Themes: Gender-Bending, Love Triangles, Twins and Lookalikes
Main Cast: Helena Bonham Carter, Imogen Stubbs, Nigel Hawthorne, Ben Kingsley, Mel Smith, Richard E. Grant
Release Year: 1996
Country: US/UK
Run Time: 134 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
The classic Shakespearean comedy about mistaken identity and gender confusion is brought to the screen once again in this British production, courtesy of screenwriter-director Trevor Nunn. Nunn has transferred the time period to the Victorian Era of the late 19th century. Two twins, Viola (Imogen Stubbs) and Sebastian (Steven MacKintosh), are separated when their ship capsizes. Each believes that the other has drowned. Viola washes ashore on the coast of Illyria. She disguises herself as a man and assumes the name Cesario so that she can take a position as an aide to the Duke, Orsinio (Toby Stephens). Orsinio desires Olivia (Helena Bonham Carter), who refuses his attentions. He also flirts with Maria (Imelda Staunton), Olivia's maid. Orsinio sends Cesario as an emissary to Olivia. The foppish Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Richard E. Grant) also seeks Olivia's love. He is a friend of her besotted uncle, Sir Toby Belch (Mel Smith). With the clownish philosopher Feste (Ben Kingsley), all these members of Olivia's household plot to embarrass the dour Malvolio (Nigel Hawthorne), a butler who has no tolerance for frivolity. They fool Malvolio into thinking that Olivia desires him, and when he confesses his love, Olivia orders him imprisoned as a madman. Sebastian then turns up and is mistaken for Cesario. A series of mishaps follows. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
Review
About every decade, accomplished British theater director Trevor Nunn takes a break from the stage for a foray into filmmaking, and Twelfth Night is his project for the 1990s. This handsomely mounted version of Shakespeare's beloved screwball comedy suggests he should lower himself to celluloid adaptations more often. An energetic, first-rate cast seems to be having tons of fun with the intertwined plot and multiple entendres of Shakespeare's dialogue. Especially effective is Ben Kingsley as Feste, the "fool"; in this topsy-turvy world, he emerges as the deceptively wise commentator on these ludicrous events, practically winking at the camera in a gleeful awareness he withholds from the others. Nigel Hawthorne is also memorable as the stuffy Malvolio, who gets tricked into his own reversal through a practical joke, becoming more a fool than the drunkards and other merry-makers who set him up. Those who prefer Shakespeare's tragedies will undoubtedly find their patience tried by the essential frivolity of the whole enterprise. But those open to the Bard at his breeziest should enjoy Twelfth Night, especially with Nunn's solid job of sorting out the myriad characters, which leaves the language the only obstacle for a viewer to tackle. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Imelda Staunton - Maria; Toby Stephens - Orsino; Steven Mackintosh - Sebastian; Timothy Bentinck - Officer; Rod Culbertson - Officer; Nicholas Farrell - Antonio; Sidney Livingstone - Captain; James Walker - Priest; Peter Gunn - Fabian; Alan Mitchell - Valentine; Jeff Hall - Gardener
Credit
Carl Proctor - Casting, John Bright - Costume Designer, Guy Travers - First Assistant Director, Trevor Nunn - Director, Peter Boyle - Editor, Greg Smith - Executive Producer, Ruth Vitale - Executive Producer, Ileen Maisel - Executive Producer, Jonathan Weisgal - Executive Producer, Mark Cooper - Line Producer, Shaun Davey - Composer (Music Score), Shaun Davey - Songwriter, Sophie Becher - Production Designer, Clive Tickner - Cinematographer, David Parfitt - Producer, Stephen Evans - Producer, Mark Cooper - Producer, David Crozier - Sound/Sound Designer, Trevor Nunn - Screenwriter, William Shakespeare - Play Author
