When a lovely noblewoman auditions for a role, they fall into forbidden love - and his play finds a new life (and title).

Gwyneth Paltrow plays a stage-struck young woman living. Young Shakespeare is forced to stage his latest comedy, 'Romeo and Ethel, the Pirates Daughter,' before its even written. Finally, though, it's Tom Stoppard's witty, intelligent script which proves so satisfying, effortlessly combining and recasting period comedy, creative biopic, Romeo and Juliet adaptation, and his own brand of clever pun and play. Englands greatest playwright really comes alive in this witty romantic comedy with a very modern feel.

The film sports its superficiality with good humour, and the cast deserve much of the credit: Fiennes is at last truly convincing Paltrow and Ben Affleck (as the company's star player) hold their own and the rest of the ensemble gel seamlessly. Shakespeare In Love by KE Monahan Huntley Shakespeare in Love, a fictional account of the life that inspired the art-Romeo and Juliet, is an excellent and lamentable original screenplay by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard, its every word and staged action a tribute to the Bard. Again, too, it's at least as informed by present-day British theatre and TV as by classical literature, as a cast ranging from Dame Judi to two members of The Fast Show indicates. It combines an interest in British regal heritage and a swift, populist, plainspoken perspective free of traditional deference. This is probably due to the Miramax machine pumping major dollars behind the films Oscar campaign, but in watching the film again almost fifteen years later, I think it is has held up better than Ryan. John Madden's remarkably busy film - which took seven Oscars - is a far shout from the drawing-room period drama of old. Shakespeare In Love pulled off a major upset at the 1998 Academy Awards when it beat out Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture. Enter Viola Lesseps (Paltrow), who auditions for the still unwritten play and captures both the lead role and its author. Will Shakespeare (Fiennes) has lost his muse, and the prospects for his latest commission, 'Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter,' look troubled.

Shakespeare in love 1998