Much Ado About Nothing Reviews

• Since summer first was leafy...

  
  By A1D2C0WDCSHUWZ on 2003-04-21
  "Much Ado About Nothing" is one of those sparkling adaptations that supposedly couldn't have been done. But Kennneth Branagh (director and star of "Hamlet," and creator of the supremely underrated "Midwinter's Tale") brought an all-star cast in a sparkling Tuscan setting, to bring this tale of bickering loves and sordid betrayals to life as never before.

  The sullen Don John has just been stopped in a rebellion against his brother Don Pedro, by young hero Claudio. Now all of them (including Don John, whom his brother has forgiven) are arriving in Messina, the home of kindly Leonato. But when they get there, Claudio immediately falls in love with Leonato's beautiful daughter Hero. And despite the efforts of Don John, Don Pedro manages to get the two young lovers together and altar-bound.

  But Don Pedro isn't willing to stop there. Hero's cousin Beatrice has a long-running feud with Claudio's pal Benedick -- they insult each other, they bicker, they argue about everything ("It is so indeed -- he is no less than a stuffed man!"). What's more, both of them swear to stay single forever. ("All women shall pardon me -- I shall live a bachelor!") Pedro and the others conspire to get Benedick and Beatrice to somehow fall in love with each other. And at first it seems that everything is going well -- until Don John manages to cast doubt on Hero's honor

  There's a certain timeless quality to "Much Ado" -- not just the dialogue, but the simple costumes and the buildings in it. That leaves the audience free to pay more attention to the dialogue and its plot. And what a plot it is! "Much Ado" is brimming over with funny dialogue, dastardly plots, comedic supporting characters and weird pairings. (Beatrice and Benedick are the sort of love-hate couple that a lot of movies try to have, but don't succeed with)

  The dialogue is mostly (if not all) Shakespeare's own, but it's not necessary to be a Shakespeare buff to understand what they're saying. It's not dumbed down, either -- it's just spoken as normally as ordinary English. And the Tuscan landscape sparkles with life, passion, and lots of fruit and wine. You don't need to be a fan already to understand and appreciate this movie.

  Kenneth Branagh (who also directed and adapted the play) is amazing as Benedick, lovably witty and egotistical; he gets a little silly at times (such as his bird calls or joyous romp in the fountain), but demonstrates his serious ability after Hero is disgraced. the outstanding Emma Thompson is even better as the sharp-tongued Beatrice, a fiery young woman with her own mind and definitely her own mouth. Thompson lashes out Shakespeare's witty lines as easily as if she just thought them up herself; one of her most powerful scenes is here. Denzel Washington (Don Pedro) looks like he's having a great time; Keanu Reeves (Don John) is a bit flat in places, but glowers well enough. Kate Beckinsale's first movie role (Hero) is suitably sweet and adorable. Robert Sean Leonard (Claudio) is the one weak link in the cast; he seems a bit too overwrought and hysterical to be a major hero. (No pun intended)

  This movie was unavailable for a very long time and only recently was rereleased on DVD. The DVD is pretty spare; aside from the movie, there are a few DVD promos (for "When Harry Met Sally" and "The Princess Bride" -- both, I notice, comedic romances) and a brief making-of featurette. The featurette doesn't really offer much that is new, but does give some insights into the chosen settings and why the cast wished to do the movie.

  Those who enjoyed Branagh's "Hamlet" and "Henry V" will rejoice in "Much Ado About Nothing," the quintessential romantic comedy. Funny, sweet, romantic, and incredibly well-acted, this is a keeper.
  
  

• A Dainty Dish.

  
  By A3D6TFYRMIV3ZL on 2005-05-14
  Since his Oscar-nominated "Henry V" adaptation, Kenneth Branagh has come up with a simple, effective recipe: Blend 3 parts English actors well-versed in all things "Bard" with 1 or 2 parts Hollywood, sprinkle the mixture liberally over one of Shakespeare's plays, lift the material out of its original temporal and local context to provide an updated meaning, and garnish it by casting yourself and, until the mid-1990s, (then-)wife Emma Thompson in opposite starring roles.
  
  In "Much Ado About Nothing," that formula works to near-perfection. A comedy of errors possibly written in one of the Bard's busiest years (1599) - although as usual, dating is a minor guessing game - "Much Ado" lives primarily from its timeless characters, making it an ideal object for transformation a la Branagh. Thus, renaissance Sicily becomes 19th century Tuscany (although the location's name, Messina, remains unchanged); and the intrigues centering around the battle of the sexes between Signor Benedick of Padua (Branagh) and Lady Beatrice (Thompson), the niece of Messina's governor Don Leonato (Richard Briers), and their love's labors won - initially the play's intended title; Benedick and Beatrice are a more liberated version of the earlier "Love's Labor's Lost"'s Biron and Rosaline - as well as the schemes surrounding the play's other couple, Benedick's friend Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) and Beatrice's cousin Hero (Kate Beckinsale) become a light-hearted counterpoint to the more serious, politically charged intrigues of novels such as Stendhal's "Charterhouse of Parma:" Indeed, the military campaign from which Benedick and Claudio are returning with Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon (Denzel Washington) at the story's beginning could easily be one associated with Italy's 19th century struggle for nationhood.
  
  While according to the play's conception it is ostensibly the relationship between Hero and Claudio that drives the plot - as well as the plotting by Don Pedro's illegitimate brother, Don John (Keanu Reeves) - Beatrice and Benedick are the more interesting couple; both sworn enemies of love, they are not kept apart by a scheming villain but by their own conceit, and are brought *together* by a ruse of Don Pedro's (although even that wouldn't have worked against their will: "Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably," Benedick tells Beatrice.) And while Don John's machinations create much heartbreak and drama once they have come into fruition, the story's highlights are Benedick's and Beatrice's battles of wits; the sparks flying between them from their first scene to their last: even in front of the chapel, they still - although now primarily for their audience's benefit - respond to each other's question "Do not you love me?" with "No, no more than reason," and when Benedick finally tells Beatrice he will have her, but only "for pity," she tartly answers, "I would not deny you; - but ... I yield upon great persuasion; and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption" - whereupon Benedick, most uncharacteristically, stops her with a kiss.
  
  Branagh's and Thompson's chemistry works to optimum effect here; and while every Kenneth Branagh movie is as much star vehicle for its creator as it is about the project itself, Benedick's conversion from a man determined not to let love "transform [him] into an oyster" into a married man (because after all, "the world must be peopled. When I said I would die a bachelor I did not think I should live - till I were married"!) is a pure joy to watch. Emma Thompson's Beatrice, similarly, is an incredibly modern, independent young woman; and scenes like her advice to Hero not to blindly follow her father's (Don Leonato's) wishes in marrying but, if necessary, "make another courtesy and say, Father, as it please *me*" only enhance the play's and her character's timeless quality.
  
  Yet, while the leading couple's performances are the movie's shining anchor pieces, there is much to enjoy in the remaining cast as well: Richard Briers's Don Leonato, albeit more English country squire than Italian nobleman, is the kind of doting father that many a daughter would surely wish for; and what he may lack in Italian flavor is more than made up for in Brian Blessed's Don Antonio, Leonato's brother. Kate Beckinsale is a charming, innocent Hero and well-matched with Robert Sean Leonard's Claudio (who after "Dead Poets Society" seemed virtually guaranteed to show up in a Shakespeare adaptation sooner or later); as generally, leaving aside the appropriateness of American accents in a movie like this, the Hollywood contingent acquits itself well. Washington's, Leonard's and Brier's "Cupid" plot particularly is a delight (even if the former might occasionally have gained extra mileage enunciation-wise). Keanu Reeves, cast against stereotype as Don John, is a bit too busy looking sullen to realize the role's full sardonic potential: "melancholy," in Shakespeare's times, after all was a generic term encompassing everything from madness to various saner forms of ill humor; and I wonder what - but for the generational difference - someone like Sir Ian McKellen might have done with that role. But as a self-described "plain-dealing villain" Reeves is certainly appropriately menacing. Michael Keaton's Dogberry, finally, is partly brother-in-spirit to Beetlejuice, partly simply the eternal stupid officer; the play's boorish comic relief and as such spot-on, delivering his many malaproprisms with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.
  
  The cast is rounded out by several actors who might well have demanded larger roles but nevertheless look ideally matched for the parts they play, including Imelda Staunton and Phyllida Law as Hero's gentlewomen Margaret and Ursula, Gerard Horan and Richard Clifford as Don John's associates Borachio and Conrade, and Ben Elton as Dogberry's "neighbor" Verges. (In addition, score composer Patrick Doyle stands in as minstrel Balthazar.) With minimal editing of the play's original language, a set design making full use of the movie's Tuscan setting, and lavish production values overall, this is a feast for the senses and, on the whole, an adaptation of which even the Bard himself, I think, would have approved.
  
  Also recommended:
  The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
  Love's Labour's Lost
  Henry V
  William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  BBC Shakespeare Comedies DVD Giftbox
  BBC Shakespeare Tragedies DVD Giftbox
  Olivier's Shakespeare - Criterion Collection (Hamlet / Henry V / Richard III)
  William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
  Richard III
  The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare: 38 Fully-Dramatized Plays
  
  

• Never mind Keanu . . .

  
  By A200FYUVU6GG4P on 2000-09-10
  Yes, Keanu Reeves fits in to this Shakespearean production like a tuba player in a heavy metal band, but don't let that scare you off. His leaden delivery can't weigh down a movie this light and bubbly.

  Branagh has outdone himself in this tale of young men and women in love. It is set in the gorgeous Italian countryside, all warm sunshine and bright colors. The actors positively glow with happiness and health.

  Branagh plays an almost self-parodying arrogant ham with just the right note of swagger and hidden insecurity. His battles of wit with Emma Thompson's Beatrice bring some of Shakespeare's cleverest writing to vivid life. Denzel Washington makes for a truly regal prince, and Michael Keaton puts in a knee-slapping cameo as the Beetlejuice-ish Dogberry.

  This is one of Shakespeare's best comedies and Branagh films it excellently, moving the plot along and keeping things light. The title is apt -- the problems the characters face aren't difficult to solve -- and Branagh thankfully doesn't take any of the proceedings too seriously.

  This is Shakespeare as it was intended to be. It's not actors dressed in tights histrionically shouting lines; it's funny and vibrant with a strong pulse. It's a feel-great movie and not to be missed, by Shakespeare loyalists or by anybody else.
  
  

• "Featurette" not worth it

  
  By A35HM95IU28B7C on 2003-01-10
  This review pertains to this DVD, and not the movie itself. I LOVE this movie, and already have a copy on DVD. When I saw that it was being re-released with a featurette, I was anxious to buy it for the extra footage. The "featurette" is about 7 minutes long and is just a glorified trailer. It contains lots of movie clips and some interview material. The interview material focuses mostly on plot related topics and themes, and offers no insight into the making of the film or the beautiful location in Italy where it was shot. If you do not own this movie and are looking to buy it on DVD, I would recommend it. However, if you already own a copy of this movie on DVD and were thinking of buying this version for the featurette, don't waste your money.
  
  

• BRANAGH IS BRILLIANT!!!

  
  By on 1999-06-29
  Branagh is absolutely brilliant. After watching Much Ado About Nothing, I could not believe that anyone could take a work of Shakespeare and infuse it with so much life and vitality! I have watched the movie tens of times and I laugh harder and longer everytime I see it. Michael Keaton is hilarious as the ignorant sherriff, and Thompson(Beatrice) and Branagh(Benedick) are even funnier. I almost hated to see them get together. Denzel - what can I say? I have heard great reviews about all the actors and actresses; however, Keanu Reeves seems to get slam dunked in nearly every one. Though he certainly is not the hottest man around, his seemingly mechanical and irritating style is perfect for the role of the evil brother. This role was tailored for him - EVERYONE loves to hate him. That is exactly the response that Branagh wanted his audience to have!! If you have never read any of Shakespeare's works, see one of Branagh's films. The language is spoken so beautifully and effortlessly, that you won't hate Shakespearan language ever again.
  
  
• Scrumptiously Devious
  By A281NPSIMI1C2R on 2002-03-03
  If your mind is longing for a Shakespeare production, this is an excellent adaptation of the highest order. Not only is this one of the best romantic comedies ever written, it is set in the Tuscan sun and reaches its full comic potential in all the lustiness and witty dialogue only Shakespeare could create.
  
  At a sensuous picnic, Beatrice reads:
  
  Sign no more, ladies, sign no more,
  Men were deceivers ever,
  One foot in sea, and one on shore,
  To one thing constant never.
  Then sigh not so, but let them go,
  And be you blithe and bonny,
  Converting all your sounds of woe
  Into hey (nonny nonny). (brief translation: what the heck).
  
  Act 2, scene 3, 62-69
  
  In Messina, the governor Leonato, his daughter Hero, and her cousin Beatrice (Antonio's daughter) learn from a messenger that Don Pedro has won victory in a battle and is returning home.
  
  Denzel Washington as the Prince Don Pedro really adds sex appeal to this movie! When he arrives with his soldiers from war there is a moment of excitement when everyone lets their inner child escape and there is a feeling of giddy anticipation and the movie takes on a vigorous life of its own.
  
  This is pure escapism for sure. The Italian villa with lush landscapes, fountains and plenty of shrubs to hide behind for eavesdropping on crucial conversations is just enchanting. It is the perfect place for the story to unfold. Here the prince and his warriors decide to vacation for a month.
  
  The main plot involves two love stories. Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) are in love and hardly need to be pressured into matrimony.
  
  Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson) have a hilarious adversarial type courtship in neither can decide what they really want.
  
  "Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably."
  
  They have both declared they will never marry. In fact, one assumes it was their desire of their wild hearts all along, but was only revealed in a tortured path of wit and intrigue.
  
  Claudio: [to Hero] Lady, as you are mine, I am yours; I give away myself for you and dote upon the exchange.
  Beatrice: Speak, cousin, or (if you cannot) stop his mouth with a kiss, and let not him speak neither.
  
  Don John ("yummy" Keanu Reaves) is of course the evil villan in this story and sets out to destroy the relationship between the beautiful Hero and the handsome Claudio. Like a devil, he manages to create mayhem and then leaves the tortured souls to figure out the details of their salvation. With the sweet Hero slandered and presumed dead, one assumes as sure as there is a thought or a soul, there is no turning back.
  
  There are so many great lines in this play that were included with such flair. This is now my favorite Shakespeare adaptation. You will laugh with absolute delight at the antics these characters get up to!
  Universal appeal!
  
  ~The Rebecca Review
  Author of Seasoned with Love: A collection of
  best-loved recipes inspired by over 40 cultures
  
  
• 'Man is a giddy thing'---and this movie made me giddy!
  By ADOSOJ9HJAHDU on 1999-12-16
  For an English major, Shakespeare is treated like a Bible, and any adaptation of a play scrutinized to death. This version of Shakespeare's classic comedy however is very cleverly done and highly entertaining. The scenery and music are incredible. I was hooked from the opening sequence, with the men riding into town in slow motion. The rest of the film is a brilliant mix of comedy, drama, and villainy. I love to watch the war of words between Benedick and Beatrice (you just know those two are made for each other!) and I cringe when Hero is rejected on her wedding day when her honor is questioned. During that scene, I just want to reach right through the television and slap the men for being so silly and mean. The cast is excellent to-- a steady international cast who vary in age and culture. I really am not convinced that Keanu Reeves was the best choice to play the villainous Don John, but the rest of the cast is superb, especially Michael Keaton as the clownish Dogberry. This movie makes me want to laugh and cry everytime I see it. I would recommend it to everyone who enjoys a romantic comedy where the romance is not overly sappy and dull.
  
  
• Alas, Shakespeare can be addictive!
  By A28YS388EL19FS on 2001-10-21
  Since the age of 12 (I'm in my 30's now), I have tried to absorb everything Shakespeare. Even though I have trepidations about film adaptations of the Bard's work, I had to see this film based on the prodigious talent of Emma Thompson. I'm glad I gave into my gut instinct, for her portrayal of Beatrice is so natural and glorious, you will actually get swept away with her performance and believe that she actually IS Beatrice!

  Most of the supporting cast is also wonderful. Hats off to the performances by Denzel Washington (Don Pedro), Richard Briers (Seigneur Leonato), Brian Blessed (Seigneur Antonio), Michael Keaton (Constable Dogberry), and a absolutely stunning performance by Kate Beckinsale (Hero). The exceptions in the casting are Keanu Reeves (Don John), Robert Sean Leonard (Claudio) and...yes...Kenneth Brannagh (Benedick). Fortunately Reeves' role is small. Leonard's performance seems too contrived, to the point of distraction. And even though this is Brannagh's baby, Brannagh himself portrays the role of Benedick with a smugness that is a bit nauseating. If you read the play, Benedick is not smug at all. Though I enjoy Brannagh's other work, he seems to use Shakespeare as a way to show superiority. I have seen this in other actors, and find such action reprehensible. Shakespeare wrote plays for people to enjoy and to indugle in escapism...not to give people an excuse to be a snob.

  Having said that, this film is very enjoyable, and I've actually had friends become Shakespeare addicts after seeing this particular film. I, personally, particularly love the Tuscan locations, and the costuming is wonderful! No over-the-top lacey outfits in this film, but rather those that would be suited to the climate. This adds another depth of reality that pulls you into the story.

  If you are a fan of Shakespeare, or any of the aforementioned actors, this movie is a must-see. It's actually one of the very few film versions of a Shakespeare play that I own. This particular interpretation allows the viewer to become comfortable with Shakespeare's style, thus creating an interest in his other work. Well worth the purchase. And yes, it's VERY funny!
  
  

• HEY, NONNY NONNY! THIS WAS FUNNY FUNNY!
  By A3VQSFORKH8B7O on 2000-10-07
  This, without a doubt, the funniest film that I have seen Kenneth Branagh do. True, it was no match for his four-hour masterpiece HAMLET, but MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING is almost as great. Branagh shows us that his acting abilities can range from heroic to comedic. But please, let us not talk of the very bad performance he gave in the insanely crazy, and just as stupid WILD WILD WEST. Another thing that suprised me about the film: Keanu Reeves as a bad guy. This film also proves that Reeves, who plays the sinister John the B-----d, can play a wide variety of characters (from THE MATRIX's Neo, to BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE's Bill Es Preston Esquire.). The other supporting actors (Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Emma Thompson, Brian Blessed, among many others) gave what could be called their finest performances ever. The movie, which is insanely funny, also has some dramatic moments, so as not to make it too ludicrous. Anybody who has a thirst for Shakespeare, or just wants a good laugh, should see this movie. Trust me, you'll be singing HEY, NONNY NONNY 'til you die. Grade: A+
  
  
• Definitely a keeper here....
  By A2G3ANEZ5Y9CZT on 2003-03-25
  Branagh again shows his brilliance as the premier Shakespearean adaptation director of our time. He uses an imaginative cast and some dreamily beautiful scenery and music to create a movie that is light hearted, funny and escapist (which is a good thing is these dark times). Denzel is wonderful as the lovingly charming and self-assured Prince Don Pedro. Quite frankly I never suspected he could do Shakespeare so easily and sexily.
  Branagh is not quite as good an actor as he is directing, but his witty and quick tempered Benedick has the right contrast of insecurity and aplomb. In my book though, he will never top his portrayal of Henry V. I've always had a huge crush on Emma Thompson and her performance here is nothing short of amazing; direct, passionate (I loved the teary scene after Hero's unwarranted disgrace, funny and wishful. I hardly know Robert Sean Leonard but I thought his naive and boyish portrayal of Claudio was quite appropriate to the role. He didn't steal scenes from Washington or Branagh but I think he was true to the play. Despite what many would say, I was pleasantly surprised by Keanu Reeves as the evil plotting Don John. He definitely looked the roguish part and his delivery is meant to show the limitations of the character (not that of the actor) as Shakespeare wrote the role. My only disappontment was that of Michael Keaton as the Constable Dogberry. I didn't appreciate his attempt at Beetlejuice humor and I thought a Geoffery Rush here would have done much better justice to this humorous and juicy role. Moreover, he kept jumbling his words so I could hardly understand what he was saying. The rest of the supporting cast were quite good especially Kate Beckinsale (Hero). This movie and it's DVD version is a must see classic for all Shakespeare fans.
  
  
• Fine addition to the canon
  By A51IK68MWKV5R on 2002-12-20
  Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more. Men were deceivers ever;
  One foot on sea, and one on shore, to one thing constant never.
  So sigh not so, but let them go and be you blithe and bonny,
  Converting all your sounds of woe into hey nonny nonny.

  This little piece of iambic heptameter (seven beats instead of the usual five)--Shakespeare's version of "turn that frown upside down"--recurs throughout Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing. It begins the film--being read by Emma Thompson's Beatrice to the other characters--and afterwards is sung twice (to music by composer Patrick Doyle)--once solo, and at the end by a full chorus. Its simple statement summarizes the action within: there is a conflict after which forgiveness is given, leading to a happy ending.

  Kenneth Branagh burst on the movie scene in 1989 with his action-packed Henry V. In 1991, he paid homage to Alfred Hitchcock and the film noir genre with Dead Again and he soon followed with Peter's Friends, a fine entry in the "old mates reunion" genre of The Big Chill and Return of the Seacaucus Seven. Then he returned to his "first love," Shakespeare.

  Much Ado About Nothing is not the best adaptation of the play that I have seen (that has to go to the BBC version from 1984; the acting is perfect all around), but it is the one most focussed on bringing out the fun inherent within. Branagh as director does tend toward the overly dramatic (like the opening scene where the soldiers arrive), but seems to know when to tone things down for the quieter, more romantic scenes. His choice to film in Tuscany and use its wondrous landscape to full effect was ideal.

  The Hollywood-based members of the cast are surprisingly good. Denzel Washington (Don Pedro) gives a natural line-reading that belies his lack of experience with the bard while accenting his natural ability. Branagh (Benedick) and then-wife Emma Thompson (Beatrice) are obviously comfortable with the language--respectful when the poetry calls for it and more natural when bantering or simply moving the plot along.

  In fact, the only detriments to this film are Keanu Reeves' scowling turn as Don John and Robert Sean Leonard's overdone Claudio. Leonard is not bad, per se, he's just stage-acting on film--overemoting for the back row while in extreme close-up. Of Michael Keaton as Dogberry, I'll only say that I wonder if he thought he was in Much Ado About Beetlejuice. He's obviously trying very hard, but doesn't fit with the tone and seems as if he has walked in from a different film entirely.

  Branagh differs from previous Shakespearean film actor/directors (like Laurence Olivier and Orson Welles) in that he presents the plays not as art but as mainstream entertainment. He believes that they should be appreciated by everyone, not just so-called scholars. He succeeds, mostly. His Much Ado About Nothing is by far the most accessible of his Shakespeare films and is a fine addition to the canon.
  
  

• An airy, elegant delight, except for one performance...
  By A1FG91CM8221X1 on 2002-11-12
  Kenneth Branagh has always had a fondness for stylization and stunt casting in his adaptations of Shakespeare, and one of his casting choices in Much Ado About Nothing is a serious irritant: Keanu Reeves, though looking malevolently handsome in black leather and beard as the villainous Lord John, recites the Bard's verse like a bored eighth-grader who was just smacked in the head with a volleyball. Reeves not only undermines the film as a whole, he also makes his fellow Americans in the cast--Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton and Robert Sean Leonard--look bad by association. This is really too bad, for Washington and Leonard's performances are thoroughly respectable, and Keaton is hilarious as the addled Dogberry. In general, Branagh bathes the production in warm Tuscan light and infuses it with an airy, gracious, warm spirit. He and then-wife Emma Thompson give faultless performances as Benedick and Beatrice, both giving lasting lessons on how to play light comedy and speak Shakespearian verse. Their repartee is so brilliant that it's too bad they didn't have a chance to do Noel Coward before their divorce. Personally, I will always think of Branagh and Thompson as the perfect theatrical couple, on a par with Lunt and Fontanne or Cronyn and Tandy, however dysfunctional their actual marriage.
  
  
• What a PARENT wants to know about Much Ado for children
  By on 2003-12-08
  Exposing children to classic Shakespeare is a great way to enhance their education in a fun way! As a parent, it is difficult to find 'child-appropriate' productions, especially in view of the fact that the Bard did NOT write for children in the first place! Language is typical Shakespeare, and every questionable word is in the original script. If you are studying Shakespeare, then you need to read the entire play first, before viewing any production of it, and thus, the scenes I am about to detail will be no surprise to you. After you finish reading the play, I strongly recommend watching the entire movie without your children first, so that you know exactly when the questionable content occurs. Then you can plan accordindingly. I will allow my own budding 'English Lit. Major' (12 yrs old) watch it, and will shield her from the following scenes:

  1) In the opening, after Beatrice says, "No, not till a hot January," everyone runs to the house to get ready for a party. A 'bath house' scene ensues where they all shed clothing at an alarming rate! The men are separate from the women, and the nudity is 'confined' to lots of shots from the back. If the amount of 'skin' in Classical Art offends you, then this entire scene will offend you. I suggest skipping directly from the end of the picnic on the hilltop to when the soldiers approach the house on foot in formation.
  2) At the masqurade, Hero's maid Margaret cavorts with Borachio, though their clothes do remain on. This sets up a later plot development. However, a careful parent is going to have some of those 'difficult things' to discuss with their children about appropriate vs. inappropriate behavior, as this is a great example of how no one wishes to see their own daughter/son behave. This part of the scene lasts about a minute, and is towards the beginning of the party scene.
  3) The villain discredits Hero with the aid of his servant. I certainly wish they had been more vague in how this was presented to the movie camera, but it is straight from the play script, & shown in such a way as leaves no doubt about what is happening as Claudio, Don Pedro, & Don John look on. I will stop the movie after Don John verbally belies Hero (still in the house), and skip this scene out in the courtyard under her window. However, you will need to explain what happened, as the 'wedding scene' that follows will make no sense otherwise.

  Concluding remarks: Having read the entire play first, I realized that I had missed some very important plot points that were revealed much more clearly when I actually watched it. If you are studying Shakespeare, then you really need to see the plays acted out, as this is the artistic medium through which they were intended to be displayed. Not every production of one of Shakespeare's plays is worth seeing just because Shakespeare's original script is used. However, this production stays very close to the original intent and design of the author, and is worth your careful consideration for educational viewing.
  
  

• Brilliant performance
  By AAXIW3SRA0S4R on 2004-12-06
  In this romantic comedy that involves two couples - one engaged in a spirited war (played by Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson) of wits and battle of sexes that only their friends can help to mend, by tricking them together (an exquisitely humorous matchmaking); and another devoted couple who has to overcome obstacles created by a scheming evildoer, which comes to a happy ending with a little help from a blundering constable (played by Michael Keaton).
  
  The entire play / film is so vibrantly alive and emotionally engaging, that it made me laugh and cry and laugh some more.
  
  
• Kenneth Branagh is God's gift to Shakespeare
  By A2B7BUH8834Y6M on 2000-05-27
  If there's one thing Branagh does well, it's to bring Shakespeare to the screen in supreme form. I adored this film. I've never enjoyed Shakespeare as a reading experience... the Bard's work was intended to be a performance, not a series of small novels.

  Like most folks who weren't alive in Shakespeare's time, I don't always understand the King's English of that era... but the superb acting, beautiful wardroabes, breath-taking vistas and terrific direction bring this play to life in picture-perfect fashion. Shakespeare for the common man without sacrificing the story. Sometimes tragic, but mostly hilarous - anyone with a sense of humor will get a kick out of this wonderfully executed film.
  
  

• Another Point of View
  By A2TYZA7XBYGX19 on 2000-10-16
  This film is pure fun from the start. The revelry and feeling of celebration carry on throughout. Emma Thompson is always a joy to watch, and the chemistry between her and then husband, Kenneth Branagh is amazing. Denzel Washington is just about perfectly cast as Don Pedro. I'm not overly impressed with Michael Keaton, as all I see is Beetlejuice all over again (and that movie was dumb the first time around). And now to address the disturbing trend of "let's beat the crap out of Keanu Reeves", I happen to think that although he may not be an Oscar winning actor, he was very beleivable in this role of the evil Don John. There are few who can convey such evil and bitterness with just a look, and Keanu Reeves did just that. I have always been a fan of Shakespeare's comedies, and this version has just reinforced my enjoyment of them. All in all a very lighthearted, heartwarming film that I would recommend to everyone, whether you are a Shakespeare fan or not.
  
  
• Sigh no more, ladies...
  By A2VE83MZF98ITY on 2003-05-30
  One of the problems with Shakespeare's comedies, an English professor once told me, is that they are not funny. Now, this is not to say that Shakespeare was a bad comedy writer, or that this professor had no sense of humour. In fact, quite the opposite--he had turned his sense of humour and love of humour into an academic career in pursuit of humour.

  What he meant by the comment was, humour is most often a culture-specific thing. It is of a time, place, people, and situation--there is very little by way of universal humour in any language construction. Perhaps a pie in the face (or some variant thereof) does have some degree of cross-cultural appeal, but even that has less universality than we would often suppose.

  Thus, when I suggested to him that we go see this film when it came out, he was not enthusiastic. He confessed to me afterward that he only did it because he had picked the last film, and intended to require the next two selections when this film turned out to be a bore. He also then confessed that he was wrong.

  Brannagh managed in his way to carry much of the humour of this play into the twentieth century in an accessible way -- true, the audience was often silent at word-plays that might have had the Elizabethan audiences roaring, but there was enough in the action, the acting, the nuance and building up of situations to convey the same amount of humour to today's audience that Shakespeare most likely intended for his groups in the balconies and the pit.

  The film stars Kenneth Brannagh (who also adapted the play for screen) and Emma Thompson as Benedict and Beatrice, the two central characters. They did their usual good job, with occasional flashes of excellence. Alas, I'll never see Michael Keaton as a Shakespearean actor, but he did a servicable job in the role of the constable (and I shall always remember that 'he is an ass') -- the use of his sidekick as the 'horse' who clomps around has to be a recollection of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, where their 'horses' are sidekicks clapping coconut shells together.

  I'll also not see Keanu Reeves as a Shakespearean, yet he was perhaps too well known (type-cast, perhaps) in other ways to pull off the brief-appearing villian in this film.

  Lavish sets and costumes accentuate the Italianate-yet-very-English feel of this play. This film succeeds in presenting an excellent but lesser-known Shakespeare work to the public in a way that the public can enjoy.
  
  

• Achieved Perfection
  By on 1999-12-30
  I'm hard to please and this movie pleases me over and over again. Keanu Reeves was an excellent cast job for "the villian", Emma Thompson made an excellent retortful Beatrice (she should have won and oscar), Kenneth Branagh did a wonderful job acting and directing and who can forget Cladio and Hero? Denzel Washington also did a wonderful job on acting. The movie very well portrayed Shakespeare, it was achieved perfection. I especially loved Benedict's soliquy on love. And who could ever forget about the song Men are Deceivers Ever? (Aren't they though) Watch the movie, the play is much more lively through the video than performed or read.
  
  
• Making Much Ado About this Movie!!
  By A2VP7JOT3K7PFM on 2004-12-19
  +++++
  
  Shakespeare's romantic comedy of "Much Ado About Nothing" (written circa 1598) is best known for its brilliant lovers, the dazzling Beatrice and Benedick. The play itself resembles the screwball comedies of the 1930s and is filled with merriment and
  mirth.
  
  Director Kenneth Branagh's movie of the same name captures all of this. He has changed and embellished some scenes but retains Shakespeare's beautiful language as originally written.
  
  There are eight major characters in this movie (as there are in the original play):
  
  1. Don Pedro (Denzel Washington), the genial Prince of Arragon.
  2. Don John (Keanu Reeves), his uncommunicative half brother who was born out of wedlock. His presence functions as a contrast to the festive mood of most of the movie.
  3. Leonato (Richard Briers), "the white bearded fellow," Governor of Messina.
  4. Claudio (Robert S. Leonard), "a proper squire" of Florence, "Monsieur Love," possessed of the "May of youth and bloom of lustihood."
  5. Hero (Kate Beckinsale), "Leonato's short daughter," the somewhat colorless foil to Beatrice.
  6. Benedick (Branagh), the mirthful young lord of Padura, "of a noble strain, of approved value, and confirmed honesty," but an unsentimental woman-hater; foil to Claudio. "He hath twice or thrice cut Cupid's bowstring, and the little hangman dare not shoot at him."
  7. Beatrice (Emma Thompson), niece of Leonato, a "Lady Tongue," but one who on occasion "speaks [daggers] and every word stabs." She is "born to speak all mirth and no matter." As well, she wages a "merry war" with Benedick.
  8. Dogberry (Michael Keaton), a pompous, humorous, ridiculous constable of Messina, "one that hath two gowns and everything handsome about him." He can be thought of as an Elizabethan Keystone Kop who, by accident, brings the villains of this movie to justice.
  
  All the above actors do a good job in their roles. However, Branagh and Thompson do exceptional acting jobs as the bickering lovers who throughout the movie exchange insults when it's obvious to everyone but themselves that they are drawn to each other. Special mention should also be given to Michael Keaton as Dogberry, who does a good job in bringing Shakespeare's first great comic creation to life. As well, Denzel Washington does a surprisingly good job as the prince, Don Pedro.
  
  The opening bathhouse scene of this movie is spectacular. The energy apparent in this scene is held throughout the movie.
  
  The scenery and sets are visually stunning. (Filming was at an Italian villa in Tuscany, Italy.) As well, the background music adds to each scene.
  
  Finally, the only main extra is a seven minute making-of featurette. It seems to be just a glorified trailer. There is no need to purchase this DVD if you already have a copy of this movie on DVD without the featurette.
  
  BOTTOM LINE:
  
  This movie is a worthy addition to the Bard's cinematic cannon.
  
  (1993; 1 hr, 50 min; 35 scenes; closed-captioned; widescreen; color)
  
  +++++
  
  
  
• Solid and Enjoyable
  By A26IQ71XV0AZ1D on 2000-08-24
  Kenneth Branagh's always been somewhat contradictory. On theone hand, no one since Olivier has worked so hard to bring Shakespeare's plays to the big screen. And, yes, he's actually made Shakespeare profitable (you don't have to go to the art houses to his films). Of course, this profitability comes at a price. Branagh, deciding to make artistic concessions, sometimes makes some mistakes in casting.

  Don't take me wrong. I understand that Michael Keaton, Keanu Reeves, Robert Sean Leonard and Denzel Washington help broaden Shakespeare's appeal; at the same time, however, I wish Branagh would find popular actors who could also handle such classic material. Of the actors listed above, only Washington passes the test. Denzel is a talented actor and his status as African-American, Hollywood heartthrob makes for a perfect Don Pedro, the grand overseer of all the revelry and romance. Keaton tries his best, but his caricature of the oafish Dogberry seems like a leftover of Beetlejuice. Keanu Reeves, well, what can I say? Thank God that Don John has very few lines. Leonard, who was obviously cast based on his Midsummer Night's Dream performance in Dead Poets Society, cannot keep pace. Leonard seems out of place in this movie and his performance feels eerily similar to the one in Dead Poets Society--an amateur high school actor stumbling his way through sophisticated adult material. . .

  Nevertheless, Much Ado is still an excellent movie and I recommend it--at the very least--for Branagh and Thompson. The Tuscany locale is appropriately lusty and lush (lots of those wonderful mauve tones). The opening sequence with the men riding back from battle and the women bathing before meeting them is a whole lot of sensual fun. And when Branagh and Thompson bicker back and forth on the screen, trading insults, the mediocre performances by some of the other cast members will simply fade into the background.
  
  

• It Shouldn't Happen To A Dogberry
  By A2GR77QCSCF3ZE on 2001-10-03
  "Much Ado About Nothing," a bon bon of a play, one of Shakespeare's most breezily delightful comedies, is deceptively difficult to pull off, mainly because its success rests entirely upon the charm & vivacity of the performances. Kenneth Branagh's vanity production suffers from (to borrow a line from Hamlet) "a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams," & the play comes to grief. Not everything in the movie is bad, but the bad things are truly terrible.
  
  Since making this movie Branagh has proven he can be a fine actor in the right role (e.g., as a Nazi general in "Conspiracy"). It's curious that Branagh hasn't made his career playing the sort of black-hearted villains at which he excels. Charm & warmth are two qualities that seem to be beyond his ability to convey. Equally bad is Branagh's then-wife, Emma Thompson, who gives a surprisingly poor performance, full of smirking-through-her-frowns mugging. But the two of them pale in comparison to the appalling Michael Keaton. Playing the sublimely funny clown, Dogberry, Keaton is unimaginably vile. Dogberry is a scene-stealing actor's dream of a role: one that not only gets the biggest laughs in the show, but is generally considered to be actor-proof. Unhappily, it is not Keaton-proof. The chief pleasure of the role is the familiarity of his type: a diligent but supremely incompetent petty official with delusions of grandeur. Keaton misses the joke completely & plays him as a disgusting creep -- Beetlejuice on a bad acid trip. It is a noisily wrong-headed performance of such arbitrary & grotesque ugliness that whenever he is on screen, you may find yourself (as I did) using your hand as a blinker to prevent yourself from catching sight of his repellant image. You may also want to turn the sound off so you won't hear his willfully obscure, thuddingly unfunny line readings. Still, judged purely as an abomination, Keaton's performance is something of a wonder. It stands as the second worst performance in movie history. (For the record, the all-time, unapproachable worst is Howard da Silva's in "1776".)
  
  Happily, there is also a famous 1970's Public Theater production of "Much Ado About Nothing" available on DVD that features the splendid Barnard Hughes as Dogberry, whose performance is so superbly funny, he will make you forget all about Keaton's criminally insane misinterpretation. He may even wash the septic taste out of your mouth.
  
  Patrick Doyle's score is pretty & pleasant & there isn't nearly enough of it. The gentlemen's costumes tend to make most of the leads look like Sir John Tenniel's pictures of Tweedledum & Tweedledee.
  
  
• Branagh brings Shakespeare to life!
  By A3RINLIDX74QLP on 2003-11-29
  Kenneth Branagh is, undoubtedly, my favorite Shakespeare actor and director. He casts based on talent rather than popularity and his choices really pay off. His own roles are instilled with a vibrant energy and life not often seen in film.

  This screen adaptation of Shakespeare's romantic comedy takes us on a light-hearted adventure of match-making and deceit. Branagh plays Benedick, a soldier in the company of Don Pedro of Aragon and a "professed tyrant" to the female sex who swears he will die a bachelor. Emma Thompson, then Branagh's wife, plays Beatrice, a free-spirited female version of Benedick. The two are engaged in a "merry war" of wits, and constantly offend one another. Their friends, however, see them as the perfect couple and endeavour to bring them together against their own wills.

  The second love story is that of Claudio, another favored soldier of prince Don Pedro, played by Robert Sean Leonard, and Hero, a career-starting role for actress Kate Beckinsale. Theirs is a case of love at first sight, and they soon become engaged to be married. Don John, the prince's outcast brother, however, will do anything to destroy the happiness of one of Don Pedro's favored men. He and his henchmen enter into a plot to break up the engagement.

  Don Pedro is played by Denzel Washington, and the role highlights his amazing versatility and talent as an actor. This is definitely one of his best performances. It is also refreshing to see a movie where the good brother is played by a person of color and the bad brother, Don John (Keanu Reeves) is white. Branagh made an excellent casting choice and both characters shine.

  Comic relief is provided by an outstanding performance of Michael Keaton as Dogberry, the local sheriff who's more than a little off his rocker, but harmlessly entertaining. Delightful performances are also given by Richard Briers as Leonato, Brian Blessed as Antonio, and Richard Clifford as Conrade.

  With great acting, verbal and physical comedy, and a wonderful musical score, this film is a definite must-see for any fan of Shakespeare and Kenneth Branagh. A truly delightful movie!
  
  

• If only I had learned Shakespeare this way.
  By A156P4FPL8OGXB on 2000-04-28
  Had I learned Shakespeare this way I just might have pursued that English degree I should have pursued rather than being scared of Shakespeare.

  I love this film. I love the scenery. The acting. Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton. The subtle touches of humor. The joy in watching the evident, but denied love between Branagh and Thompson's characters.

  This is a brilliant film with a brilliant cast. I would recommend this film even to non-Shakespeare fans. Fifteen minutes into it you'll have the language down and you'll absolutely love the rest of the film.
  
  

• Much Ado About Nothing could be Branagh's best
  By A28ZOKMGSS3HI on 1999-03-19
  Trying to pick one of Kenneth Branagh's films as his best is a difficult task. He has done so much good work in such a short time that it's easy to forget how young he is. But if I have to pick just one as his best (and certainly as my favorite) it must be this wonderful comedy. The story of the romance between Hero and Claudio, played excellently by Kate Beckinsale and Robert Sean Leonard, and the comic wooing of Benedick and Beatrice (Branagh and his then-wife Emma Thompson) provides enough smiles, tears and laughs for any ten modern tales. The whole cast sparkles and seems to be having a lot of fun. The young Ms. Beckinsale nearly steals every scene she's in with her portrayal of the lovely innocent and wronged Hero. It's a shame that we don't see more of her work in the U.S. The movie was filmed entirely in an Italian villa and benefits greatly from the beauty and bright sunshine of the location. The costumes are perfect for the tale, all the details are seen to under Mr. Branagh's watchful eye. These love stories are told with perfection. Too many players are unwilling to act as broadly as needed for Shakespearean comedy. Not so here. Branagh as Benedick and the rest of the cast strike just the right bold notes. It takes great talent to bring all this off so wonderfully and there is great talent here, no doubt. The sense of sheer joy and life in this film makes me watch it again and again. The bathing scene during the credits says more about the ecstatic joy of living and loving than anything else on the screen lately. If someone can watch this movie without wanting more Shakespeare they are hopeless. Patrick Doyle's beautiful score is perfect and may be his most interesting ever. The DVD is an excellent medium for this film and the widescreen makes it perfect. I truly can't find more than two words to speak against this film (and he's not on screen enough to matter.) See this beautiful film on DVD. You'll be watching it many times. This must be Kenneth Branagh's best so far. May he continue for many years to bring us this kind of brilliance.
  
  
• Beautiful
  By A1UYNO24EXETXE on 2003-03-15
  This is one of my favorite Shakespeare movies. The performances were delivered so originally and the plot was so much like other movies that I thought for a while that this movie was not an adaptation of a Shakespeare play but an original brainchild of Kenneth Branagh, who was amazing and hilarious as Benedick. I have not read the entire play of Much Ado About Nothing but I could understand everything that was going on. Keanu Reeves played Don John like a real movie villain. I don't know who the plot revolves around. Is it about Hero and Claudio, Beatrice and Benedick, or both couples? Emma Thompson was also very funny as Beatrice. Is it just me or have Richard Briers (who plays Leonato) and Brian Blessed (who plays Antonio) been in almost every Shakespeare adaptation done by Kenneth Branagh. Kenneth Branagh really knows how to bring Shakespeare to the screen. I was sad that the girl who played Hero didn't have a lot of dialogue. Michael Keaton played Dogberry very nicely. I loved hearing his Beetlejuice voice again. I had no idea that Denzel Washington could do Shakespeare. He was so amazing as Don Pedro. A friend of mine thinks he should play Othello. I agree. See this movie. You won't regret it.
  
  
• An Exquisite Film!!!
  By A3U5JCXIXTGSLN on 2003-05-14
  "Much Ado About Nothing" is a beautifully made, performed, and directed film by the incomparable Kenneth Branaugh. This film includes an all-star cast that give wonderful performances and draw you into the lives of the characters. The plot is somewhat complicated, so I'll give a general version. The film is basically about love, misunderstanding, scandal, revenge, virtue, and bravery. That's a lot for one film, but believe me, it's all in there!

  Kenneth Branaugh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves, and Michael Keaton give excellent performances in this film that you wouldn't want to miss. Although the film is a period piece and the Shakespearean language is used, you will have no difficulty understanding it perfectly.

  The scenery and landscape in this film are exquisite as well. I never thought there could be such a beautiful, untouched place like that on earth. I would suggest watching the film just for the beautiful landscape, but it's the performances and the story that you should really pay attention to.

  Anyone who loves Shakespeare would absolutely love this film! Anyone who loves Kenneth Branaugh and what he has done for Shakespeare in the past 10 or 15 years will appreciate this film as well! There isn't one bad thing I can say about this film. Definitely watch it, you won't be disappointed!!!
  
  

• Brannaugh is fine, but not everyone is
  By A3LR59U0IVQG83 on 2004-12-06
  This movie offers a relatively true rendering of the Shakespearean classic "Much Ado about Nothing" and boasts a robust and generally speaking talented cast able, ultimately, to fill each of their respective roles. Michael Keaton offers particular sparkle while proving his vein for comic turns once again; Robert Sean Leonard as Claudio and Kate Beckinsale as Hero contour their roles with that grace which looks so comely on Shakespeare's young-lover characters.
  
  However, one Achilles heel that invariably gets impedes one's being able to accept and get lost in this Elizabethan romantic comedy is Keanu Reeves' impenetrable and very northwestern accent which hinders him from credibly embodying the resentful envy of Don John. Beautiful as he irrefutably looks in this part, the second he opens his mouth, we are - as we so often are with Reeves' period films - transported back to the 20th century and reminded of plasticene accents in high-school productions of yore.
  
  Still, that shouldn't deter you from having a gander at the talent collected for this piece.
  
  
• SUBERB MOVIE...
  By A2KWOYWQUI11UA on 2005-04-22
  I do like William Shakespeare literature pieces and I do like this movie too. The actors are great, the atmosphere is fantastic. Especially, my favourite actress Emma Thompson shown a great performance. Shakespeare was a genuis writer that, he hide little secrets and things into even a single word. If you love Shakespeare, if you want to see this mystical and wonderful literature wonder reflected on the seventh art and if you want to see why Shakespeare called "genuis", I think you should watch this film.
  
  
• Delightful
  By AYDZDG69D6D7Z on 2000-07-25
  Well, I started out watching this movie to see Keanu Reeves... and I don't see why he's being slammed on so much. He looks so amazingly sinister, and acts very well. But as I got more involved with the movie, I realized that there's more to see here than just Keanu. Kenneth Branagh was superb as Benedick, not caring at all how he looked, just doing it for the sake of comedy. Emma Thompson also did very well as Beatrice. Denzel Washington was great, and Michael Keaton reminded me so much of the Beetlejuice movie I hate, but that character was perfect. I can't remember his name right now, but the man who gets Hero left something to be desired, however that did not detract from the brilliance of the rest of the cast. As a devotee of Keanu Reeves, I was amazed when I actually found myself wanting to get revenge on his character for that awful trick. The delivery of the lines is flawless, you get so into it that you forget they're even speaking differently than they would every day. The scenery is gorgeous... having been to Italy I immediately recognized the beautiful countryside. In response to someone saying that you could see Benedick in plain sight listening to the music when he was supposed to be hiding, I'm sure they used the main cast as extras both in this scene and in the end when the entire villa is dancing around -- I'm almost positive I saw Keanu dancing with the rest of them. Myself being not so into Shakespeare as some, this is still a movie I would watch over and over again.
  
  
• Why Keanu Reeves?
  By AUPZQFSD4GSFR on 1999-11-28
  It would have been 5 stars, but good lord, KEANU REEVES! I cheered when he saids that unforgettable line, "I am not of many words..." Then don't talk! If he had understood a word of what he was saying, I think he may have been better. Aside from his incredibly disheartening performance, everyone else was wonderful! One of the best Shakespeare moviees I have ever seen! The music is truly memorable and adds to the Shakespearean experience. Another plus for Kenneth Brannagh!
  
  

• Henry V
• Twelfth Night
• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)
• Hamlet