Romeo and Juliet (1968 film)

Updated: 12/11/2025, 12:17:57 PM Wikipedia source

Romeo and Juliet (Italian: Romeo e Giulietta) 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 Antonio Pierfederici, who played Lord Montague but was not credited on-screen. The cast also features Milo O'Shea, Michael York, John McEnery, Bruce Robinson, and Robert Stephens. The film adaptation of a Shakespeare play was a financial success during its time of release. It became popular among teenagers because it was the first adaptation to cast actors close to the age of the characters from the original play. Many critics also praised the film. It won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design. It was also nominated for Best Director and Best Picture, making it the last Shakespearean film to be nominated for the latter category. Whiting and Hussey both won Golden Globe Awards for Most Promising Newcomers.

Infobox

Directed by

Franco Zeffirelli

Screenplay by

Franco BrusatiMasolino D'AmicoFranco Zeffirelli

Based on

Romeo and Juliet1597 playby William Shakespeare

Produced by

John BrabourneAnthony Havelock-Allan

Starring

mw- Leonard WhitingOlivia HusseyMilo O'SheaMichael YorkJohn McEneryPat HeywoodNatasha ParryRobert Stephens

Narrated by

Laurence Olivier

Cinematography

Pasqualino De Santis

Edited by

Reginald Mills

Music by

Nino Rota

Productioncompanies

BHE FilmsDino De Laurentiis CinematograficaVerona Produzione

Distributed by

Paramount Pictures

Release dates

4 March 1968 (1968-03-04) (Royal Film Performance) 5 March 1968 (1968-03-05) (UK) 8 October 1968 (1968-10-08) (US) 19 October 1968 (1968-10-19) (Italy)

Running time

138 minutes

Countries

ItalyUnited Kingdom

Language

English

Budget

$850,000

Box office

$38.9 million

Tables

· Release and reception › Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Award

Academy Awards

Category

Best Picture

Nominee(s)

John Brabourne and Anthony Havelock-Allan

Result

Nominated

Best Director

Award

Best Director

Category

Franco Zeffirelli

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Cinematography

Award

Best Cinematography

Category

Pasqualino De Santis

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Costume Design

Award

Best Costume Design

Category

Danilo Donati

Nominee(s)

Won

British Academy Film Awards

Award

British Academy Film Awards

Category

Best Direction

Nominee(s)

Franco Zeffirelli

Result

Nominated

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Award

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Category

John McEnery

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Award

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Category

Pat Heywood

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Art Direction

Award

Best Art Direction

Category

Renzo Mongiardino

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Costume Design

Award

Best Costume Design

Category

Danilo Donati

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Film Editing

Award

Best Film Editing

Category

Reginald Mills

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Film Music

Award

Best Film Music

Category

Nino Rota

Nominee(s)

Nominated

David di Donatello Awards

Award

David di Donatello Awards

Category

Best Director

Nominee(s)

Franco Zeffirelli

Result

Won

Golden Plate Award

Award

Golden Plate Award

Category

Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting

Nominee(s)

Won

Directors Guild of America Awards

Award

Directors Guild of America Awards

Category

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures

Nominee(s)

Franco Zeffirelli

Result

Nominated

Golden Globe Awards

Award

Golden Globe Awards

Category

Best English-Language Foreign Film

Nominee(s)

Romeo and Juliet

Result

Won

Best Director – Motion Picture

Award

Best Director – Motion Picture

Category

Franco Zeffirelli

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Original Score – Motion Picture

Award

Best Original Score – Motion Picture

Category

Nino Rota

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Most Promising Newcomer – Male

Award

Most Promising Newcomer – Male

Category

Leonard Whiting

Nominee(s)

Won

Most Promising Newcomer – Female

Award

Most Promising Newcomer – Female

Category

Olivia Hussey

Nominee(s)

Won

Laurel Awards

Award

Laurel Awards

Category

Top Drama

Nominee(s)

Romeo and Juliet

Result

Nominated

Top Cinematographer

Award

Top Cinematographer

Category

Pasqualino De Santis

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Top Male New Face

Award

Top Male New Face

Category

Michael York

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Top Female New Face

Award

Top Female New Face

Category

Olivia Hussey

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Nastro d'Argento

Award

Nastro d'Argento

Category

Best Director

Nominee(s)

Franco Zeffirelli

Result

Won

Best Cinematography – Color

Award

Best Cinematography – Color

Category

Pasqualino De Santis

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Costume Design

Award

Best Costume Design

Category

Danilo Donati

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Score

Award

Best Score

Category

Nino Rota

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Production Design

Award

Best Production Design

Category

Lorenzo Mongiardino

Nominee(s)

Won

National Board of Review Awards

Award

National Board of Review Awards

Category

Top Ten Films

Nominee(s)

Romeo and Juliet

Result

Won

Best Director

Award

Best Director

Category

Franco Zeffirelli

Nominee(s)

Won

Thessaloniki International Film Festival

Award

Thessaloniki International Film Festival

Category

Honorary Award

Nominee(s)

Won

Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
Academy Awards	Best Picture	John Brabourne and Anthony Havelock-Allan	Nominated
	Best Director	Franco Zeffirelli	Nominated
	Best Cinematography	Pasqualino De Santis	Won
	Best Costume Design	Danilo Donati	Won
British Academy Film Awards	Best Direction	Franco Zeffirelli	Nominated
	Best Actor in a Supporting Role	John McEnery	Nominated
	Best Actress in a Supporting Role	Pat Heywood	Nominated
	Best Art Direction	Renzo Mongiardino	Nominated
	Best Costume Design	Danilo Donati	Won
	Best Film Editing	Reginald Mills	Nominated
	Best Film Music	Nino Rota	Nominated
David di Donatello Awards	Best Director	Franco Zeffirelli	Won
David di Donatello Awards	Golden Plate Award	Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting	Won
Directors Guild of America Awards	Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures	Franco Zeffirelli	Nominated
Golden Globe Awards	Best English-Language Foreign Film	Romeo and Juliet	Won
	Best Director – Motion Picture	Franco Zeffirelli	Nominated
	Best Original Score – Motion Picture	Nino Rota	Nominated
	Most Promising Newcomer – Male	Leonard Whiting	Won
	Most Promising Newcomer – Female	Olivia Hussey	Won
Laurel Awards	Top Drama	Romeo and Juliet	Nominated
	Top Cinematographer	Pasqualino De Santis	Nominated
	Top Male New Face	Michael York	Nominated
	Top Female New Face	Olivia Hussey	Nominated
Nastro d'Argento	Best Director	Franco Zeffirelli	Won
	Best Cinematography – Color	Pasqualino De Santis	Won
	Best Costume Design	Danilo Donati	Won
	Best Score	Nino Rota	Won
	Best Production Design	Lorenzo Mongiardino	Won
National Board of Review Awards	Top Ten Films	Romeo and Juliet	Won
National Board of Review Awards	Best Director	Franco Zeffirelli	Won
Thessaloniki International Film Festival	Honorary Award	Franco Zeffirelli	Won

References

Alexander Walker, Hollywood, England, Stein and Day, 1974 p399
Romeo and Juliet
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1968/00247.php
Du Noyer, Paul. Conversations with McCartney. New York: The Overlook Press. pg.: 138-139
Collins, Phil. Not Dead Yet. Century. pg.: 226
Anjelica Huston with Joy Behar: Watch Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3UntQFFkNY
The Romeo and Juliet 1968 Movie Database
https://romeo-juliet-1968.com/at-zeffirellis-villa-rome-may-1967/
"Romeo and Juliet (1968)"
https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/452861/romeo-and-juliet#articles-reviews
The Salisbury Post
The Romeo and Juliet 1968 Movie Database
https://romeo-juliet-1968.com/at-zeffirellis-villa-rome-may-1967/
The Romeo and Juliet 1968 Movie Database
https://romeo-juliet-1968.com/cinecitta/
The Romeo and Juliet 1968 Movie Database
https://romeo-juliet-1968.com/artena/
Liner notes (back cover) from Romeo & Juliet: Original Soundtrack Recording, 1968, Capitol Records ST 2993
Shakespeare Films in the Making: Vision, Production and Reception
Staging Shakespeare – Seminars on Production Problems
"Big Rental Films of 1969", Variety, 7 January 1970 p 15
MeasuringWorth
http://www.measuringworth.com/datasets/usgdp/
"Big Rental Films of 1973", Variety, 9 January 1974 p 60
Rotten Tomatoes
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1017834-romeo_and_juliet/
The Chicago Sun-Times
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/romeo-and-juliet-1968
Variety
https://variety.com/2023/film/news/romeo-and-juliet-child-abuse-nude-scene-lawsuit-1235477837/
Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College
https://www.kcgmckarnal.org/romeo-and-juliet-lawsuit-judge-rules-nude-scene-not-classified-as-child-pornography/
The Romeo and Juliet 1968 Movie Database
https://romeo-juliet-1968.com/archive-footage-of-the-filming-in-tuscania/
AP News
https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-franco-zeffirelli-lawsuits-legal-proceedings-f62cad4b78eec5d0486eef8a20ce35d5
Deadline Hollywood
https://deadline.com/2023/01/sexual-abuse-lawsuit-paramount-romeo-amp-juliet-stars-movie-1235210875/
Screen Rant
https://screenrant.com/romeo-juliet-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-director-son-response/
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/jan/06/franco-zeffirelli-son-criticises-romeo-juliet-actors-olivia-hussey-leonard-whiting-nudity-lawsuit
BBC News
https://web.archive.org/web/20230526143749/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65725714
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/may/25/romeo-juliet-movie-franco-zeffirelli-child-abuse-lawsuit
Variety
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/romeo-juliet-lawsuit-dismissed-again-olivia-hussey-leonard-whiting-1236184850/
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Romeo-Juliet-Nino-Rota/dp/B00000DR9R
"Nino Rota Romeo & Juliet Soundtrack HDtracks high resolution audiophile music downloads"
https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=738572114022
Billboard's Book Of #1 Hits
https://archive.org/details/billboardbookofn0000bron/page/255