Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Kenneth Branagh

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play)
Kenneth Branagh (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 May 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | War

Plot:

Young lovers Hero and Claudio, soon to wed, conspire to get verbal sparring partners and confirmed singles Benedick and Beatrice to wed as well.

Plot Keywords:

Bachelor | Wedding | Male Nudity | Brother | Bumbler

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Richard Briers	...	Leonato
Kate Beckinsale	...	Hero
Imelda Staunton	...	Margaret
Jimmy Yuill	...	Friar Francis
Brian Blessed	...	Antonio
Andy Hockley	...	George Seacole
Chris Barnes	...	Francis Seacole
Conrad Nelson	...	Hugh Oatcake
Phyllida Law	...	Ursula
Emma Thompson	...	Beatrice
Alex Lowe	...	Messenger
Denzel Washington	...	Don Pedro
Keanu Reeves	...	Don John
Richard Clifford	...	Conrade
Gerard Horan	...	Borachio

Also Known As:

Beaucoup de bruit pour rien (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Mucho ruido y pocas nueces (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Muito Barulho por Nada (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Molt soroll per no res (Spain: Catalan title) (dubbed version) [ca]
Molto rumore per nulla (Italy) [it]
Mycket väsen för ingenting (Sweden) [sv]
Paljon melua tyhjästä (Finland) [fi]
Poly kako gia to tipota (Greece) [el]
Sok hühó semmiért (Hungary) [hu]
Stor ståhej om ingenting (Denmark) [da]
Viel Lärm um nichts (Germany) [de]
Wiele halasu o nic (Poland) [pl]
William Shakespeare's Viel Lärm um nichts (Germany) [de]

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:6 | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Villa Vignamaggio, Greve in Chianti, Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Kenneth Branagh]Frequent Branagh composer Patrick Doyle is cast as Balthasar.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the final scene, one musician is shown playing a piano accordion, an instrument which was invented centuries later.

Quotes:

Don Pedro: Good Signior Leonato, you are come to meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it.
Leonato: Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your grace.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Filmography: Keanu Reeves" (2005)

Don John

Shakespeare intentionally created Don John, a villain with no cause and out of place, for the sole purpose of having a villain in advancing the story. Don John is supposed to be WOODEN , rotten to the core for no reason. Keanu Reeves actually played the role very well. I don't see how otherwise Don John could be portrayed. The movie is a fine piece, I particularly like the line "If I were a man" by Beatrice. I think Beatrice is one of the strongest heroines in Shakespeare's plays.