Romeo_and_juliet_1
For my birthday celebration tonight, we watched Franco Zefferelli‘s Romeo and Juliet. The boys are diving into a little Shakespeare in homeschool and this movie burned a place in my heart 38 years ago. I remember the first time I saw it like it was yesterday. Was I more in love with Olivia Hussey or Len Whiting? I saw it at least 10 times. It took my breath away. And did you know that Laurence Olivier did the narration?

We all enjoyed it tonight, even the boys hung on every word. Of course, you have to so you know what is going on. West Side Story is still a big hit at our house… the boys love that movie, so they knew the plot. The story actually is timeless… except I never heard so much fake crying in my life! Did I believe it back in 1968? Who cares. Len Whiting’s butt is still cute. I mean in the movie. Now, who knows? That was some 30 odd years ago. Things change.

But, soft, here’s one thing that will never change:

"Capulet, Montague,
See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That
heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.
And I for winking at
your discords, too
Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are puni-shed. ALL ARE PUNI-SHED!"

That’s war for you. All are puni-shed. Romeo and Juliet briefly replaced The Sound of Music as my all-time favorite movie. Briefly. Novice Maria and the Von Trapp Family singers stole back into my heart in no time. I can recite that entire movie. "I Have Confidence" was my favorite song back then. Julie Andrews sings it as she’s riding the bus, leaving the convent, heading to the Von Trapp home for the first time, swingin’ that guitar. These days, I’m humming "Something Good". Living in Costa Rica, that feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop is fading away. Fifty-one years is long enough to wait. I think I’ll stop.

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