Romeo and Juliet is a 1968 period romantic tragedy film based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare. Directed and co-written by Franco Zeffirelli, the film stars Leonard Whiting as Romeo and Olivia Hussey as Juliet.
Laurence Olivier spoke the film’s prologue and epilogue and dubs the voice of the actor Antonio Pierfederici, who played Lord Montague, but was not credited on-screen. The cast also stars Milo O’Shea, Michael York, John McEnery, Bruce Robinson, and Robert Stephens.
The most financially successful film adaptation of a Shakespeare play at the time of its release, it was popular among teenagers partly because it was the first film to use actors who were close to the age of the characters from the original play. Several critics also welcomed the film enthusiastically.
The film won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography (Pasqualino De Santis) and Best Costume Design (Danilo Donati); it was also nominated for Best Director and Best Picture, making it the last Shakespearean film to be nominated for Best Picture to date. Whiting and Hussey both won Golden Globe Awards for Most Promising Newcomers.
Take a look at these romantic photos to see beautiful moments of Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey together during the filming of Romeo and Juliet in 1968.
