Love on the set, historical sites and spilled blood: how Franco Zeffirelli's film "Romeo and Juliet" was filmed

On March 4, 1968, the premiere of Romeo and Juliet by Franco Zeffirelli, an adaptation of the work of William Shakespeare, took place.

It was not the first adaptation of the play, but to this day it is considered the standard version of the tragic love story of two young people.

It was produced by Paramount Pictures.

The script was written by Franco Zeffirelli himself, in collaboration with Franco Brusati and Masolino D'amico.

About $850,000 was spent on filming, and the fees amounted to almost $39 million.

One of the reasons for the uniqueness of the film was the director's innovative idea to cast young actors in the roles of unfortunate lovers.

So, for the first time in history, in the adaptation of the play, Romeo and Juliet were played by artists whose age was close to the age of the characters: during the filming, Olivia Hussey turned 16 years old, and Leonard Whiting was 17.

Another important detail was that Zeffirelli, shooting a story about the times of the Early Renaissance, managed, according to critics, to convey the spirit of the late 1960s.

“The plot is largely countercultural.

In it (parallels. -

) with what was happening at that time.

It's about love and not wanting to act the way others tell you to.

This is a story about two teenagers who went against the ruling elite.

I think she really resonated with the audience of that time.

But it's amazing to watch the movie now.

It's hard to believe that (it has passed. -

) 50 years, ”explained producer and film critic Alicia Malone in an interview with Variety in 2018.

Diet and struggle with the accent

Initially, the candidacy of Olivia Hussey for the role of Juliet was rejected, because Franco Zeffirelli considered her overweight.

Already on repeated tests, Hussie managed to impress the director with her touchingness.

In the end, she got the role.

However, during the filming, the director forbade the actress to eat pasta so that she would not get better.

About 300 young men were considered for the role of Romeo, including Paul McCartney.

However, Zeffirelli preferred Leonard Whiting to everyone else.

The director noted that the actor "has an attractive face, soft melancholy, sweetness, the type of ideal young man that Romeo should be." 

Although Hussey and Whiting were perfect for the roles of Romeo and Juliet, their native accents were far from British.

Before filming began, the actors diligently practiced correct Shakespearean English pronunciation.

As the actress told Variety, initially they studied with a tutor for two to three hours a day, and on the eve of filming they switched to an enhanced mode and devoted six hours a day to training.

The author's text in the film is read by Lawrence Olivier, who has become a legend of the British theater scene, known for such films as Spartacus and The Killing Game.

He also dubbed Antonio Pierfederici (Lord Montecchi) due to the artist's heavy Italian accent.

It is known that Olivier refused the fee, saying that he did all this in the name of love for the work of William Shakespeare.

• Frame from the film "Romeo and Juliet" (1968)

• Legion Media

Authentic locations

For filming, Franco Zeffirelli chose historical locations in Italy, which made the film more authentic.

So, the legendary scene on the balcony was filmed at the Palazzo Borghese.

This palace, located about 32 km south of Rome, was acquired in the early 17th century by Cardinal Camillo Borghese.

In 1968, the building was still owned by the Borghese family.

At that time, its owner was Prince Valerio Borghese - it was he who restored the Palazzo after shelling during the Second World War.

The famous critic Roger Ebert was present on the set.

He wrote that the castle was literally carved into the hillside.

“I searched for a long time before I found this place,” the critic quotes Zeffirelli.

“We didn’t have to change much at all.

There was already a secluded garden where Romeo could wait, and above, a balcony where Juliet could stand.

Perfect.

And even the moon in the sky rises where it is necessary.

The balcony scene was filmed at night, after moonrise.

Up to this point, the actors slept in the castle, and Zeffirelli himself sat by the stone wall and waited for the right hour.

The episode with the wedding of the main characters was filmed in the church of San Pietro Somaldi in Lucca (Tuscany).

Also in Tuscany, the final unfolded, where the unfortunate lovers die, and other shots near the crypt and the church.

Palazzo Piccolomini served as the palace of the Capulet family.

The building is located in Pienza, province of Siena.

On the square in front of the palace, a scene was filmed with Romeo's friends hurrying to the ball, and Mercutio's speech about the queen.

At the same time, the ball itself was filmed in a studio with scenery.

The events taking place near the Montecchi's house (for example, the clash of the townspeople, the duel of Tybalt and Romeo), the team filmed in the ancient commune of Gubbio, located in the Umbria region.

But the square in Verona with the fountain and the facade of the church was recreated by the film crew in the pavilion of the Cinecitta film studio in Rome.

Franco Zeffirelli carefully thought through all the details necessary to make the picture look natural.

As Leonard Whiting recalled, the director saw himself as a Florentine artist of the 15th century and arranged everything as in Renaissance paintings.

First love and spilled blood

Leonard Whiting had never been to Italy before filming, so it was a truly mesmerizing adventure for him.

“To be young and go to Italy, where you are driven everywhere by a chauffeur and taken to the best restaurants.

It was like learning to love.

Italy is a real paradise for me, because I remember as if it were yesterday, all those golden days in a beautiful light, ”he said in an interview with Variety.

The actor also recalled that he and Olivia Hussey were very nervous about the upcoming work.

Despite the fact that both artists were not new to cinema, only a good actor can portray strong feelings, Whiting believes.

Whiting and Hussie played on-screen passion helped their sympathy for each other.

The performer of the role of Romeo admitted that there was real chemistry between them, and the screen partner became his first love.

After filming, they were in a relationship for about a year, but broke up due to distance (Hussie lived in the USA, Whiting in the UK) and employment.

However, the artists maintain a friendly relationship.

Meanwhile, on the set of the drama, there was a place for stunts, the staging of which led to injuries.

Leonard Whiting and Michael York, who played Tybalt, shared details with EW about filming the duel.

According to the artists, during the practice of the climactic sword fight, they really hurt each other: the on-screen fight went beyond the established choreography.

Because of this, Zeffirelli regularly urged them to stop.

“He saw that we (when fencing. -

) inflict superficial cuts on each other.

The one who was not wounded jokes about the wound, ”said Michael York.

Success and scandal decades later

The painting "Romeo and Juliet" gained international popularity and was highly appreciated by many critics.

Roger Ebert even called the film Zeffirelli's best directorial work.

However, one moment from the tape still caused a general controversy.

We are talking about a love scene where the main characters appear naked before the audience.

Despite?

that the actors were covered with a sheet at that moment, some intimate parts of their bodies were in the frame.

Although nudity was fairly commonplace in European films at the time, the scene was frowned upon by many in America.

Especially the audience resented that the actors were too young.

Olivia Hussey said that Zeffirelli shot this moment "with taste", and it was necessary for the film.

At the same time, the actress did not feel constrained on the set. 

“If you look, the reality is that these two young creatures got married against the will of their parents, spent that one night together, and then died ... And after all, in no country (picture. - RT ) was banned ... We shot it at the very end of the

.

So by that time… we were all a big family… It wasn't that big of a deal.

And Leonard wasn't shy at all!

In the middle of shooting, I completely forgot that I had no clothes on, ”Fox News quotes the artist.

• Frame from the film "Romeo and Juliet" (1968)

• Legion Media

However, 55 years later, in January 2023, it became known that because of this scene, Whiting and Hussey sued Paramount.

The actors accused the film studio of distributing nude footage of minors and sexual exploitation.

According to the lawsuit, the director of the tape, who died in 2019, initially assured that there would be no nudity in the film, and the actors would wear flesh-colored underwear, but later Zeffirelli allegedly persuaded Hussie and Whiting to appear nude in the episode for the sake of the film's success.

He even took special permission to show the breasts of 16-year-old Hussie.

After that, the director promised that their bodies would not be compromised in any way: the camera would be installed so that there was no nudity in the frame.

As a result, the naked parts of the bodies of the actors were filmed allegedly without their knowledge.

The lawsuit stated that after the filming of the film, the leading actors suffered from emotional disorders and mental anguish.

Also because of this frank scene, they allegedly could not get other roles and build a decent career.

Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting are seeking $500 million in damages from the studio.  

• Frame from the film "Romeo + Juliet" (1996)

• Legion Media

Awards and other film adaptations

Zeffirelli's film "Romeo and Juliet" was awarded a considerable number of awards.

In 1969, the project received two Oscars - for the best work of cinematographer Pasqualino De Santis and costumes (Danilo Donati), became a three-time winner of the Golden Globe, and also won a BAFTA for best outfits.

In the USSR, the tape took 79th place among foreign films in terms of attendance at cinemas in the year of the premiere.

In addition, Soviet viewers named Romeo and Juliet the best film of 1972.

Nino Rota's Love Theme (A Time For Us), recorded by Henry Mancini, became a pop hit in 1969.

Subsequently, other film adaptations of the cult work were released.

So, for example, Baz Luhrmann in 1996 released his version of the Romeo + Juliet story, in which the Montagues and the Capulets are warring mafia clans, and instead of swords, the heroes have firearms in their hands.

The roles of lovers were played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

The film received three British Academy Film Awards, and Luhrmann was awarded the David Lean Award for Achievement in Directing.

In 2013, another adaptation of the play was released - from the director Carlo Carlei.

In terms of plot and picture, the film is more classic - it shows the same Renaissance Verona and unfortunate lovers expressing their feelings in Shakespearean style.

Romeo was played by Douglas Booth, Juliet by Hailee Steinfeld.

In the same year, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film "Shot Dance: Ram and Leela" was released in India - also a free adaptation of the play.

Some quotes from Romeo and Juliet have been translated into Hindi by the authors.

The film can be viewed as part of the Love Indian Film Festival on March 11.