MovieChat Forums > Renaissance Man (1994) Discussion > Getting your Shakespeares crossed

Getting your Shakespeares crossed

posted 19 years ago by Beatlemaniac3
10 replies | jump to latest

I enjoyed this movie, but am I the only one bothered by the fact that they spent the whole movie learning Hamlet then drove all the way to Canada to see Henry V? It's as though they assumed movie audiences would not recognise the difference. "I see you Stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the Start. The game's afoot: Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge Cry 'God for Harry! England and Saint George!'" - Henry V act 3, scene 1, line 31. Incidently, Benitez's recitation is also from Henry V, the most famous speech from it, in fact, "...For he that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother..."

[–] Vongrove 19 years ago

It was done for a reason. See he taught them Hamlet because he loved Hamlet and they showed intrest in it. However since he can't plan when and what Shakespearean plays are being performed he settled on taking them to see Henry V. They do tell viewers this Bill says that it was the only place Henry V was playing, and Benitez when reading the script says "then Henry V says..." Also the speech benitez says at teh end applies better than any of the speeches that are in Hamlet. They didn't mix Shakespeares Beatlemaniac they did it as a plot device.

Now you know the rest of the story

Good Day

[–] elm110 19 years ago

You are right about the plot device but I think that what they were really trying to show was that he had made them interested in more than just Hamlet. They actually liked Shakespeare. When the girl asks where benitez got Henry V, he says relax I bought it... And they show DeVito smiling proudly.

[–] acklesa 19 years ago

Benitez brought the Henry V book when they were in Canada, and the connection between the St.Crispin's speak and the Double D's is that like Henry's army in the story they were out numbered but by the rest of teh Army who thought them out. They became the "band of Brothers" Henry spoke about after they started to go through the class. I think Devito's character took them to the play becuase he understood the position they were in and the comparision but didnt want to tell them directly, becuase on the trip he does say there was a reason he was taking them saying something on the lines "trust me you'll love it" when they asked about it.

[–] maidcarolyn 19 years ago

I think others have made good comments here. Just one more, though - "all the way to Canada" isn't that far when your start in Michigan! Some of the best Shakespeare performed in the NorthEast MidWest (how's that for a description of location?) is in Stratford, Ontario - only about 2.5 to 3 hours from Detroit (a bit more from the base where they train).

[–] SIT Fan 18 years ago

Yep, they saw it at Stratford, Ontario, after crossing the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron.

[–] excalibur216 18 years ago

believe it or not i am from windsor ontario wich is located across the river from detroit and i thought it was very cool to see my country represented so well

rational thought can be alot like denial

[–] cherokeecfg 17 years ago

Well, they don't say what Army base they started from, but everyone's been saying it was filmed at Ft. Jackson, which is in South Carolina! I know, I went there for basic training myself!

[–] c-huddleston 17 years ago

To the OP. Follow the link. It's explained here.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110971/board/thread/61232874?d=61232874&p=1#61232874

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] moviemasochism 9 years ago

My God, is there any greater pleasure of when someone tries to sound smart and ends up looking like an effing moron?

Answer: no... no there isn't