When gallant Don Pedro (Denzel Washington), his nefarious brother Don John (Keanu Reeves), and close confidantes Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) and Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) ride thunderously into the Sicilian village of Messina, romance, gaiety, and suspicion abound. The men have returned safely from a war, and soon everyone in the sun-drenched villa is abuzz with thoughts of love. Claudio, enamored of the purity of the nubile Hero (Kate Beckinsale), entreats Don Pedro to woo the maiden on his behalf that evening at a masked ball. Once he's managed the successful betrothal of Hero to Claudio, Don Pedro has another plot in mind: he plans to trick Hero's bantering cousin Beatrice (Emma Thompson) and sworn bachelor Benedick into acknowledging they've fallen in love. Meanwhile, the villainous Don John, driven by contempt for his compatriots, has hatched a plot of his own: to fool Claudio and Don Pedro into believing Hero is unchaste. The plot works perfectly: sensitive but volatile Claudio denounces her publicly on their wedding day. All seems lost, and soon the attempts to set things right include a formal duel, a scheming friar, a mock memorial and a gaggle of bumbling constables. With its excellent cast and beautiful Tuscan backdrop, director Kenneth Branagh's film is a light-hearted adaptation of yet another of Shakespeare's great plays.
Product Identifiers
EAN
5017239190216
eBay Product ID (ePID)
3944479
Product Key Features
Actor
Denzel Washington, Richard Briers, Ben Elton, Michael Keaton, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Keanu Reeves, Robert Sean Leonard
Film/TV Title
Much Ado about Nothing
Director
Kenneth Branagh
Language
English
Run Time
106 Mins
Aspect Ratio
16:9 Wide Screen
Release Year
1999
Format
DVD
Features
Widescreen
Genre
Drama, Romantic
Additional Product Features
Number of Discs
1
Certificate
PG
Country/Region of Manufacture
United Kingdom
Reviews
New York Times - ...[Branagh] has done it again....Triumphantly romantic, comic and, most surprising of all, emotionally alive..., Rolling Stone - ...Invigorating fun....[Thompson] is an actress of unflagging elegance..., Variety - ...A spirited, winningly acted rendition of one of the Bard's most popular comedies....Richard Briers and Brian Blessed are rock solid...