This was the night when we were going to view Zeffirilli’s Romeo and Juliet. I don’t know how we lost our fan base. Only three of us were in the front room when the show began. Eric and Thomas got home so late that we didn’t eat until 9:30 pm. We lost Catherine from what was going to be our audience. She was so tired that she just put her head down on the dinner table after dinner was over, and she was out like a light, not aware of any noise going on around her.
Not to let this change our plans, Catie, Rebecca and I got the film going.
Catie had prepared a few comments for us.
The film got such a high rating in 1968 when it first came out, that when a cover was made of the film, it just couldn’t stand up to the old rating.
And then she told me that the actors in the film are now 70 years old.
For some reason I didn’t like imagining that they had aged.
Catie was quick to notice the "I bite my thumb at you" scene.
As our movie began, Catherine took Hebe upstairs to put her to bed.
Half way through the movie Hebe came down to join us, Catherine being the only one asleep.
Having Hebe beside me changed the attention that I could give to the film.
Now I was answering questions, multiple questions, the first one being why Romeo and Juliet didn’t have any pyjamas on in bed.
You can imagine at what point she joined us.
I told her they had just forgotten to put their garments on and she was good with that.
She wanted to know why we were watching the film.
I told her that Eric told us to watch it, that it was one of his favourite Shakespeare films.
She wanted to know what made it a favourite for him. I told her that is a question that Eric is going to have to answer for her, and that tomorrow we will watch a comedy for her, and not a tragedy, as this was.
She watched Romeo killed Mercutio and she wanted to know why they were fighting with real swords instead of the plastic ones that you can buy at the Dollar store.
Heb was intensely interested in the scene where the Capulet father and mother are trying to set up a marriage for Juliet to happen in two days – on the coming Thursday. Her brow was furrowed at all of the parental bullying.
Watching the Friar mix the elixir that would keep Juliet cold for 42 hours also held interest for Hebe, as did the bottle of poison that Romeo was carrying with him.
And she couldn't figure out why Romeo's friend didn't go into the tomb with him. What kind of friend would just stay outside, she wondered.
Hebe was in sync with the prince when he condemned all for the terrible tragedy that had taken place.
In the final analysis, I don’t think tragedy is going to be a big hit with her until a few more years have passed.
Mostly I am curious about what she is going to say to her parents tomorrow about her adventure with Shakespeare.
She did tell me that she wants to watch the first part of the film that she missed – the part where Romeo and Juliet fall in love.
I told her I would try to set that up tomorrow.
Who knew?
Arta
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| Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey in Romeo and Juliet (1968) |
Catie had prepared a few comments for us.
The film got such a high rating in 1968 when it first came out, that when a cover was made of the film, it just couldn’t stand up to the old rating.
And then she told me that the actors in the film are now 70 years old.
For some reason I didn’t like imagining that they had aged.
Catie was quick to notice the "I bite my thumb at you" scene.
As our movie began, Catherine took Hebe upstairs to put her to bed.
Half way through the movie Hebe came down to join us, Catherine being the only one asleep.
 |
| In the late afternoon we took a walk in a mall that Catherine wanted to check out. Here Hebe has found a small rocket ship and she is just happy to sit in it and dream of far-away adventures. |
Now I was answering questions, multiple questions, the first one being why Romeo and Juliet didn’t have any pyjamas on in bed.
You can imagine at what point she joined us.
I told her they had just forgotten to put their garments on and she was good with that.
She wanted to know why we were watching the film.
I told her that Eric told us to watch it, that it was one of his favourite Shakespeare films.
She wanted to know what made it a favourite for him. I told her that is a question that Eric is going to have to answer for her, and that tomorrow we will watch a comedy for her, and not a tragedy, as this was.
She watched Romeo killed Mercutio and she wanted to know why they were fighting with real swords instead of the plastic ones that you can buy at the Dollar store.
Heb was intensely interested in the scene where the Capulet father and mother are trying to set up a marriage for Juliet to happen in two days – on the coming Thursday. Her brow was furrowed at all of the parental bullying.
Watching the Friar mix the elixir that would keep Juliet cold for 42 hours also held interest for Hebe, as did the bottle of poison that Romeo was carrying with him.
And she couldn't figure out why Romeo's friend didn't go into the tomb with him. What kind of friend would just stay outside, she wondered.
Hebe was in sync with the prince when he condemned all for the terrible tragedy that had taken place.
 |
| Catie found she could simulate the feeling of space travel just by giving the vehicle that Hebe is driving a few shakes. So cute! |
Mostly I am curious about what she is going to say to her parents tomorrow about her adventure with Shakespeare.
She did tell me that she wants to watch the first part of the film that she missed – the part where Romeo and Juliet fall in love.
I told her I would try to set that up tomorrow.
Who knew?
Arta
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