Continuing with our grand survey of Shakespearean plays, so far we’ve studied Shakespeare’s background, sonnets, Julius Caesar, Henry V, madnesses of Richard III and Hamlet, the similarities of As You Like It and Twelfth Night, and The Taming of the Shrew.
After a Shakespearean interlude at the dentist, Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter had so infused my thoughts, that my latest Homeschool Mother’s Weekly Journal featured The Bard.
Pulling out our copies of Much Ado about Nothing, we annotated the literary elements to this comedy set in 16th century Messina, on the island of Corsica on the Italian coast.
After looking through the storyline, we were prepared to watch a movie version loaned to us from a homeschool friend.
BRANAGH MOVIE
For his 1993 production of Much Ado about Nothing, Kenneth Branagh chose the Tuscan winery, Vignamaggio, for the setting.
We were surprised to see famed American actors Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, and Keanu Reeves, alongside many British actors.
Since this one isn’t completely innocent, viewers might want to preview before deciding age level appropriateness for their kids.
Otherwise, this was great!
A dual romance, our favorite story line was of the romance portrayed between Branagh and Emma Thompson!
They were great in Henry V, and they are great together in Much Ado about Nothing.
We loved the garden scene where Benedick unsuccessfully acts nonchalantly towards Beatrice.
PRODUCTION NOTES
Of the setting Branagh said: This imaginary world could have existed almost anytime between 1700 and 1900. It was distant enough to allow the language to work without the clash of period anachronisms and for a certain fairy tale quality to emerge.
Regarding the casting Branagh said: In crude terms the challenge was to find experienced Shakespearean actors who were unpracticed on screen and team them with highly experienced film actors who were much less familiar with Shakespeare. Different accents, different looks. An excitement borne out of complementary styles and approaches would produce a Shakespeare film that belonged to the world.
In the behind-the-scenes interviews on this DVD, the American actors said this job of Shakespeare was a new range for them, and that they liked what Branagh was doing to make Shakespeare accessible to a range of interests.
