Comparing Zeffirelli's Romeo And Juliet

The Better Movie When a director is making a movie, he must use many elements such as scenery, clothing, style, and speech to tell the story. In the two movies made of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, both of the directors, Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann, portray the story of the star-crossed lovers in very different, unique ways. While Zeffirelli directs the movie as if it takes place in the 1500’s, Luhrmann decided to modernize the play so that it takes place in the 1990’s. The setting, costume, and style are all different because of this. Although both directors follow the original lines by William Shakespeare, there is a huge disparity in the way both directors present the lines. Franco Zeffirelli’s version of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was better overall because of the balcony scene and the double suicide scene.
For example, Zeffirelli’s comely scenery is more suited to the play. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet takes place during the 1500’s when most buildings are made of stone and wood and most people’s backyards are nature itself. Zeffirelli portrays the balcony scene better because he makes Juliet live in a stone castle rather then a chaotic, technically advanced city like Luhrmann chooses to do. Also,Romeo is in a forest watching Juliet talk to herself on her balcony, which is more accurate to the way Shakespeare wrote the play making the scene better overall. Compared to Luhrmann’s version of the balcony scene, Zeffirelli’s version of the balcony scene is