds out to Tybalt in a sign of reconciliation. There, the volume of the music
increases again: we are tense because Tybalt’s reaction in front of this gesture, defines
the rest of the scene. In shot 36, the quick head-and-shoulders shot shows Tybalt
foreground. He turns to look at his guards to get some help and we understand that
himself is lost. The stressing music still increases. It is a subtle way to reinforce tension.
This is the famous ‘‘calm before the storm’’ again, developed some paragraphs above.
Tybalt makes his choice in shot 37. He hits Romeo’s hand and a dramatic sound of
drum is heard at the same time. This is the beginning of the battle. The camera goes to
Romeo’s profile and his deception is easy to read. From this shot to the 43rd, it is again a
series of portraits because the director certainly wants us to see, in order to add more
tension, the characters’ reactions in detail. We watch Mercutio’s anger, Romeo’s friend’s
fear, Romeo’s disappointment, Benvolio’s tension, Romeo turns his back, giving up the
confrontation. Finally, viewers see Tybalt’s rage, who speaks meanly. At this point, the
camera, which used to centre and follow the characters, stops doing that. It stays immobile
and Tybalt, walking, goes out of the frame. This way to film adds disorder and an
impression of action during the fight. There is much more movement and it is more
realistic. Indeed, it gives the impression that the fight is filmed from human eyes, that it
actually takes place in front of the viewers.
In shot 44, we almost see every character, the Capulets are still motionless, the
Montagues are looking at Romeo who is giving up in front of the light. Their shadows,
which are the dark side of their human souls, are long and thin. It is the end of the day,
17 which announces the end of a stable time. Shadows and night are usually linked with fear
and sadness and here it is the case.
Then, in shot 45, Mercutio watches Romeo and, in shot 46, Romeo looks at him with
a sorry expression because he knows that Mercutio is disappointed in him. The music is
very dramatic at this point and Tybalt repeats this sentence, ‘‘Turn and draw !’’ in a
menacing way. In shot 47, Tybalt runs after his enemy and goes off the frame again and in
shot 48 we see Tybalt hurting Romeo from the back. Shot 49 is very impressive : it is the
same movement seen in shot 48 from behind, a long shot showing the characters’ back
and the big wreck, a hollywoodian gigantic setting with the red sunlight at the top of the
wreck and the two fighters in the middle. This picture is beautiful by its symmertry and
frightening putting forward how the characters are oppressed by the setting.
The next shots are quick. We see twice Tybalt from Romeo’s point of view, going off
the frame while he hits Romeo, Mercutio observing, and Romeo, from Tybalt’s eyes,
begging him and defending himself. These high and low angle shots give an impression of
Tybalt’s superiority. In shot 55, Tybalt is lost again in front of his enemy’s reaction. Shot 56
is magnificent. The wreck is filmed closer, Romeo and Tybalt are in the middle, Romeo on
the ground. This gives a powerful impression of Tybalt. The sunlight comes from the wreck
and so we only see their black shapes. Their shadows give us no detail, there are no
longer individuals. They are not human anymore but animals. It is indeed a kind of
dehumanization. The way these men fight is really similar to beasts’ rage. It is instinctive
and feckless, and the reasons of their hatred are confused as to almost disappear to
simply leave the hatred and rage.
The next shots, 57 to 60, are some portraits of the Montagues and Mercutio. The
music is still emotive but lower and goes along Romeo’s speech : they listen to Romeo,
worried and angry because of this lack of reaction. The viewers are the only ones who
understand these words and know why Romeo refuses to fight against his wife’s cousin. It
increases the feeling of fear that viewers have in front of the characters’ incomprehension
and especially Tybalt’s. We would like to tell them the truth to save Romeo. It is dramatic
irony : viewers actually know more than the characters in this case. But they cannot do
anything and so the fear is even more important.
In shots 61 and 62, we can see Romeo and Tybalt, again from the characters’ points
of view. Romeo’s blood shows again Tybalt’s physical superiority. In shot 63, the high
angle shot shows Romeo holding his gun in front of his face, following Tybalt’s order but
without threat. This is the supreme submission (and Mercutio will say that in a few shots),
18 it is as if Romeo were offering his gun to Tybalt. Romeo seems inferior but, actually, his
behaviour - he tries to save his marriage and ignores his ancestral hatred against his
ennemy - is much more honorable
than Tybalt’s who can be compared to a furious
animal. The shot number 63 shows the sunny wreck and we see Tybalt’s dehumanized
shadow hitting Romeo. This reaction is actually the one of a lost man. Tybalt did not
expect what Romeo does and the fact that he does not know how to handle the situation
increases the hate he feels. He does the only thing he has ever known : he hits. Tybalt has
been brainwashed since childhood and cannot think by himself about the conflict. But
sometimes we can see that he is more complex than a simple beast because he doubts,
but does not know how to react, because of his violent education. The close-up 64 shows
Mercutio turning to us, and getting worked up because he thinks that the noble attitude of
Romeo is cowardice. The soundtrack becomes dramatic again. Then we see all the
characters in shot 65. Both families follow the fighters who are going through the wreck.
We could say that this enormous ruin was the impressive and bleak door separating
stability and conflict. They cross it. Baz Luhrmann uses the symbole of the « gate » a lot in
this film. It enables the characters to go from one world to another and creates a tangible
fence for an immaterial frontier.
The three next shots are fast. Tybalt gives a blow to Romeo. First, we see that from
Romeo’s eyes, then Tybalt’s, and finally it is a low angle shot showing Romeo falling down
the wreck and Tybalt still above him. This shot illustrates the feeling that Romeo is
outperformed. Music echoes the blow and then stops when Romeo falls. In shot 68, music
becomes grave and stressing. We see the Montagues, still spectators, running to them.
The method of music echoing into intensity movement is often used in American film. It
increases the viewers’ feelings. The next shots also follow on very quickly to accentuate
the consecutivity and the celerity of the fight. In shot 69, Romeo rolls on the ground and in
shot 70, Tybalt jumps to catch him up, still filmed from below. In the next shot, there is
another portrait of Romeo’s guard who watches the scene, worried. The setting here is
again oppressive. We see that it is a poor area : there are old posters, seats and grating,
some trash on the sand. Once again, the setting illustrates the emotion of the moment and
oppresses the characters by its misery. In shot 72 Tybalt beats his enemy and this time, it
is filmed in a high angle shot so that Romeo is still seen as inferior. It shows his physical
defeat.
The next four shots alternate between Mercutio, kissing his gun to wish himself luck
and dropping it, and Tybalt punching Romeo. The camera follows Mercutio’s movement
19 and stops one second on the gun stuck in the sand. We perceive then the name ‘dagger’
engraved on it. The characters call their weapons like that, and consequently, respect the
original text. It is a clever wink from the director who replaces the Shakespearian daggers
by guns. The shots 84 to 101 show the fight between Tybalt and Mercutio who attacks him
to save his friend. The sequences are very fast and make the scene more lively and
captivating. Behind, we hear the sound of drums and, in shot 98, we even see Tybalt’s
guard doing gestures to encourage his friend to beat Mercutio down. They truly seem
bestial. For this passage, the characters often go off the field of the camera with the action
and there are several close-ups on their enraged faces, which makes viewers think of
animals. Music duplicates Tybalt when he falls on the window, on the ground, and then
stops. This time, Tybalt is filmed in a high angle shot because Mercutio is winning.
In shot 102, the sweet and melancholic music of the beginning of the scene is heard
again : it is a pause during the fight, a moment out of time when everybody, exhausted
and hurt, waits for an end. The camera follows Mercutio taking a stick and we can perceive
his look at Romeo. He does it quickly and it is probably a way to check if he is ok and to
stimulate himself to beat Tybalt down. The close-up 103 is on Romeo, who, weak and
covered with blood, seems to come round. We can hear Tybalt’s moans and we know that
he lost and is at the mercy of Mercutio who can decide of the rest of the events. In shot
104, we see Mercutio, the same shot as before seen through Romeo’s eyes, turning to
defeat his enemy and in shot 105, it is Tybalt who is filmed, again in a high angle shot.
Knowing that he is beaten, he looks at Mercutio, scared. In the next shot, Romeo tries to
stand up to stop Mercutio.
The waist-shot number 107 is on Mercutio who comes, shouting, at Tybalt, but he is
stopped by Romeo who uses his last forces to protect his wife’s cousin. His action is
remarkable but unfortunately clumsy because he hides Mercutio’s vision of Tybalt. We see
this attempt in the following five shots 108 to 112. There are several close-ups on the two
friends, Romeo, begging desperately, and Mercutio, listening and accepting pity although
he does not understand Romeo’s refusal to fight his worst enemy. In shot 113, we see,
with the same high angle shot, Tybalt taking a piece of glass.
The two next close-ups are first on Romeo, who does not see anything, and then on
Mercutio who catches sight of Tybalt. The shots 116 to 118 are very quick because they
show the three main characters in one single action : Tybalt, shouting to frighten the
others, running to stick the glass knife into Romeo, Romeo, being pushed away by
Mercutio, shouting with fear, and Mercutio falling with the chop. We hear the sound of a
20 knife cutting flesh and the characters go off the frame.In the next shot, we see Romeo
rolling on the ground surrounded by spectators. Viewers remember that the work is firstly a
theater play and the setting of this scene is specially theatrical, as we will see very clearly
again in a few shots.
In shot 120, viewers do not see Mercutio entirely. He is on the ground, blurred. It is
as if it were one’s own vision. Indeed, when someone is badly hurt, his vision is often
confused. In the following shot, we quickly see Romeo and we also hear Mercutio’s moan.
In shot 122, we perceive Tybalt and his guard. But Tybalt is not proud. We can see that he
is scared of what he has done and also disappointed because he missed his enemy. The
next close up shows Mercutio’s face who does not realize what happened yet and turns
back towards. The music becomes dramatic and low again. We understand that
something serious happened and this sensation is reinforced by the fuzziness and the
setting. In shot 124, we watch Romeo, suffering on the ground again, who looks at
Mercutio. This scene emphasizes Romeo although he is less strong than the others. His
peaceful and pitiful attitude is noble and we know that it is a way to protect Juliet and his
marriage. He does not defend himself, still lies on the ground, covered with blood and he
is filmed in a high-angle shot all along the sequence. This impression of weakness does
not belittle him at all. On the contrary, it places him above the others who obviously
behave like animals. His mental strength is superior, when the others do not think about
anything but fight, and the viewers respect him much more then. In shot 125, Mercutio is
still blurred because he suffers, and we perceive Tybalt down below, who watches him
with a worried expression, afraid of the consequences of his act. Tybalt comes back to
reality and the unconscious animal makes a way to the thinking human being. Mercutio
moans but his moans suddenly turn to a kind of desperate laughter. It is ironical : he
remains the laughing guy even dying.
In the next shot, we see almost every character. The setting is sad. They are on a
stage against the wreck. In the background, we see the poor area with a broken Ferris
21 wheel and some trees moving with the wind. The day is ending, depressing music
increases. Mercutio sorely moves away. As he slowly moves away from life. In shot 127,
Mercutio passes before Benvolio and Mercutio is still blurred for the same reason.
Benvolio tries to trifle with this tragedy and Mercutio does the same thing by saying that it
is a scratch in shot 128. In shot 129, we see the eyes of someone watching the scene.
The wall before him is in the same bloody colours : sand and red. Behind him, the grey sky
and the tree in the wind are dreary. Then we quickly see one of Romeo’s friends who has
not moved and watches, horrified. The « spectators » here are used to include the viewers
inside the film. The picture of this boy is like the viewers’ own terrified faces. The shot
number 131 is very special. It is a long shot showing Mercutio, standing in the middle of
the stage and taking a dancer position while repeating ‘A scratch !’ in the centre of the
wreck. The other characters are down the stage ; Romeo still on the ground, and all of
them watching the wounded man. In the foreground, we see several red seats, some of
them are in disorder, and all around the stage, against the wreck, there are some white
columns surrounded by red paint. It is the setting of a theater. Director Baz Luhrmann
probably did it for two reasons : firstly, Mercutio is acting out, at this moment, by hiding his
injury and being the funny guy again. Secondly, this is a wink, a reminder of the original
theatre play written by William Shakespeare, in which the characters play on an empty
stage. We can also say, about this shot, that the wreck is used again as a gate. Mercutio
ends the fight by crossing it in the other direction.
In the next shot, we can see that the Capulets are worried about their fate, and also
about Mercutio. Shot 133 is a waist shot of Mercutio, repeating the same thing, but we
understand, by seeing his hand on his stomach, that he is seriously wounded and the
soudtrack reminds of this, too.
Benvolio naively believes him in shot 134 and Mercutio continues to laugh in shot
135 but it is desperate laughter again, probably to hide his pain from the others and
because he finds his fate meanly ridiculous : he is dying because of a senseless gang war
in which he is not even involved. Violin music breaks viewers’ hearts. Music is always
present during the sequence and illustrates again every feeling that viewers experience. In
shot 136, Romeo stands up still looking at his friend. He joins Mercutio in the next headand-shoulders shot, on the stage, and himself is holding his stomatch but seems to be
better. In the background, we can see garbage and the sunlight is redder than ever : we
know that Mercutio’s end approaches. Once again, the setting oppresses the characters
and illustrates the miserable feelings of the viewers. In shot 138, we only see Mercutio and
22 Romeo, certainly through the spectators’ eyes in the film. There is a gap between
Mercutio’s speech - he says that he will be dead the next day - and his gestures - he
laughs and holds Romeo’s cheek. It is, of course, a façade. He continues to play the man
that he has always been but this desperate tentative sorrows even more because of its
pathetic dimension. In the next close-up, the camera is first on Mercutio’s face. He turns
and his smiling face becomes worried. Then the camera follows his look and films his
terrible wound. There is a grave sound in the music when we see it. After that, the camera
returns to his face which has changed : he does not smile anymore, but cries. He realises
that it is over and suffers. What could be a nightmare is real. In shot 140, Mercutio turns
again to face the two families. Then he says the famous sentence ‘A plague o’both your
houses !’, looking indifferently at the Capulets and at his friends the Montagues because
his friendship kills him. He does not try to hide anything anymore because he knows that
nothing can be done and his anger gains the upper hand.
We can see that Baz Luhrmann films death differently. The shots are larger and last
longer. He takes time to show sorrow.
Then we see Tybalt between Mercutio’s feet, looking at him with a sorry face. This
shot is worse than any others for him because it is a high-angle shot again but this time,
he looks above, and his head is at the same level as his victim’s feet. It belittles him very
much. For the director, it is a way to convey that, even dying, Mercutio has an infinitely
superior generosity of spirit. The close-up 142 shows Mercutio turning away and, in shot
143, we see him coming to us with Romeo behind him. Music is lower but sadder and
sadder. The camera follows his movement. He is now the central element of the scene. In
the head-and-shoulders shot 144, Mercutio cries his pain by repeating his malediction. It is
a great actor’s play and we can feel his despair breaking viewers’ hearts. The last shot of
this sequence is an extremely long shot showing the beach, the characters and the wreck.
We hear the echo of Mercutio’s voice. It is very impressive with appropriate music added.
This is the theater of a drama, and the setting reproduces the sadness of this tragedy.
Mercutio is one of the main factors of stability between these gangs : he protects Romeo,
calms the atmosphere. With his death, the story collapses. The way this sequence is
filmed puts Mercutio in the centre. The pictures are sometimes shown from his eyes, or he
is physically in the middle of the shots. This method points out his importance and the
seriousness of his death. We know that one of the key characters disappears and that the
consequences are disastrous.
23 3.3 Disobedience (Act III Scene 5)
The following analysis focuses on the way Juliet becomes emancipated from her
parents’ authority during a short but interesting scene of the film (1h18’55-1h21’39) and is
less technical than the previous analyses. This sequence happens right after Romeo’s
departure. After killing Tybalt and having heard that he was banished, he goes to his wife
during the night and they spend it together. This is the first consummation of their
marriage. In the morning, hearing Juliet’s mother coming, he jumps down her balcony, into
the pool. That is where we find Juliet, at the beginning of the scene : looking at him
through her window.
3.3.1 Comparison with the Play
This time, the film is really different from the play. The original passage is much
longer and the characters speak more. The violence is extreme in this sequence although
it is not an armed fight. Its importance is lesser in the film than many other scenes that the
director decided to point out. We saw that Baz Luhrmann put more action and extended
the previous sequences. He had to shorten some others like this one to fit an acceptable
time. Indeed, in the film, the first part of the dialogue between Juliet and her mother about
Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s banishment is cut. This was probably useless for the director
because it does not bring anything to the story and the viewers already know about it.
Another important change is Juliet’s silence about her love for Montague’s son. In the
play, she confides more in her parents during this scene but, in the film, she does not say
a word about her feelings. Because there is no place for negociation : the conflict is
immediately at its top. Her relationship to her mother is pretty dissimilar in Romeo + Juliet.
They are less close and they do not know each other well. The strange mother is
haughtier and more egocentric. This is interesting to see that in the film the relationship
24 between Juliet and her parents is more conflicting in the film than in the play ; it means
that, at the end of twenties century, the American point of view about love between
daughters and parents is more stereotypical than in the Elisabethian time.
Besides, once again, there is more violence in the film and more action. In the
original text, the father Capulet never hits Juliet or anyone. Baz Luhrmann probabely
wanted to cut some text but turns to the violence of words into images by showing lots of
physical confrontation. Finally, we can say that Juliet is in a harder position in the film
because of her parents’ behaviour, which makes her look very brave in her rebellion.
However, we should not forget that such an insubordination was rarer and more difficult in
Shakespeare’s time than in ours.
3.3.2 Analysis of the Cinematographic Sequence
Engaging herself to a man without telling her parents is already a huge sign of
liberation. In these very practising catholic families of the 20th century, women had the
moral obligation to leave it to their parents. This is curious since the majority of white
American conservative families are rather protestant than catholic and would let people
choose their spouses. Besides, the husband had to be approved of and Juliet gives herself
to her family’s enemy.
During the first part of the scene, her mother tells Juliet about some great news that
Juliet would be glad to hear. They are inside Juliet’s bedroom with the nurse listening
carefully. This is a typically female world : three women telling gossips about men in a
girl’s room. But then, when the news of a future weedding to Paris is told, everything
changes. Juliet, who, until now, is a young lady seduced by a beautiful and gentle man,
switching between her father’s to her lover’s authority, asserts herself. First, she is
opposed to her mother, who seems to be the most comprehensive of both parents
because, on the one hand, she is a woman and, so, she can understand her position, and
on the other hand, because she is closer to her. This closeness is shown on screen by
their conversations and physical contacts, a closeness which does not exist between Juliet
and her father.
At this moment, the father arrives. The mother’s reaction is important : with Juliet,
she is self confident and eccentric as in the previous sequences. But, from the moment
her husband barges into the bedroom, she loses her composure and leaves it to him. She
is a submissive wife and this is the exact opposite of her child’s nature and the beginning
of a feminist rebellion that Juliet has started. But, even though the wife is dominated by her
husband, she feels more connected to him and faces the alliance of the two weak sides,
25 Juliet and her nurse, which symbolizes the traditional submission to power : both, child
and servant, should obey. We can feel that the wife would be allied with her daugther but
her role of submissive woman is so integrated in herself that she cannot react against this
kind of situation. That is also a reason why Shakespeare is very innovative in his play as
well as in the way he shows human relationships between men and women and between
parents and children. Traditional representation of relationship between men and women
and between parents and children is based upond domination of one group on the the
other. Shakespeare introduces a new vision which challenges this old one ; dominated
people have the right to react and to oppose their condition.
The shot at 1h19’14 is meaningful. We see the yellow walls of the room and the
blond pink-dressed mother in the foreground, and, in the background, the door open on
the father standing in the corridor. The corridor is dark brown and the father’s clothes, too.
This is the irruption of men’s world, presented as strong, authoritarian and dark, into bright
and secure women’s world. From this moment, the confident women are going to be
treated as inferiors and be hit by men. In the rest of the sequence, Juliet, crying and hurt,
does not give up her faith and love and does not subject herself to her father’s strict
authority, even beaten. This is the opposite of Lady Capulet’s reaction, who, nevertheless,
follows her husband even if he shocks her, at the end of the passage.
This disobedience of Juliet in front of her father, which places her as an equal
although she is a young woman, is, according to me, a typical feminist attitude. Obviously,
the concept of feminism did not exist at Shakespeare’s time. There is some problem to
analyse the work of this author through words he ignored. The question is : how do we
understand Juliet’s rebellion in the play and in the film ? Can we conclude that it has the
same meaning ? Watching the film and reading the play, I assume that it exists a kind of
paradox. In the film, the rebellion of Juliet is a paroxismal crisis. It means that there is no
place for discussion, negociation or reflexion. The scenario is the same for the father. He
is very violent because he cannot imagine any other solution than the wedding he planned
for his daughter. On the contrary, we can see in the play that the relationship between the
father and his daughter is less unilateral ; there is place for dialogue and we are not in the
realm of absolute feelings. Juliet is able to problematize her relation to power, especially
men’s and her father’s power. We can read that in her well built speeches which are cut in
the film. Howerver, because she obeys first all her feelings, she is deprived of any kind of
analytical capacity in the film. And that is the paradox : the play, written many centuries
before, illustrates much more feminism – seen as a new political and social conflict - than
26 the film which was created during the 90’s, a time which has however been characterized
by a strong presence of this idea in the public debate. Edward Behr, a great reporter for
Newsweek during 15 years, writes a lot about this subject in his book Une Amérique qui
fait peur, published in 1995.
27 4. Conclusion
To conclude, we can say that everything is spelling in the film. In the first sequence,
the physical and sensual side is more important than in the play, and it goes the same for
the violence in the two other sequences. In general, there is more action and less text in
Baz Luhrmann’s version. The use of quick shots to add movement and speed, the
constant presence of music to increase viewers’ emotions and the number of close-ups on
the characters’ faces to add a psychological dimension are also notable.
Despite the modernisation and the cuts of this cinematographic adaptation, the very
essence of Shakespeare’s work is respected. It even gives to Mercutio a more significant
place which is, according to me, the one he should have always had because of his
importance in the story. And thanks to this version, we can see that the resonance of
Romeo and Juliet is still present and, indeed, timeless because its themes will always be
current. The story adapts itself to the nineties perfectly well although it was written in the
sixteenth century.
Of course, some aspects of the film could be improved, for example, a certain
American tendency consisting in exaggerated violence, feelings or impressive illustrating
setting, wich is sometimes disturbing and reduces tension instead of emplifiying it. We can
perfectly see that in the third sequence. By wanting to put too much action in the
sequence, feminism seems less meaningful than it is in the book in which Juliet reacts
calmly and adult-like as unveiled in the last sequence.
Writing this research paper was a great experience. Not only did my level of English
improve, but I also learnt a lot about cinema and its techniques. This work is certainly the
longest and most demanding one I have ever done, it taught me to make extensive
researches and to organise myself.
28 5. Bibliography
Primary Sources :
Romeo + Juliet, DVD, Dir. Baz Luhrmann. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
1996. DVD. Bazmark : Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2000.
The cinematographic adaptation of Romeo and Juliet in a modernized version.
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Cheltenham : Nelson Thornes, 1990. (written
between 1591 and 1595)
My primary source telling the tragic story of two young lovers.
Shakespeare, William. Roméo et Juliette. Macbeth. Translated by Yves Bonnefoy. Paris :
Gallimard, 1985.
The French translation of my primary source, combined with the translation of
Macbeth.
Secondary Sources :
Anderegg, Michael. Cinematic Shakespeare. Oxford : Rowma + Littlefield, 2004.
A book about how Shakespeare’s plays have been adapted on screen.
Bollet, Maurice. Shakespeare. La Tragédie de Roméo et Juliette. Aubier : Editions
Montaigne, 1961.
Another translation of Romeo and Juliet with an interesting introduction including a
short analysis of the play.
Dusinberre, Juliet. Shakespeare and the Nature of Women. London : Mac Millan, 1975.
An essay on women seen by Shakespeare.
Elmer, Edgar Stoll. Shakespeare’s Young Lovers. London : Oxford University Press, 1937.
An analysis of the famous play, Romeo and Juliet, of Wiliam Shakespeare.
29 Greene, Gayle, Carolyn Ruth Swift Lenz, and Carol Thomas Neely. The Woman’s Part.
Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Chicago : University of Illinois, 1980.
A critical analysis focusing on the feminist part in Shakespeare’s plays.
Henderson, Diana E. A Concise Companion to Shakespeare on Screen. Malden :
Blackwell, 2006.
A book analysing different cinematographic adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays.
Hindle, Maurice. Studying Shakespeare on Film. Basingsdoke : Palyrane Mac Millan,
2007.
An analysis of the way several directors adapted Shakespeare on screen.
Holderness, Graham. Wiliam Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet. London : Penguin Books,
1990.
A short book analysing the play written by Wiliam Shakespeare.
Keller, James R., and Leslie Strayner. Almost Shakespeare. Reinventing His Work for
Cinema and Television. Jefferson : Mac Farland, 2004.
A book analysing different cinematographic adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays.
Sparknotes. 2011. http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/section2.rhtml.
The well-known website that can help for the analysis of Romeo and Juliet.
Thoruton Burnett, Mark, and Ramona Wray. Screening Shakespeare in the Twenty-first
Century. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, 2006.
A book analysing different cinematographic adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays.
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