Twelfth Night or What You Will (1996)

Gender fluidity, a love square, and Shakespeare; what more can one ask for in a movie? Twelfth Night is an adaptation of Shakespeare's play of the same name. This version, directed by Trevor Nunn in 1996 starred Imogen Stubbs, Steven Mackintosh, Ben Kingsley, and Helena Bonham Carter. Exploring such issues as the uncertainty of gender and the curse of love, the bard never shied away from a heavy story. Twelfth Night is a film with a beautiful production design accompanying Shakespeare's well-known prose, making the film an enjoyable journey for audiences of all ages.

Washed to shore after a shipwreck, aristocrat Viola (Imogen Stubbs) longs to be reunited with the brother she was separated with at sea. While attempting to navigate the new land she has been washed upon, Viola is devastated with the assumption that her brother has perished at sea. She now finds herself alone and in unfamiliar territory. Without her brother Sebastian(Steven Mackintosh), Viola must find a way to work and fend for herself. Once hearing about a Lady Olivia (Helena Bonham Carter), who is mourning the loss of her brother, Viola feels a kinship and wishes to work in Lady Olivia's home. She learns, however, that Lady Olivia is not talking to strangers and is in deep mourning over the loss of her brother. Viola then learns that a nobleman, Count Orsino lies around listening to music all day, hopelessly in love with Lady Olivia. Viola decides to dress up as a man and work in the Count's home as a way to gain proximity to Lady Olivia. Viola's life becomes complicated when she falls for Count Orsino, Count Orsino refuses to abandon his love of Lady Olivia, and Lady Olivia falls for Cesario, the name Viola adopted when she began her life as a man. The curse of love plagues all in this Shakespeare classic, and seeing the journey unfold on-screen is certainly a treat for audiences.

The first hour of this film moves incredibly slow. Having such an interesting plot, and many subplots within, I did not anticipate pacing being an issue for this film, but it certainly was. The production design was beautiful and the castles in which Lady Olivia and Count Orsino lived were beautifully done. A period piece such as this one depends upon its production design to be able to transform the audience into another place and time, and Trevor Nunn obviously knew that quite well. Nunn obviously took painstaking measures to create a realism to his film that cannot be ignored. Perhaps it was his dedication to realism that dragged on the first half of the film with endless shots of the sets being used. Whatever the issue, the sets were beautiful. The film was comprised of mostly British actors, which is always a treat for this film buff. By in large, British actors bring a sense of regalness to the roles they take, which is especially important when tackling Shakespeare. There was also wonderful music sprinkled throughout Twelfth Night. Oftentimes, especially throughout the first hour of the film, the music and acting were the only bright spots moving the film along. Another treat was being introduced to Helena Bonham Carter. I had never before seen a film starring the actress and only knew her as being romantically linked to director Tim Burton, so I was never sure what to expect from her. I was pleasantly surprised by her range on screen. She played the mourning, yet playful sister quite well. Bonham Carter also had no issue playing the love-struck yet hard to get Lady Olivia. Playing these opposites off each other so well gave me a new respect for the actress.

Twelfth Night goes to great depth to explore the limits of gender. Gender is, without question, the most obvious theme throughout the film, as it explores the sexual confusion created when Viola dresses up as a man. Meanwhile; while trying to gain access to Lady Olivia for herself, all the while working for Count Orsino in attempts to convince Lady Olivia to love him, Viola falls in love with Orsino herself. This love must remain a secret because no one knows Viola's true identity as a woman. Shakespeare doesn't do much to clear up this confusion, even by the play's close. Count Orsino seems to enjoy loving Viola while she is still exhibiting masculinity. It is left as a mystery whether or not Orsino loves Viola or her masculine persona. Another withstanding theme throughout the film is the burden of love. No one that loves someone is happy in this romantic comedy. Love seems to wage a war within each individual that experiences it on-screen, rather than the happy life-fulfilling emotion we are more comfortable describing it as. Whether the ending leaves you feeling like love conquers all, or love is for the birds, Shakespeare's romantic comedy is one that has endured.