Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, Derek Jacobi, David Thewlis, Rafe Spall, and Mark Rylance star in the master of disaster Roland Emmerich's new movie Anonymous, arguing that Shakespeare's plays were written by Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford. To allow enough cannonfire and violence to keep today's audiences engaged with a story about writing, the story unfolds during the Essex rebellion. In interviews Emmerich has been saying when the film opens in September he expects protestors outside his London townhouse. Won't it be odd if the openly gay director and the openly gay narrator (Jacobi, a noted Oxfordian) relish angering fans over the contested authorship question yet are too timid to portray the fact that 126 of the sonnets are addressed to the poet's beloved young man? What is a naked woman doing at 1:33? Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye than.. Radiohead soundtrack?
In case you were wondering, twelve years on, I am still enraged that Shakespeare in Love shows the Bard penning Sonnet 18 to Gwyneth Paltrow. To paraphrase Sonnet 420: Dude. Lame.
The whole idea that Shakespeare didn't write his plays is ridiculous. There's reams of evidence he wrote his plays. This whole notion is based upon snobbery. Yes, Christopher Marlowe's father was a cobbler and Shakespeare's was a glovemaker. Yeah, the two best Elizabethan writers were middle-class and gay. Get over it.
Posted by: Bob Smith | April 08, 2011 at 11:05 AM
no matter what they say about Shakespeare what matters most is how he made history with literature and art, it was in deed what every writer dreams to be famous and be a legend to follow..
Posted by: Torque Wrench | April 10, 2011 at 05:55 PM
And I too remain outraged that Shakespeare in Love gave Sir Philip Sidney's glorious "My true love hath my heart... " to Shakespeare, and then re-directed it at the simpering, never-less-than-irritating Paltrow.
Posted by: iain | May 24, 2011 at 10:28 PM
Roland Emmerich is one of my favorite director. And I am sure that he will present Shakespeare life in right way. The story will be good. People should wait and watch ANONYMOUS coming on on 28 October 2011. First watch what Mr.Roland showed in movie then give any comment you want to give but before that please don't say anything about ANONYMOUS movie.
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