Shakespeare in Heterolove

摘要: John Madden's Shakespeare in Love imagines a young William falling love with the beautiful Viola de Lesseps, who wants intensely to perform on public stage (an activity forbidden women by Elizabethan custom) and disguises herself as boy order Shakespeare's newest work, Romeo Juliet.t The witty screenplay draws freely upon creative anachronism, combined literary in-jokes: Will visits an psychotherapist charges hour sells love-tokens; gory Jacobean playwright Webster appears ultimately functions deus ex machina; Philip Henslowe, manager of acting troupe that performs play, is "a businessman cash flow problem," first draft Juliet parodies romance revenge tragedy Ethel, Pirate's Daughter. Many mainstream reviews commented film's supposedly "Shakespearean" moments gender play or flux. kiss between occurs not Juliet's balcony scene, but boat rowing across Thames, during which lovers anticipate romantic lines, still garbed, mustached, bearded "Thomas Kempe," male player whose identity she has assumed. At other times film delays revealing biological signs gender. When discovers Thomas disguise, they joyfully consummate their affair, liberates Viola's tightly-bound breasts from swaddling, long, loving, unwinding which, however, camera coyly cuts away before we see her freed bosom. read Romeo's lines each other, difference; plays female part Viola, male. Finally, just Thomas/Viola revealed transvestite, bumbling Master Revels, Tilney, alerted fact there might be woman house, whips up skirt boy-actor playing find ... what? pans back his/her face. We, viewers, don't know what's display; cast laughs; Tilney looks embarrassed, do get evidence "Juliet" girl. most prominent filmic signifier gender, limits theatrical illusion, hair. As Gwyneth Paltrow boasts blonde mane ringlets, elaborately coiffed, even bed. Kempe, downy, brown crop makes look like recruit army. extreme contrast boyish bob cascade curls suggests several questions beginning film: first, how make-up costume designers had hidden Paltrow's real hair; second, how, within diegesis, viewers were supposed believe Such quibbles may seem literal-minded, are justified, given uses realism develop consistent argument perukiership impersonation primitive unconvincing compared both "real" cinematic representations actors only characters share sex. Cross-dressed "Lady Capulet" clearly visible line skin attached wig wearing own face; "Nurse" pantomime Dame ill-fitting headdress; boy"Juliet" wears curly contrasts glossy curtain its artificiality. Within this same imaginary world, nurse, commissioned fetch man's doublet, returns perukier fits so well no lumpy bumps when it covers abundant ringlets. seems function nemesis; baleful puts one his mice down neck, squeals pulls at hair, (through actions through uncovered hair) watching Tilney. …