The simple answer is that usually we watch them – that professor, that producer, that executive, that rich or powerful lover, relative, or friend – walk away unscathed from our accusations.
Women are still asked why they don’t always speak up about men like Weinstein. The ones who were brave enough to kick up a stink were silenced. They were intimidated, vulnerable, scared. Some of the statements from Weinstein’s victims and others supporting them cite fear about their future career as a reason not to step forward before. Usually dutifully derided in public and yet quietly accepted in some private spheres. Where an anonymous Hollywood agent’s quoted response to the evolving allegations against Weinstein was both dismissive and Shakespeare-defiling: “To me, it’s much ado about nothing… Welcome to Hollywood!” We live in a world where the 45th president of the United States was elected to office after we heard him confess to sexual assault on tape. This is something that we’re used to negotiating, in the workplace and beyond. This isn’t a rare and startling occurrence. One in five women in the UK have experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 16 (Crime Survey of England and Wales, 2013). I’m saying that we’ve heard this story before. I’m not saying we knew about these specific offences with this specific man – although some did allegedly enable Weinstein and they’ll have their own questions to answer in time. We’ve been furious, sickened, brimming over with outrage and solidarity for the victims, but shocked? How can we be?Īs Meryl Streep commented in her statement about the allegations “The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar.” When I started writing this piece I typed this inane opening line: “The entertainment industry has been shocked in recent weeks by the revelations about Harvey Weinstein.” It’s incorrect as well as dull. But Shakespeare tells us something very clear about such men of power – their reigns always end. We didn’t know the truth – that, to him, Shakespeare was just another thing to be abused and exploited. We in the audience applauded Harvey Weinstein for giving us these films. How are we to feel? How are we to respond now we know these women who we admire so much, who gave performances we adore, were targeted behind the scenes by this predatory man?Īlthough it’s 401 years after his death, Shakespeare is still tainted by this, in a sense. This is a scandal that reaches many corners of our Shakespearean world.
Nothing comes for free in this town, Sweetheart. Gross and leering in his dressing gown, the very embodiment of that well-known character – the casting couch pervert, the professor who would boost your grade, the boyfriend who paid for all those expensive dates. Luring his victims into solo encounters, turning up to meetings in various states of undress, screaming at Paltrow after she’d dared tell her then boyfriend about his come-ons. The victim accounts paint Weinstein as a vulgar, cowardly man. As well as giving us numerous classics of modern cinema, they were linked, via production, co-production or distribution, to several other Shakespeare films, including Prospero’s Books (1991), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1996), a version of Hamlet (2000) with Ethan Hawke, Kenneth Branagh’s Love’ Labour’s Lost (2000), “O” (2001), a modern-day reworking of Othello, and, later, Julie Taymor’s The Tempest (2010), Ralph Fiennes’ Coriolanus (2012) and Justin Kurzel’s Macbeth (2015).Īnother actress, Romola Garai, well known for her Shakespearean stage roles (including Cordelia to Ian McKellen’s King Lear), has come forward to share her own account of abuse by Weinstein. Harvey Weinstein, along with his brother Bob, was founder of the Miramax Company, and later the Weinstein Company. Another co-star, Ben Affleck, is now enmeshed in a scandal of his own. Her co-stars Judi Dench and Colin Firth have made statements condemning the producer.
The film’s female lead, Gwyneth Paltrow, has made a detailed and harrowing accusation against Weinstein.
It was also produced by serial sex abuser Harvey Weinstein. It’s got a great script, an amazing cast, and it won loads of Oscars. It’s a warm, charming film that introduced a lot of people to Shakespeare and showed a fun side of Bill to some of those who’d been put off by dry school sermons.
It’s a feel-good movie that we can share with anyone, not just our fellow bardophiles. What’s your favourite Shakespeare inspired film? For many of us, the 1998 classic Shakespeare in Love is the one we return to again and again.