Romeo And Juliet Zeffirelli Music
Ilario Grijalva
I just finished watching the classic film Romeo and Juliet directed by Franco Zeffirelli in 1968 with one of my classes. Such a gorgeous film. And populated with unfamiliar faces, too. I wondered why that was, and I set out on a quest to find out what happened to the stars of that film.
He was nominated for a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year in 1968. Frankly, after that, he virtually disappeared, appearing in a handful of films that did not garner near the attention or success of Romeo and Juliet. According to a People magazine article published in 1992, Leonard became a writer after retiring from films in the mid-1970s, though he is as yet unpublished. He felt he had been typecast and could not overcome it. He is married to his (former?) manager Lynn Presser and has two grown daughters by a previous marriage. Here is the most recent picture of him that I could find:
Incidentally, as I researched information for this post, I found out that Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting apparently dated and were quite serious about each other. In fact, in a 1995 interview with a Russian journalist, Whiting said,
It is very strange, because we have never spoken to western journalists about the truth. We madly liked one another, or, at least, I was madly in love with her. But our paths in life have not coincided, unfortunately. No one understands it, but it was the truth. I liked her very much.
Hi, I love the 1968 Romeo & Juliet. I went down to the Brea Mall to special order it, because I couldn't find it anywhere. I really don't like the new Romeo & Juliet; the first 1968 is perfect. Leonard Whiting is a hottie back in his time, and he still looks great. And Juliet looks great too.
Leonard Whiting was pretty fine in his day. He looks ok now, I was expecting him to look like a "Silver Fox" with a little George Clooney-ish salt & pepper hair and age gracefully, oh well. But back then, he did look like a male model. Too bad he was a little short.
Both my teenage boys have studied R & J in English class, so I've rented the Zefferelli film a few times. The acting of Leonard Whiting is truly extraordinary. Olivia H. too, is excellent, but I think Romeo's energy and physicality give the movie a dynamism that doesn't exist in other versions. The youthful exuberance, bravado, & vulnerability of the teenage Romeo is so true (speaking as the mother of boys), it is hard to remember that this was just acting. And the chemistry between Leonard & Olivia is so real, it makes sense that there was an off screen romance.
It is unfortunate that Leonard didn't continue to act regardless of his typecasting, because with another hit, he would have been in a better position to recast himself. Look at Madonna! It's our loss, and reading his bio, seems like his loss too, unfortunately.
i watched this film when I was 12 and fell totally in love with the production,lovely to see this site and find what happened to the main charecters having watched the film again last night. Wonderful website Leonard Whiting was on my bedroom wall for many years thankyou Fifi
I watched the film for the first time when I was 12. I felt in love with Leonard Withing, the production and the music, as a matter of fact I studied music for six years after that and I have a major in Shakespeare.I still keep things that I collected from the film in those days and of course I lo love this Website. Thankyou
Oh, my god! I just finished watching Romeo and Juliet old version and I cant help noticing that Leonard W. looks a lot like Zac Efron. I'm 14, so I can totally relate to it all. the whole love sick teenager stuff In my school, we've been reading some Shakespeare writings. We've read Midnight Summer's Dream, Julius Ceaser, and we just finished Romeo and Juliet. I wanted to see both the old version and the new one. Both were very well done, but I seemed to like the old one better. So, good job even though its almost 40 years late to all the actors in the old Romeo and Juliet!
I'm 15 now but,I first saw the movie when I was 10, I love it so much, and Leonard Whiting was so hot:smile:! It's sad that he didn't stay that way:cry:My mom was 12 when this movie came out in theatres and she had a huge crush on L.W. to .
? well i am reading the book in our english class and i'm half way through i'm watching the movie on each act i am about to be on Act 3. i wonder why olivia and leonard didn't get married or stayed together forever in real life? well that only makes the movie better if they actually did like/love each other. i hear Romeo and Juliet die? well i'm not finished yet so don't tell me lol! I only wish one day i could find someone who loves me just as much as they loved each other in the movie. when this movie came out my mom was only one year younger than olivia so ya my mom is in her 50's lol. my dad is in his 50's also so they are really close in age. i'm 15 and i have alot of time ahead of me. But i really wish i had a Romeo or at least the young Leonard Whiting! lol. I didn't even know there was a new movie with leonardo di caprio so i must see that to but i bet the 1968 version is better! well Romeo and Juliet will last forever in my heart.:grin:
OMG at my school we just wathed romeo and juliet and leonard whiting is the hottest!! or he was really hot when he was seventeen. I stared into his gorgeous face the whole time we watched the movie!! i seriously wanted to see the credits just to see what his name was! i hope i dont get some kind of crush on him though because i already like someone else and plus leonards is, like, 57 years old now! or fifty seven in june that is. is there anyway i could write to him??? peeps, lemme know. thx ?
one of the most beautiful movies ever made,flawless,perfect.Zefferelli is a genius.Saw it in college when I was 22, with my ex boyfriend.I know I cried my eyes out,because I knew what it was like to be madly in love. The other students called us R and J.