''Romeo and Juliet'' is a

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

short made in 1908 made by

Vitagraph Studios Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907 ...

. It was the first American film version of the play. Directed by J. Stuart Blackton, it was filmed at Bethesda Terrace in

Manhattan, New York Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

. The film starred Paul Panzer as

Romeo Romeo Montague () is the male protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. The son of Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lord Montague, Lord Montague and his wife, Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lady Montague, Lady Montague, he ...

and

Florence Lawrence Florence Lawrence (born Florence Annie Bridgwood; January 2, 1886 – December 28, 1938) was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress. She is often referred to as the "first movie star", and was long thought to be the first film act ...

Juliet Juliet Capulet () is the female protagonist in William Shakespeare's romantic tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. A 13-year-old girl, Juliet is the only daughter of the patriarch of the House of Capulet. She falls in love with the male protagonist Ro ...

. According to the Silent Era Company, a complete print of the film survives.

Plot summary

The 1908 Vitagraph short condenses

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

’s five‑act tragedy into a single reel. The action opens in Renaissance Verona, where the noble houses of Montague and Capulet are locked in a bitter feud. At a masked ball hosted by the Capulets, young Romeo Montague (Paul Panzer) first catches sight of Juliet Capulet (Florence Lawrence). Although they learn afterward that they belong to rival families, their instant attraction leads Friar Laurence to secretly marry them the next day, hoping to reconcile the households.

Tybalt Tybalt () is a fictional character and the principal antagonist in William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet''. He is the son of Lady Capulet's brother, Juliet's short-tempered first cousin, and Romeo's rival. Tybalt shares the same name ...

, Juliet’s hot‑headed cousin, challenges Romeo to a duel. When Romeo refuses,

Mercutio Mercutio ( , ) is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's 1597 tragedy, ''Romeo and Juliet''. He is a close friend to Romeo and a blood relative to Prince Escalus and Count Paris. As such, Mercutio is one of the named characters in the ...

steps in but is slain by Tybalt. Enraged, Romeo avenges his friend by killing Tybalt and subsequently flees Verona under the Friar’s counsel. Meanwhile, Juliet’s parents arrange her marriage to Count Paris. To avoid this, she takes a potion supplied by Friar Laurence that induces a death‑like coma. The Friar’s letter explaining the scheme fails to reach Romeo, who returns to the Capulet tomb believing Juliet truly dead. In grief, Romeo takes poison and dies beside Juliet. Awakening moments later, Juliet finds Romeo lifeless and kills herself with his dagger. The film closes with Friar Laurence discovering the lovers, lamenting their fate but not depicting the families’ reconciliation. Most of the narrative relies on expressive pantomime and a handful of intertitles, with critical scenes—meeting at the ball, the secret wedding, Mercutio’s death—communicated through gesture and staging rather than text.

Cast

* Paul Panzer - Romeo *

- Juliet * John G. Adolfi - Tybalt * Josephine Atkinson - Bit * Louise Carver - Nurse * Charles Chapman - Montague * Gladys Hulette * Charles Kent - Capulet * William V. Ranous - Friar Lawrence * William Shea - Peter * Harry Solter *

Florence Turner Florence Turner (January 6, 1885 – August 28, 1946) was an American actress who became known as the "Vitagraph Girl" in early silent films. Biography Born in New York City, Turner was pushed into appearing on the stage at age three by h ...

References

External links

* 1908 films 1908 horror films 1908 lost films 1900s American films American black-and-white films Films based on Romeo and Juliet Films directed by J. Stuart Blackton Silent American horror short films Surviving American silent films Vitagraph Studios short films {{short-silent-film-stub