Twelfth Passion

The 1996 version of twelfth night was amazing. I haven’t seen such good acting in a very long time. The actors were able to give an effective and dramatic flow of conversation. Instead of the bland chunks we read in class with little feeling. These actors brought the words to life drawing out uncomfortable pauses and speeding up the words when they were anxious or rushes. I could understand what Shakespeare was trying to portray so much better when it is spoken.

Even more the acting was magnificent. Though everyone did a very good job my favorite had to be Helena Bonham Carter as Olivia. I have seen Carter in many other roles and was impressed at her ability to play such a difficult role. She can beg for love from a girl just as convincingly as singing about eating people. But all the actors were a great success. I was able to feel the emotions they had right through the screen, longing, torment, passion.

In fact the movie did a splendid job of creating sexually tension. From the scene we saw in class of Malvolio rubbing up against the statue of the woman, to a scene in which Viola must wash Orsino while he is taking a bath. But even more than this the actors talent at heated glances made me blush quite a few times. It’s these kinds of impassioned scenes that made the emotions of the characters and the tension of all this powerful love come into play. Though, by the end I was left wondering if their feelings were really love or just lust.

The writers also took quite a bit of freedom with the script. I have not completely finished the play at this time, but from what I can tell they rearranged many of the scenes. From adding some lines at the beginning to the play to inventing a war, you could tell they took liberties with the play. They also moved Orsino back later into the movie so that the musician playing was actually Viola. Probably the most masterfully done cuts in the movie was when they would cut between scenes in Olivia’s court and scenes in Orsino’s court on the same word. This was done with the singing scenes in which Feste sings for Sir Toby and Maria, and the scene where the same song is also being plaid for Viola and Orsino.

Over all the play was a triumphant success drawing you into the world of these characters and their passionate emotions. I had always thought that it would be next to impossible to really get a modern-day audience to understand Shakespeare. By watching this movie I see that with some talented people and good ideas the stories of the past can be brought to the people of this century as well.