Based on the play Cymbeline by William Shakespeare, the story revolves around a war between dirty cops and a bigger gang, and a drug kingpin who is driven to desperate measures.
Antoine et Cléopâtre (1972) est une adaptation cinématographique de Rank Organisation de la pièce du même nom de William Shakespeare. Elle a été réalisée par Charlton Heston et produite par Peter Snell selon un scénario de Federico De Urrutia et de Charlton Heston.
The story is set in Hope, Derbyshire, England. It's Christmastime, and 'tis the season to put on Shakespeare's most cheery seasonal play: Hamlet. Joe Harper takes the project on as a Final Stand of sorts under the encouragement of his catty agent, advertising in the local newspaper for actors at a low price. From the rabble of actors both strange and untalented, he chooses the following:
Don Pedro of Aragon (Denzel Washington) and his noblemen are visiting their good friend Leonato (Richard Briers) in Messina after having crushed an uprising led by Don John (Keanu Reeves), the prince's bastard half-brother. With him is the misogynistic and witty Benedick (Kenneth Branagh), erstwhile flame of Leonato's equally sharp-tongued and somewhat fierce niece, Beatrice (Emma Thompson). Beatrice and Benedick are both stubborn and proud. Also present are Benedick's "sworn brother" Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), a young count; and Don John who, despite his attempt at rebellion, has apparently reconciled with his brother. Claudio has been thinking fondly of Leonato's gentle and lovely daughter Hero (Kate Beckinsale) since before he went to war, and returns to find her as attractive as ever. Don Pedro, learning of his young friend's feelings, decides to act on his behalf and arranges the match at a party. An unrepentant and ill-intentioned Don John attempts to foil it, but unsuccessfully: the match is made. Needing something to pass the time until the wedding day, Don Pedro decides to arrange a similar fate for Beatrice and Benedick. Of course, with each party being such a “professed tyrant” to the opposite sex, this match will take a little more ingenuity.
The plot of the film is largely unchanged from that of Shakespeare's original play. Differences include the modern-day setting, switching Conrade's gender, eliminating several minor roles and consolidating others into Leonato's aide, and expanding Ursula's role by giving her a number of Margaret's scenes. In addition, the film attempts to add background to the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick by showing, in an opening scene, a morning after they apparently slept together. Benedick steals away quietly while Beatrice pretends to be asleep.
Although the original play was set in an unspecified, but distant past, the film relocates the story to modern day India. The film tells the story of a Bengali merchant from Kolkata and his servant who visit a small town for a business appointment, but, whilst there, are mistaken for a pair of locals, leading to much confusion.
In Brooklyn's Crown Heights, where West Indian Rastafarians and other Blacks live next door to the Jewish Chabad community, ethnic tensions are high. After a minor car crash, the headstrong Judah and other Jewish men who patrol the neighborhood as vigilantes confront Scratch, a mouthy African-American hustler. Passengers in the cars make eye contact: Sol, a hip-hop musician, songwriter, and artist (Scratch's friend), and Sara, who is betrothed to Judah but wants to go to college and be on her own. Over the next few days, while Scratch and Judah's conflict escalates in violence, Sara and Sol connect in ways that echo Sheba and Solomon.