Olivia Hussey as Juliet & Leonard Whiting as Romeo!

VALENTINE WEEK SPECIAL-7.

IMMORTAL LOVERS!

'ROMEO AND JULIET'.

- Manoj Kulkarni

My top most favourite screen adaptation of Shakespeare's romantic 'Romeo and Juliet' is made in 1968..by prominent Italian filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli. Film is completed 50 years and Mr. Zeffirelli is 95 now!

Italian filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli of 'Romeo and Juliet'!

Olivia Hussey (Juliet) & Leonard Whiting (Romeo)..balcony kissing scene!

Special thing about this film is pretty gorgeous Olivia Hussey portrayed Juliet in it. This English-Argentine theatre actress was only 15 years old that time! With her handsome English actor & singer Leonard Whiting played the Romeo..who was 17 years old!

Song sequence of "What is a Youth.? "in 'Romeo and Juliet' (1968).

BHE Films' produced this Italian-British film 'Romeo and Juliet's (1968) director Franco Zeffirelli co-written it's screenplay with Franco Brusati & Masolino D'Amico! While adapting the original play (wrote by great William Shakespeare) Zeffirelli did some modification for instance long speeches were trimmed and emphasized reaction shots! For this Pasqualino De Santis camerawork and Reginald Mills editing did excellent jobs! In addition to this Eugene Walter written & Nino Rota composed it's sensitive song "What is a Youth..?" which emotionally sung by Glen Weston!

Argentine Pretty gorgeous actress Olivia Hussey as Juliet in it!

This commercially super successful film was very popular among that time teenagers & critics also highly appreciated! It won 'Academy Awards' for 'Best Cinematography' (De Santis) & 'Best Costume Design' (Danilo Donati)..And Olivia Hussey won 'Golden Globe' and 'David di Donatello Award' for her best portrait of beautiful Juliet! She expressed emotions of love intensely!!

I always remember the famous balcony scene of it with Shakespeare quote..for this beautiful (favourite) Juliet Olivia..
"It is the East and Juliet is the Sun!"

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune, India]