Romeo And Juliet

While going through some of my old Papers I found the Report I did in 9^th Grade in Germany (shortly before I moved to New York) comparing Shakespeare’s Play of “Romeo and Juliet” and Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 Film Version of “Romeo and Juliet.”

It reminded Me of a conversation I had with my Mom about the 1968 Zeffirelli Film.

She had gone to a Catholic School for 1^st-8^th Grades and started at her local Public School for 9^th Grade in 1968 (due to a Sibling needing to go to a Specialized and Expensive Private School.)

Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet” came out in October 1968 and her 9^th Grade English Class had just finished reading Shakespeare’s Play and were going on a Field Trip to see the Movie in the Theater.

My Mom really wanted to go see the Film, but her Parents refused to sign the Permission Slip because of the Brief Nude Scene with the then 17 year old Olivia Hussey and the then 18 year old Leonard Whiting (again it was 1968, my Mom was 15 years old and they were a Catholic Family.)

My Mom’s whole 9^th Grade Class went and saw Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet” in the Movie Theater and my Mom was the only one that wasn’t allowed to go.

While her Class was at the Movie Theater (and then went to some Diner for Lunch) my Mom was in Study Hall, by herself doing some project just to keep her busy and eating her lunch from a brown paper bag.

When her Class later wrote an Essay on Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet” she had to write an Essay on Peter Ustinov’s 1961 Comedy “Romanoff and Juliet” staring Sandra Dee as the American Ambassador’s Daughter who falls in love with the Soviet Ambassador’s Son - played by John Gavin which she had happened to watch years before. It was the Cold War version of “Romeo and Juliet.”

My Mom got an A on her Essay (as she usually did.)

She didn’t get to see Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet” until 11 years later when it aired on AFN TV when she was living in South Korea  - where my Dad was Stationed - as an Adult (and had my 1 year old Brother and was pregnant with my Sister.) She really liked it since it was close to the Play and the Actors were actually Teenagers when it was made.

Getting back to when I watched the 1968 Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet” when I was in 9^th Grade in Germany: My Mom was so jealous that I could watch it on VHS right in the Classroom and that no Permission Slip was needed, despite the Brief Nude Scene. My Mom said she would have signed the Permission Slip if one was needed.

FYI: I got a 98% on my Report (as I usually did.)