I'm surprised nobody has reviewed this yet. It's a
modern adaptation set in the American Southwest. Cut to 1-3/4 hours, but a surprisingly full story. An aggressively all-male production (Celia is obviously a man, and Audrey even more so, with a full mustache and masculine muscling). The location allows for some spectacular scenery shots, and the music is refreshingly lively. Jaques is also refreshingly less dour than usual. Some small touches were funny and appropriate: Orlando is the pool boy at his brother's motel, which is called Duke's Court (Adam is a maid), and the old duke's friends drink beer and pass around joints at a campfire. The acting is nothing to write home about, especially from the younger actors. Some of the older ones are quite capable, but since they're all smaller parts they don't have much of an impact. I didn't feel any chemistry between Rosalind and Orlando in this. The acting is nothing to write home about, especially from the younger actors. Some of the older ones are quite capable, but since they're all smaller parts they don't have much of an impact. I didn't feel any chemistry between Rosalind and Orlando in this.
I do have one large gripe, in the inclusion of a near-pornographic sex scene that is nowhere even implied in the text. I also think the homoerotic element in general is brought out rather more than Shakespeare intended. My impression has always been that when male actors played women in Elizabethan times, they were supposed to be convincing as women. This production didn't seem to try very hard to do that, and I wasn't sure why.
This film wasn't bad, and had an interesting approach, but I wouldn't suggest it for someone new to the play (I'd go with the 1978 BBC production for that). Also, it would need an R or possibly even X rating for the sex scene.
