In our current cinematic landscape, originality and creativity are often celebrated; individuality is the answer. However, many beloved and best-selling films owe their inspiration to William Shakespeare, either through plot, tropes, or character perceptions.
While he may, for many, be a staple of the GCSE curriculum and, for some, be considered a literary genius who pioneered British and global literature, Shakespearean themes and narratives continue to resonate in contemporary cinema. From romantic comedies to dramas, his works inspires the film industry.
Much Ado About Nothing – The Blueprint
Much Ado About Nothing is a witty comedy about misunderstandings and what we consider ‘playful banter’ in the 21st century.
Shakespeare’s story follows Beatrice and Benedick, two characters who continuously bicker and – as typically expected – constantly deny their attraction to each other. This mix of romantic tension, misunderstandings, and almost humorous conflict forms the backbone of many contemporary romcoms; I’m sure we’ve all shouted at the screens when the two protagonists are having their ‘arguing in the rain’ moment due to a fierce clash – you can thank Shakespeare for that.
The 2023 movie Anyone But You is based on this formula, showcasing the protagonists of Bea and Ben as direct influences with intense banter and reluctance to admit their attraction, paired with direct reference to their namesakes. This film draws inspiration from Shakespeare’s tendency to use intense dialogue, paired with the modern coined term of “enemies-to-lovers”, which has become a staple in modern romance, proving once again the impact Much Ado About Nothing has on modern romantic storytelling.
Twelfth Night – The Ultimate Misunderstanding
Twelfth Night is a personal favourite of mine from Shakespeare’s collection. It incites deception and misunderstanding in mistaken identity paired with a humorous tone—creating the prompt of looks being deceiving.
The play follows Viola, a shipwrecked woman who assumes the new identity of a man named Cesario to survive in a foreign land. This disguise leads to a web of romantic entanglements: Viola falls for her employer, Duke Orsino, who, in turn, is in love with Lady Olivia, whilst she becomes obsessed with Cesario, unaware that he is Viola – who makes it even more complicated by having a male twin who apparently looks exactly like Viola attempting to be a man. Shakespeare may have created the first love triangle to cover all three angles or square if you want to get technical about all the connections.
In modern filmography, Twelfth Night is a prime inspiration for movies such as the popular and accurate adaptation of She’s the Man, where Viola, played by Amanda Bynes, disguises herself as her twin brother to join a boys’ soccer team. This film captures the essence of Twelfth Night by using humour and tension between the modern adaptations of Viola, Duke, and Olivia in a 2000s American boarding school to navigate mistaken identities and romantic confusion, paying homage to Shakespeare’s original while adding a fresh, modern twist on the play’s comedic misunderstandings.
The Taming of the Shrew – The Modern Feminist
The Taming of the Shrew directly delves into themes of independence and gender roles, often considered to be one of Shakespeare’s more controversial comedies due to his narrative on women. It explores these aspects, which appears it could have been tailored for a 21st-century audience, as it continues to be the inspiration for readers and viewers alike.
The play follows Katherine, a strong-willed woman who resists societal expectations of the time, and Petruchio, a suitor who attempts to “tame” her fiery nature to win her hand in marriage. Their multifaceted relationship continues to spark debate in literature and film, with audiences interpreting it as either a clash of equals or a critique of male dominance.
In the 1999 film, this dynamic is reflected in 10 Things I Hate About You, where the character Patrick, played by the late Heath Ledger, is paid to date the headstrong Kat, played by Julia Stiles, so her sister can also date, a nod to Petruchio’s ulterior motives in pursuing Katherine. However, 10 Things I Hate About You alters the narrative into a feminist coming-of-age story, where Kat is unapologetically herself and remains independent, ultimately challenging traditional expectations of femininity and romance.
A trope of dating with ulterior motives is not foreign to the film industry; in fact, other Romcoms like She’s All That include this, yet 10 Things I Hate About You continues to have direct inspiration showing the continuous theme of self-respect and equality continues from 400 years ago whilst garnering a modern edge that celebrates Kat’s individuality.
Romeo and Juliet – cult classics
Romeo and Juliet is often deemed as Shakespeare’s iconic tale that encompasses a passionate yet tragic young love, telling the story of two “star-crossed lovers” from feuding families in Italy whose love ultimately leads to heartbreak, death of the protagonists and reconciliation of these feuding families through loss.
While forbidden love stories are by no means an originality that appeared through Shakespeare via Romeo and Juliet, as seen in the myth of Venus and Adonis in Metamorphoses, Shakespeare’s play made this theme accessible and popular, capturing the timeless and almost frantic intensity of adolescent love.
Forbidden love continues to resonate deeply in modern romance, inspiring countless adaptations and reinterpretations; West Side Story, Letters to Juliet, Warm Bodies, and even Titanic all echo the intense and desperate nature of love being paired against societal or familial obstacles. West Side Story, a modern classic, takes the very essence of Romeo and Juliet as it replaces a feuding Italian family with gang rivalry in New York City, blending Shakespeare’s themes of social issues from separation between interest to separation via race and ethnicity to create something fresh and universally impactful. A frantic love that is both idolised and revered, seen as impactful and rushed, is a forefront of modern love that ties to centuries before us.
Ultimately, Shakespeare’s influence on modern film is unmistakable, from character names and personality traits to iconic plot lines and tropes. His themes — enemies-to-lovers, mistaken identities, and forbidden love, just to mention a few — have become a foundation for countless films. They continue to be the backbone of the romance film industry, which is evident in multiple aspects of filmography, such as some of your favourite romantic films.