directed by Joss Whedon, starring Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion
Joss Whedon, one of the reigning kings of Pop Culture, has tackled Shakespeare. Or rather, he’s put on the music, charmed the Bard’s work ont the dance floor and proceeded to dazzle us all with his graceful footwork.
Filmed in secret at Whedon’s own home, the film had no prior announcement of production until principal photography was completed after only 12 days of shooting.
This film is delightful. In the end, that’s the long and the short of it.
Whether you are familiar with Shakespeare or not, Whedon makes the play accessible to the modern audience, and yet also lets the work speak for itself (and, being from Shakespeare, it speaks very well indeed).
The first thing that hits the viewer is that the film is in black and white. But what this does is bring the characters into sharper focus. Our eyes are not distracted by splashes of color and so we pay attention to faces and expressions.
Then Whedon shows a sure hand in directing, in that his actors deliver the poetry of the play as direct conversation. The staging aids in conveying all that may be alien to the modern audience. Indeed, I have but one quibble in the directing, and that is that the cast do not react strongly enough (in either double-takes or suppressed laughter) at the mis-speaking of the pompous Constable Dogberry(given absolute certainty by a seamless performance from Nathan Fillion).
Beatrice and Benedick, legendary for the sparkle and sparks of their banter, are well portrayed by Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof. The plot of their friends to match them up is simply the manifestation of a relationship that ought to be. The pair really are well matched. And these actors wonderfully play the true depths of love when their joy in finding they do love each other is put to the challenge for the sake of the honor of Beatrice’s cousin Hero.
Whedon’s production captures the evergreen nature of the drama and comedy of being human, for it is that quality which has kept Shakespeare’s works alive.
