"Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more. Men were deceivers ever. One foot at 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 songs of woe into hey nonny nonny."

One of William Shakespeare's great golden comedies is brought to life in this absolutely brilliant movie. It follows the genres of romantic comedy, drama, mystery, tragedy AND Romantic Comedy (!!!) in an entwining twist of tales involving six major character and an entourage of supporting characters.

Pictured to the left is Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) - the 'romantically inclined' couple who know they want to be together. Their romantic inclinations tend to make Benedick and Beatrice sick as they seem to be romantically immune! Claudio and Hero's romance is so sweet and everyone is pleased to see it evolve as many had a part in setting it up! They plan to marry, but someone is plotting against them....

Meanwhile, the romantic comedy elements are supplied by the two who try to out-wit each other - Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson). Although everyone in the court can see they're hidden attraction, they refuse to believe that anyone, especially the other, can tame their hearts. The war of wits between them is hilarious and of course, no one could have played these two characters better than Branagh and Thompson!

Beatrice: "I would rather hear a dog bark at a crow than a man swear that he loves me."

The court decides that these two need to learn a lesson in love and so goes about setting them up to believe the other is in love in them. Due to their underlying feelings for each other, and the large ego each holds, the convincing is not particularly hard - but it is so, so funny!

Beatrice: "Against my will, I am sent to bid you come into dinner."

Benedick: "Fair Beatrice, thank you for your pains."

Beatrice: "I took no more pains for those thanks than you take pains to thank me. If it had been painful, I would not have come."

Benedick: "You take pleasure then in the message?"

Beatrice: "Yea, just so much as you may take upon a knife's point. You have no stomach, signior? Fare you well."

Benedick: "Ha! "Against my will I am sent to bid you come into dinner." There's a double meaning in that."

The plot works, and just as tragedy (or so it seems) strikes the court due to the plans made to foil Hero and Claudio's wedding, Benedick reveals to Beatrice 'I love you'. This love is cut short however, as Beatrice proposes an indecent deed for Benedick to perform to prove his love for her - but he refuses to do this, and so they part in anger.

As with all Shakespeare's golden romantic comedies however, good rules over evil and both couples are able to reconcile - and a happy ending prevails proving there really was 'much ado about nothing!

From left:Michael Keaton, Robert Sean Leonard, Kate Beckinsale, Keanu Reeves, Emma Thompson (seated), Kenneth Branagh, Denzel Washington

A typically brilliant Shakespearean play, combined with Kenneth Branagh's adaptation brilliance and a terrific cast, Much Ado comes alive in a spectacle of colour and romance. This is an absolute must see movie for any romantic - well, *anyone* actually!
.

~The Complete Works of Shakespeare~ .

Go Back Home

Back to Romantic movies of the 80s & 90s