Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Much Ado About Nothing

The movie based on Shakespeare’s play called “Much Ado About Nothing” is one of the best I’ve ever seen. Funny...this play, which is a comedy of his, made me cry more than his tragedy, “Hamlet”. That’s probably because it was so beautiful and yet seemed to be impossible in today’s world.

The story is about the matchmaking of Don Pedro (Prince of Arragon), who comes to the house of Leonato (Governor of Messina) for a visit. While he is there, he encourages the love of Hero (Leonato’s daughter) and his good friend, Claudio. His bastard brother, Don John (played by Keanu Reeves from The Matrix), decides he wants to make Don Pedro’s life miserable, and he goes about this by lying about Hero’s honor.

On the night before Hero and Claudio’s planned wedding, Claudio and the two brothers witness what seems to be Hero’s unfaithfulness but is really just a trick played by Don John’s evil minions. However, it is realistic enough...The next morning he accuses her (at the altar, nonetheless) of being unfaithful, throws her aside, and leaves. A wise friar counsels Leonato, Beatrice, Benedick, Hero, and Beatrice’s father to say that Hero died and hide her away for a while so that Claudio will regret what he did.

After it is discovered that all was a trick, Claudio and Don Pedro go to Hero’s apparent funeral (while she watches it all from a window...must have been quite an experience). Leonato asks Claudio to marry Beatrice instead, since Claudio must make amends for causing Hero’s death. He agrees, since he is so sorry and would do anything. The next day, at the wedding ceremony, there are four women in veils waiting for Claudio. He discovers that Hero is still alive and marries her, while another wedding between Benedick and Beatrice takes place.

The most touching part of this story, though, was the side-story about Beatrice and Benedick, who dislike each other and aren’t afraid to say so. Both are firmly decided that they will never marry, yet with the schemes of Don Pedro (who has quite the mischievous mind), they realize that they do indeed love each other. The most amazing part in this side-story, in my mind, was when Beatrice told Benedick to revenge her cousin (Hero) by killing Claudio (who is one of Benedick’s best friends) and Benedick said he would. Even though Benedick does not have to kill Claudio, it was an incredible test of his love, and he passed with flying colors.

The testing of love for one another (both between Benedick and Beatrice and between Claudio and Hero) was the coolest theme wound throughout this story. What amazing love existed then! Does it still exist today? I sure hope so! However, it seems to have gone out of style.

Movie stars and all the “important” people are “cooler” (somehow) when they have multiple exes...Why does it work that way? Why is one love for life out of “fashion”?

I guess I shall be an unfashionable person, then.

Another part that I loved about this movie was the music, such as the tune accompanying the following lyrics:

Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more;

Men were deceivers ever;

One foot in sea and one on shore,

To one thing constant never;

Then sigh not so,

But let them go,

And be you blithe and bonny;

Converting all your sounds of woe

Into Hey nonny, nonny.

Sing no more ditties, sing no mo

Of dumps so dull and heavy;

The fraud of men was ever so

Since summer first was heavy.

Then sigh not so,

But let them go,

And be you blithe and bonny;

Converting all your sounds of woe

Into Hey nonny, nonny.

Unfortunately, there are some parts in there that really don’t need to be there, or are over-dramatized...However, it’s still a good movie, and I highly recommend it. http://silentgalaxy.com/mus/doyle_goodbye.mp3

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good movie, I thought the gaurds were histaricle! :-P what with their air horses and such. and then there's "I WILL NEVER MARRY!!" Yeah right! LOL good luck with that!

=-=
WebN8

Allegra said...

Yes, the guards were awesome...Dad is trying out that part with Sam and Ben. LOL!!! I loved how the sheriff screwed up his words in an attempt to be fancy.

It seems like the vow to never marry means that person is just itching to get married. Ahh, irony. :P

Lydia said...

Um...dewd....you write such loooong posts....how--- why---???

Argh. LOL. I shall post again!

~Your *little* sister. ;)

Allegra said...

How? Why? Give me 30 minutes while I'm taking a break! :P You can do it. I know you can!

~Your *big* sister :D