TWELFTH NIGHT -- Kenneth Branaugh, dir

©1987
Thames Shakespeare Collection
studio: A&E Home Video
production company: Renaissance Theatre Company, Thames Television
dir: Kenneth Branaugh, Paul Kafno
cast: Frances Barber, Christopher Hollis, Julian Gartside, Tim Barker, Richard Briers, Caroline Langrishe, Anton Lesser, Abigail McKern, Shaun Prendergast, Christopher Ravenscroft, James Saxon, James Simmons
stage play by William Shakespeare

A woman, surviving from a shipwreck, takes the identity of her brother (whom she believes to be dead), and comes to the employ of a man trying to woo a noble woman. The noble woman comes to believe she is in love with the man sent to woo (who is actually the shipwrecked woman), and the woman sent to do the wooing, falls in love with the man trying to woo the noble woman. And of course the brother isn't really dead.

This version is actually quite good. However... do not watch this expecting to see a "movie." This is the stage version, filmed. There is a vast difference, and many people will not react well to this kind of film.

While some of the acting seems a bit wooden (particularly the woman posing as her brother), much of it is lively and interesting, and Branaugh keeps the action moving quite well.

This probably wouldn't keep the average movie-goer very interested, but a nice adaptation of the stage play, and recommended.