Are Films Of Shakespeare Too Faithful?

“Whereas filmmakers feel comfortable taking artistic license when adapting novels or the works of most other playwrights, there’s an unwritten rule that Shakespearean dialogue is so precious as to be locked in, that the stories cannot be tampered with in any significant way. Directors update the setting … but more often than not the core storyline and dialogue remain virtually untouched. … One has to wonder if film’s apparent reverence towards Shakespeare is too restrictive, when cinema allows for so much possibility.”