25 Best Romantic Movies on Amazon Prime Video for Valentine’s Day
By Reed Gaudens
6. Shakespeare in Love
Release Year: 1998
Written By: Marc Norman, Tom Stoppard
Directed By: John Madden
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, Judi Dench, Simon Callow, Jim Carter, Martin Clunes, Antony Sher, Imelda Staunton, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Williams
Unless you read the Cliff’s Notes instead, most every living person who attended public high school has read William Shakespeare’s tragic romance play Romeo and Juliet. Have you ever wonder where Shakespeare gained the inspiration for the tale of the star-crossed lovers?
In Shakespeare in Love, John Madden’s imaginary exploration of a young Shakespeare’s personal life, Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Viola, a woman who disguises herself as a man (Twelfth Night, anyone?) to audition for Shakepeare (Joseph Fiennes) but ends up falling for him and inspiring him to compose Romeo and Juliet.
Of course, Shakespeare in Love isn’t based on factual historical events even though most of the characters are based on recognizable figures. The film swept the Oscars, taking home statues for Paltrow, Judi Dench, and Best Picture among others. Travel back in time with this romance as one of the most famous writers of all time comes to life!