Much Ado about Nothing Response
Shakespeare wrote a wide variety of genres. He wrote everything from dark tragedies that end with the death or ruin of nearly everyone to lighthearted romances like Much Ado about Nothing. The tragedies provoke contemplation about the complexities of human nature and the comedies, while they may not incite the same reflection, are always an absolute delight to watch.
I have always enjoyed the play, Much Ado about Nothing. I love the contrast of the two parallel love stories. One features two innocent lovers who are torn apart by conniving schemes. The other features two strong-headed people who swear never to marry yet are tricked into falling head over heels for each other. In addition to the enchanting love stories, I enjoy how comical the script is. The banter between Benedict and Beatrice when they are arguing is quite witty. When they begin to fall in love, their enamored monologues are over the top to the point of spectacular comedy. What made me laugh the most however were Dogberry and Verges peculiarities, especially when they would trot away.
This production of the play was particularly enjoyable due to the talented cast and high-spirited tone that Branagh set for the film. Emma Thompson (Beatrice) does an excellent job portraying the quick-tongued free spirit who refuses to be tied down. Kenneth Branagh (Benedict) plays the equally stubborn bachelor, disgusted by those who have fallen under the yoke of marriage, to a T. Yet they both switch effortlessly to the hopelessly enamored couple that they become. Robert Sean Leonardo and Kate Beckinsale, Claudio and Hero, perfectly embody the love-struck youths as they gaze at each other across the courtyard. The only performance that I did not enjoy as much was that of Keanu Reeves. I found it to be one-dimensional and unconvincing. However, all in all the cast was extremely successful in embodying their characters.
The soundtrack did an excellent job of reinforcing the light-hearted tone of the film. It is sweet and romantic in scenes of love and upbeat and cheerful in scenes of merriment. Most of the pieces in the soundtrack were not played with a full orchestra. They were comprised mostly of strings and woodwinds giving it a light and pleasant feel. The mix of just woodwinds and strings was also a favored combination in the Elizabethan era. In this way, the soundtrack helped to create the atmosphere of the time period.
The set and costumes also helped to seamlessly create the intended location and time of the play. The movie was actually filmed in a charming Italian villa that matched the relative time and location of the plays setting. The villa was beautiful, all white stone and lush greenery. The beauty of the light hue of the building helped accentuate the lighthearted and romantic tone of the play, as did the wash of bright sunlight that lit the majority of the film. The costumes too were mostly white, giving everyone the youthful glow of innocence and pure love.
I thoroughly enjoyed this production of Much Ado about Nothing. I have always loved the play and Kenneth Branagh does it justice. The script captures the romance and the comedy perfectly. The acting is superb and the set is beautiful. Overall a wonderful production
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