Though filmed for the most part in picturesque, sun-drenched Cornish exteriors, this is a rather sombre, steady account of Shakespeare's great, complex play. At times it's genuinely touching, but very rarely funny: Trevor Nunn's direction pitches it rather more as a BBC-esque costume drama than a comedy. Ben Kingsley can't sing but is nonetheless a charismatic, intriguing Feste; Nigel Hawthorne is particularly effective in Malvolio's final scenes, somewhere close to Madness of King George territory, while Imogen Stubbs is an engaging Viola (and reasonably credible Cesario) throughout. Imelda Staunton's Maria stands out too: she gives the impression of being the only remotely level-headed person in Illyria, and her understated distancing of herself from the plot against Malvolio as it becomes crueller is nicely observed. Nunn's direction could do with more subtle touches like that - and it could also do with rather more wit and lightness to offset the prevailing melancholy.
Cinema is rather cruel to the Renaissance stage conceit that identical twins really do appear identical. And perhaps there are other, specifically theatrical artificialities about "Twelfth Night" that don't translate naturally to the screen - like its whole plot, for example. Overall, a serious, honourable but not inspired attempt.
Cinema is rather cruel to the Renaissance stage conceit that identical twins really do appear identical. And perhaps there are other, specifically theatrical artificialities about "Twelfth Night" that don't translate naturally to the screen - like its whole plot, for example. Overall, a serious, honourable but not inspired attempt.