tonstant viewer "Twelfth Night" continues to reveal delights with every re-acquaintance. It is warm, sympathetic, funny, wise, theatrically canny and occasionally dangerous.This particular version of the play is chamber Shakespeare, based on a fairly intimate theatrical production. It is not particularly outstanding in any way, but it works. The old Shakespeare magic culminating in the final scene builds and releases as it should, and that is the ultimate test.The cast is good, just good, across the board. There is one standout performance, and that is Richard Briers as Malvolio, and he is considerably better than good.I found Anton Lesser's Feste a little strained and complicated, plumbing the part for depths not to be found. This is not Hamlet, nor was meant to be.Some production decisions can be questioned, with anachronistic Christmas elements injected, along with a wholly awkward Christmas carol. The whole winter motif and monochromatic production can be challenged as well, but it all works nonetheless. Unlike some of Mr. Branagh's inspirations, no Bards were harmed in the making of this DVD, and that's a relief.Many will tell you that Trevor Nunn's feature film of "Twelfth Night" with a potluck cast of stars is the best choice, but I find it a gross miscalculation in tone, scale and pace, and a complete misfire.There is an 1969 ITV production floating around with truly towering performances by Sir Alec Guinness and Sir Ralph Richardson, but they unbalance the rest of the cast and threaten to capsize the play.The best overall version with an ensemble cast that is beautifully balanced in every way is the 1980 BBC version from their complete traversal of the canon, with Felicity Kendal, Sinead Cusack and Alec McCowen. That is a delight from beginning to end.

talsedek Containing few performances that don't hit the same painfully broad and obvious notes over and over again, this film of Branagh's staged performance clearly has learned its lines and found its beats. Especially notable is Toby's slapstick business with the sword and the development of Feste's dark underbelly, completed with the subtlety and variety found in a box of crayolas. No mo------ meant left un-mined, no witty banter unPUNCTuated. Wow, they know that play in and out, having clearly just come off of a long and successful but apparently soul-draining run. Good snow.For the sake of filling enough lines to make an acceptable entry, I shall comment on the music: fittingly saccharine and forgettable. Hey nonny.

dev92 This has got to be the worst film that I have ever seen. It is so rubbish that I was prepared to kill myself. Luckily I didn't do that. Otherwise I wouldn't be here to write this. Some people may like it but the writers and crew have mucked up so much. They mixed up Shakespeare and Modern times. If they were clever they would have chosen one or the other. They also left electric lights on the Christmas tree. I'm ashamed. Ashamed. I recommend you do not watch it. I was forced to but don't watch it, unless being forced to. Though i did like Feste. He was acted very well. Unfortunately, it was the only thing good about this film.

Geoffrey Maher I had to read Twelfth Night in college, so I rented this from the university library and watched it while reading along with the actual play on my lap. It is dead on accurate (no cuts) and the play is very funny indeed. This is my favorite Shakespeare play, and I still remember this production of it 10 years later. Kenneth Branagh made Shakespeare look fun, and I actually laughed out loud at some points. I didn't really like Shakespeare before reading/seeing this production. (Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar are the wrong plays to subject to high school kids.) Since watching Twelfth Night, I have a new appreciation for the Bard and his other works. Kenneth Branagh did an excellent job with this one.