Shakespeare's comedy of mistaken identity has enough plot for several movies, most of it hinging on misdirected sexual desire. Identical twins Viola (Imogen Stubbs) and Sebastian (Stephen Mackintosh) are separated in a shipwreck. He's presumed drowned, and she finds
refuge in the court of lovesick Duke Orsino (Toby Stephens) by masquerading as a boy, then gets stuck in a frightful mess when the Duke -- with whom she's fallen in love -- dispatches her to help him woo the Lady Olivia (Helena Bonham Carter), who instead falls in love with
her. And that's
not the half of it: There are servants with designs on their social betters, a fool whose inane utterances a...
Released:
1996
Rated:
PG
Length:
125 mins