IMDb > Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
Much Ado About Nothing
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Much Ado About Nothing (1993) More at IMDbPro »

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Much Ado About Nothing (1993) -- hv post
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Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   21,482 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Kenneth Branagh
Writers:
William Shakespeare (play)
Kenneth Branagh (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Much Ado About Nothing on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
7 May 1993 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Romance | War more
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(36 articles)
Amaryllis Theatre Company Presents Waiting For Godot 11/10-11/22
 (From BroadwayWorld.com. 22 November 2009, 2:00 AM, PST)
Edward Woodward
 (From Alternative Film Guide. 17 November 2009, 10:18 AM, PST)
User Comments:
Truly Wonderful! A great movie! more (144 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
111 min
Country:
UK | USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
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) more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
First cinema film of Kate Beckinsale. more
Goofs:
Continuity: After Balthazar's song, Benedick leaves his deckchair without folding it properly. In a subsequent shot the chair is folded perfectly. more
Quotes:
Conrade: You are an ass, you are an ass.
Dogberry: Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years? O that he were here to write me down an ass. But masters, remember that I am an ass: though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Bob Saget/TLC (#20.19)" (1995) more

FAQ

Chapter Headings, a quasi-official version:
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
41 out of 46 people found the following comment useful.
Truly Wonderful! A great movie!, 9 November 2001
10/10
Author: Skeletors_Hood (skeletors_hood@hotmail.com) from Kansas City

Brilliant! Kenneth Branagh's version of the timeless William Shakespeare classic is a great rendition of the film, making it accessible to everyone, even those who do not like Shakespeare.

Let me first say that I am a great fan of Shakespeare's works. In college I was an English literature major, with a minor in theater, and so Shakespeare is found in both. Theater people state that Shakespeare was never literature at all, which in the purpose of the plays is true, however because of the prose that he wrote in is a poetic form, he is literature as well. Whatever you do, never get in between two people arguing this point, your head might blow up!

Reading the comments on this page, the basic attack on this movie is that Branagh cuts lines and shaved parts. Yes, of course he did. Nothing is sacred, not even the works of Shakespeare, people. I myself was in a Shakespeare play, and over half the script was cut from it. With a Shakespeare play, the question is what to cut. If this play had been presented in it's entirety, it would have been close to five hours long. And today's movie audience just does not have that kind of patience. "Titanic" was stretching it a little, in terms of time. Shakespeare's original audience would have had no problem, because they made a day of it.

So when Branagh did this play, he had to shave off a great deal of the script, and he had to decide what to focus on. He had to focus on the main characters, being Beatrice and Benedict and their romance, and of course the drama concerning Hero and Claudio, but also keep other characters incorporated as well. For those attacking the "whittling down" of the script, why didn't anyone bring up the point that Benedict is supposed to have shaved his beard while in attempt to woo Beatrice. Why? Because it really isn't a major plot point that is needed at all. So Branagh made great choices in his direction of the film, and in the end he made sure that everything tied together logically, and that there were no loose ends.

The performances by the actors were great as well. There was nothing wrong with casting Denzel Washington as the prince, though people seem to have a beef with it. He pulled it off very well. And Keanu Reeves did a great job as well. It was a treat to see him as a villain. I happen to be a fan of Reeves, and I do see him as great casting, though why people also have a problem with him I'll never know. Branagh was going for acting ability, not just names. Reeves has the goods, and he can speak Shakespeare very well, it's his character that's supposed to be moody. And Keaton was a wonderful choice for the Constable, making me laugh whenever he was on the screen. And the other actors all did very well in their roles.

If you're a lover of Shakespeare or not, this film is a great treat, and it appeals to all audiences who love the classic masterpiece.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Chapter Headings, v1.00: annevejb
Don't you think There should be a sequal yolanda-spencer1
am i the only one annoyed with Kenneth Branagh's acting??? raggymcmuffin
kate (hero) sportychick_1991
claudio..... dx0817
actress for Beatrice ixlovexliv
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