March 16, 1970

Romeo And Juliet (1936) *

Unbelievably tedious adaptation of Shakespeare's most famous play, with Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer much too old as the leads, and John Barrymore making a ridiculous gay impersonation instead of playing Mercutio. Only Basil Rathbone, as Tybalt, isn't hopelessly miscast. George Cukor directs with a grace of an elephant in a china shop, trampling over Shakespeare's immortal verses.