The Omitted
When watching the Branagh version of Much Ado About Nothing, I tended to realize lines had been omitted from the movie. I then got further into the movie and some of the lines that were ones that foreshadow what had happened in the text. The purpose of this paper will show that lines left out of the movie were in some way essential to character development and aided in the movie's plot confusion. The analysis took several watchings to create a vivid view of what lines were missing and why. So, as I was watching the movie I marked which lines were not spoken. This approximated to 1329. Wow! 1329 out of 2712 (give or take a few lines) were missing. Now I asked myself how is anyone going to get the full feel for this play, if there is 49% missing. Half an answer would be that the choices to leave out certain parts were to down play a character's attitude or behavior. Or I could be way off base, and producers could have wanted to just save time and money in producing, editing, etc. It is the first choice I would like to consider. When reviewing the lines left out, the first big chunk is in act 1 scene 1. Beatrice is describing Bene*censored*, "In our last con-/ flict four of
The next major spot in the text that is omitted from the movie is all of act 1 scene 2. This was an unusual choice, because this is where Leonato is shown to know that his daughter has a suitor. The wrong name is given, but still is an edited moment of comedy that allows a reader to know what is going on in the text, and who knows what and how. The movie did not let you know that Leonato was indeed aware of a suitor until he says "Daughter, remember what I told you. If the/ Prince do solicit you in that kind, you know your/ answer."(2.1,65). When reading the text, this wrong information about the Prince being the suitor instead of Claudio being the suitor (the Prince just acting in Claudio's name), is revealed in the scene that is mentioned earlier. It would help to make the comic nature of these lines unfold, instead of the confusion that comes about when the movie has the viewer confused to the textual facts of what is happening. Also it is the first time that somebody overhears (notes) a conversation and gives out wrong information, but this is also omitted in the prior mentioned scene. Consequently when people start to spy, it looks uncommon for the movie, but the text gives the notions of spying from the start. The beginning of act 3 omits the first 35 lines of text that Hero and Ursula speak to one another. These lines are the ones that reveal about the trick they are playing on Beatrice to make her fall in love with Bene*censored*. When they first speak in the movie it seems like Beatrice is walking into a normal conversation, not a planned set of words that are going to change her opinions of a man she loathes. Also with the omission of the first lines, and others, about her feelings toward Signior Bene*censored*, she is shown in the movie to be easily swayed away from the realm of hate for this man. In the text these
Some common words found in the essay are:
Signior Bene*censored*, Branagh Bene*censored*, McIntyre ENG, Beatrice Bene*censored*, Don John's, Hero Ursula, lines omitted, act 1 scene, character development, lines missing, ones foreshadow, omitted movie, wrong information, lines ones, lines left, lines lines, 1 scene,
Approximate Word count = 1241
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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