Romeo and Juliet (1954)

Even though the colour and the impressive location scenarios work really well here, the rest of it rather falls between two stools. It lacks the intensity of a stage play and the acting talent assembled - Flora Robson and the underused John Gielgud notwithstanding - is really quite underwhelming. You'll recall the story of the feuding Montagues and Capulets that sees true love emerge from centuries of slaughter and mayhem. It's "Romeo" (Laurence Harvey) who falls for "Juliet" (Susan Shentall) and they must keep their burgeoning romance under wraps for fear of all hell breaking loose. That's becoming harder and harder but as the story unfolds it also becomes much less engaging to watch. Harvey never was a particularly versatile actor and there's virtually no chemistry on display between him and the almost as wooden though maybe a bit more suitably virtuous Shentall. It's very much a lacklustre ensemble effort with few of the originally quirky and notable characters standing up to much scrutiny and somehow Renato Castellani has striven to create something here that belies it's credentials as one of literature's greatest and most enduring love stories. At times, it is almost little better than a very well choreographed and photographed soap. Every now and again these re-imaginings of Shakespeare's works come along, but this one is unlikely to be one anyone remembers too fondly.