Anonymous
There’s a provocative question at the heart of Anonymous, along with a theoretical answer that isn’t nearly as compelling.
Yet that’s not really the point of this British period drama that speculates on the notion that William Shakespeare was a fraud and that the famous plays and sonnets for which he’s given credit were actually written by someone else.
It’s easy to dismiss the arguments in this change-of-pace for Hollywood blockbuster director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day), but that doesn’t mean it is devoid of breezy entertainment value.
The film ascribes Shakesepeare’s works to Edward de Vere (Rhys Ifans), a young aristocrat during the 16th century, stung by a strict upbringing under William Cecil (David Thewlis), who made such works of art forbidden.
He puts his plays aside, only revisiting them when he becomes enamored by live theater decades later. His plan becomes to pay off a struggling playwright named Ben Jonson (Sebastian Armesto) to take credit for presenting his works, but an illiterate actor named Shakespeare (Rafe Spall) steps into the spotlight instead, much to the chagrin of all involved.
Meanwhile, a furious Cecil tries to stop the productions, which thrill the crowd but he considers propaganda that threaten to reveal past secrets and stall his push for political power.
As presented by Emmerich and screenwriter John Orloff (A Mighty Heart), Shakespeare’s plays provide a backdrop for an Elizabethan-era clash of sex and politics, along with a little culture and plenty of bad hair.
The key to enjoying Anonymous is not taking it seriously. The film uses a controversial topic (at least in literary circles) essentially as a basis for farce, and it’s rife with questionable historical references.
While the pace is lively, the film does overstay its welcome and too often goes over the top. Shakespeare, for example, is portrayed as a bumbling drunk, a scoundrel to the point of caricature, which detracts from the mystery that is supposed to be central for viewers.
Still, Emmerich gives the film a big-budget slickness and his cast overall is solid, especially Ifans and Vanessa Redgrave, who makes for a regal Queen Elizabeth.
The notion of de Vere being the author of Shakespeare’s works has been presented before, but generally invalidated. Anonymous doesn’t give the Bard any further reason to turn over in his grave.
Rated PG-13, 130 minutes.