10 Best William Shakespeare Film Adaptations

6. Much Ado About Nothing (dir. Kenneth Branagh, 1993)

Much Ado About Nothing is the only comedy on this list, and that reflects a general trend regarding Shakespeare adaptations. The vast majority of Shakespeare's histories and tragedies remain fresh and relevant because of their dramatic weight and themes, while the conventions that underpin his comedies so often don't stand up on film (e.g. the convention of women dressing up as men). To do justice to a Shakespeare comedy takes someone with great patience and boundless energy €“ and what better man to set the standard than Kenneth Branagh.

Like many of Shakespeare's comedies, Much Ado About Nothing revolves around romance and confusion. Set on the island of Sicily, it follows the fortunes of two young couples: Benedick and Beatrice, who hate both marriage and either other with a passion, and Claudio and Hero, who are positively besotted with each other. The play revolves around characters overhearing gossip about each other, which leads the first couple to confess their love and the second to almost fall apart. The title derives from 'noting', meaning overhearing gossip, which in Elizabeth England was pronounced the same as 'nothing'.

I'm a big fan of Branagh's Shakespeare films, because he goes out of his way to strip away the stuffy reputations of the plays and make them accessible to modern audiences. He's more than happy laughing at himself in the process, turning in a great performance as the aloof and sexist Benedick. Equally good, however, are Denzel Washington as Don Pedro and Branagh's then-wife Emma Thompson as Beatrice. It's a feisty, spirited and beautifully shot adaptation, which is guaranteed to put a big smile on your face. Plus it has Brian Blessed in it.